-The Umana, Ekere angle
-2019 connection
By Henshaw NYONG, Editor, The Town Crier Newspapers
There are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area has lost bearing and can no longer find its footing as it continues to lose membership and support base on daily bases.
The latest in the series of defections by former diehard members and supporters of the APC took place on Saturday, April 22, 2017, at the abode of the political leader of the area, Senator Effiong Dickson Bob, during which over 800 APC members dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party.
The event coordinated by political leaders in the area was attended by spectrum of PDP faithful in the State, among which were the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Rt Hon Barr Onofiok Luke, State Chairman of the party; Obong Paul Ekpo, Senator Effiong Bob, Senator Anietie Okon, Commissioner 1 in the State Civil Service Commission, Pastor Ekpedeme Amos, Aides of the Governor from Nsit Ubium LGA among others.
Speaking, Mayor Eka Eyoeffe (Rtd)- APC stalwart in Nsit Ubium, pledged loyalty of all former ‘broom carriers’ to the umbrella party.
In the words of their leader, “I thank God for the person of Onofiok Luke, our speaker. He is one of the reasons I have led this crowd out of APC back to PDP. He is one politician who will eat and leave some for others to eat with him”, said Mayor Eyoeffe.
The former APC members lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for his superlative performance, less than 2 years of his administration and pledged to be actively involved in advancing the course of the state.
Those who defected said they had to retrace their steps back to the PDP to move the state forward, stressing that they were tired of being in the APC.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, alongside other political leaders, who received the defectors with joy, said Nsit Ubium is one local government area in Akwa Ibom that has revolutionalized representation.
Luke said that Governor Udom Emmanuel has shown love to the Nsit Ubium people in many ways.
He added that the governor has, among other things, approved the construction of 22.5 kilometres of road in Nsit Ubium, in addition to the rehabilitation of cottage hospital, Ikot Ekpene Udo, while the the hospital in Akai Ubium is in the waiting list.
While speaking, Senator Bob said the meeting was designed to renew the Nsit Ubium peoples’ membership of the PDP.
He said the issue of Governor Emmanuel’s second term has long been settled in Nsit Ubium.
Chairman of the PDP, in the state, Obong Paul Ekpo, who said that similar event was happening in almost all the Local Government Areas, commended the decampees for choosing the path of victory and for “quitting a sinking boat, the APC”.
He assured them of equal treatment and entitlements as other members of the Party.
Meanwhile, pundits are of the opinion that since the backbones of the broom party in Nsit Ubium, have all moved into the umbrella party for coverage, the APC’s numero euno man in the area, Obong Umana, who is now left alone in the party, may consider the only wise option; joining the ruling party in the State since it is alleged that he will not support Ekere’s ambition in 2019.
“If Umana leaves the APC before 2019 as we have heard, then Nsima Ekere should forget about his alleged 2019 ambition because no fewer than 89,865 voters and supporters who filed behind UOU in the entire State during the 2015 governorship election, will follow him to the PDP and that will be victory for Udom Emmanuel again in 2019”, said Dr Nkereuwem Ekpo, a Political Scientist, in a chat with The TOWN CRIER.
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