Israel Umoh
Against the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria, nine governorship candidates of the various political parties in Akwa Ibom, Wednesday, signed Peace Accord before the State Council of Elders, pledging to ensure credible election devoid of violence in the state.
This is as eight others political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, his counterpart in Young Progressives Party, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan and others were absent at the signing of peace pact.
The Peace Accord which was held at the Ibom E-library complex Uyo, Akwa Ibom State was part of the interactive session organised by the Council of Elders for the candidates to unveil their manifestoes and blueprint to woo the electorates.
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Those who signed the accord included Mr Iboro Otu of the African Action Congress (AAC); Arc. Ezekiel Nyaetok of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Dr. Ekwere Essien of the Action Democratic party (ADP) and Obong Ita Ekpo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Others were Mr. Eyo Ekor of Allied People’s Movement (APM); Senator John James Akpanudoedehe of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP); Mr. Akan Ekpenyong of the Boot Party (BP); Engr. Emem Coffie of Accord Party and that of the Zenith Labour Party.
However, those absent during the pact signing included PDP, APC, YPP, LP, SPD, NRP and others.
After the presentation of their individual manifestoes, the chairman of Akwa Ibom State Council of Elders, Obong Attah, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the peace meeting.
Attah who is a former governor of the state said, “This is truly wonderful and it is regrettable that people gave it either wrong interpretation or high suspicion and therefore stayed away. Those that have come have seen the benefit of coming.
‘‘And I want to believe that next time they will be better informed and that they will come and Akwa Ibom people are now better informed about their candidates.”
On those that cast aspersion on the interactive session, he said, “That is their business. You are here and you saw what happened. It is purely interactive session for people to tell Akwa Ibom people why they should be elected as governor.”
Speaking shortly before the signing of the Accord, the Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Council of Elders, Dr. Moses Essien said that the Council viewed with great concern the inordinate tendencies of violence among members of the various political parties and is therefore committed to ensuring free election before, during and after the election
Essien stated that it was based on this that the Council of Elders decided to “bring together all the political parties in the state to forestall any possible occurrence of electoral violence during the forthcoming election in the state.”
In a vote of thanks, Chief Nduese Essien, the Vice Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Council of Elders, thanked the candidates, saying ‘‘I am very impressed with the seriousness all of you have shown in the interactive session.
‘‘You know in the campaign, you do not only follow up your party members but also others to vote for you.’’
He blamed the failure of the polity on some followers, urging that whoever wins the governorship race should re-educate and reorient his followers to be in consonance with the thinking of the leadership for the betterment of the state.
Reacting, the Director, media of the YPP campaign Organization, Mr Usoro Usoro when contacted about the absence of the YPP governorship candidate at the signing of the peace pact said he was not in a good environment to respond to our inquiry
However, the director of Strategic Communications, PDP campaign Organization and Head of Media, Maintain Peace Movement, Mr. Anietie Usen said the absence of the governorship candidate of the party, Umo Eno, could possibly be due to clash of programmes or that he was not adequately informed.
He said that the PDP candidate as a man of peace who has been preaching peace cannot stay from such a function which has to do with peace without any cogent reason
“It could be possibly connected to clash of programmes. I doubt whether adequate notices were given to the candidates, as a major political party and as you know Umo Eno is a man of peace he cannot just stay away without any reason. He has been preaching throughout his campaigns.
“I am trying to reach him in person to confirm if he actually got the invitation but for now I will be surprised if he got the invitation and stay away because he loves making peace anywhere he goes.”
The council that was formally incorporated by Corporate Affairs Commission is made up of Akwa Ibom indigenes who had served and as Governors, Deputy Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members, Secretary to the State Government, retired Chief Judges, and ex-Commissioners of 15 years after leaving office.
Akwa Ibom indigenes who served and retired from the rank of Commissioner in the Nigeria Police Force, retired from the rank of Brigadier in the Military, and retired from the rank of Comptroller-General from the Nigeria Customs, Immigration and Nigeria Civil Defence, among others.
