A’Ibom Gov. Aspirants set to petition Mua’zu over flawed ward congresses Posted by: iReporter Edet Edet, Eket There is palpable tension and disaffection in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family in Akwa Ibom State as governorship aspirants on the party’s platform have continued to challenge the credibility of Saturday’s ad-hoc delegates’ congress. The ward congresses, which did not commence until about 5p.m due to late arrival of election materials, and did not at all in some wards on Saturday, was characterized by widespread reports of irregularities and violence leading to the death of no fewer than four persons. Specifically, there were allegations by some of the governorship aspirants that only fake and photocopied materials were distributed for the congresses at the 329 wards in the state, a development which they maintained was unacceptable’. There was also an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty at the State Secretariat as heavily armed security operatives assaulted some of the governorship aspirants who had assembled at the party office to witness the distribution of materials to the various wards. The State Police Commissioner, Gabriel Achong was seen barking orders to the aspirants to leave the party secretariat failing which he would order his men to throw them and their aides out of the party’s premises. Furthermore the aspirants have disclosed their intention to petition the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, accusing the State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio of collaborating with the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Ward Congresses Committee, Senator Ibrahim Abdulazeez to manipulate the exercise. In fact, the aspirants, who expressed disaffection with the lack of transparency that characterized the ward congresses, alleged that the original copies of the result sheets were seized by Governor Akpabio, who connived with Senator Abdulazeez to compile the final result on Friday at the Government House, Uyo. According to them, the Governor was bent on manipulating the election processes and arm-twisting other aspirants to ensure the emergence of his ‘anointed candidate, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as governor in 2015. In fact some of the governorship hopefuls confided in our correspondent that some chieftains of the PDP including a former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah, Chief Don Etiebet etc may dump the party if Akpabio succeeds in imposing his preferred successor. Speaking, one of the leading governorship aspirants in the state and the immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Russia and the Belarus, Chief Assam E. Assam, called for the enthronement of internal democracy in the state. Describing the PDP as the only party that holds so much hope for Nigerians, Assam called for caution and sincerity on the part of party officials entrusted with conducting party congresses. He promised to continue to support the State Governor, Chief Akpabio and the party in the bid to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected in 2015 for a second term in office. Another Governorship Aspirant who spoke with our correspondent stressed that the Divisional Police Officer of ONNA L.G.A collaborated with the erstwhile SSG, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, to hijack materials that were meant for the 12 wards in the local government to his residence, which was barricaded by men of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Army. he stated that the DPO was not a retuning officer and as such has no right to had abducted the ad-hoc delegate election materials. He called on the National leadership of the party to intervene for the interest of peace, law and order, and that of the party to avoid unforeseen outcome of imposition. He also promised to give his unalloyed support to the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:56:59 +0000
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