The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria is in a dilemma following the ‘failure’ of Pastor Umo Eno, its governorship candidate, to throw in the towel, Straightnews has learned.

This is as the party failed to beat the August 12 deadline following closure of window period by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties to substitute their candidates.

For weeks, the party men, this online newspaper learned, were said to have held consultations and nocturnal meetings capped with political lobbying, and subterfuge in a deft move to convince their governorship candidate to voluntarily withdraw from the race to pave way for another to brighten the party’s chances during the 2023 general elections.

This follows forgery suit instituted against him by Mr. Akan Okon, the immediate past Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport in the state, who was the first runner-up at the May 25 PDP governorship primary held at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

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Okon, the party’s governorship aspirant, had filed a suit against Eno over controversial alterations in his ‘O’ level certificates of 1981 and 1983, questionable date(s) of birth, and Permanent Voter Card with different dates, seeking the court to disqualify the defendant and declare him, the appellant as the winner.

The case with reference FHC/UY/CS/110/2022 has Eno as the 2nd defendant, while the PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are 1st and 3rd defendants respectively.

Section 33 of Electoral Act, 2022 states A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 29 of the Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.

‘Provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party affected shall, within 14 days of the occurrence of the event, hold a fresh primary election to produce and submit a fresh candidate to the Commission for the election concerned.

To guard against losing the state to any opposition party, some PDP tacticians and stakeholders felt that there was absolute need to take advantage of the 14-day window to be provided by INEC for withdrawal of candidates with any form of ‘qualification disability.’

An anonymous source told Straightnews that ‘‘Despite spirited efforts and brave moves by some PDP stakeholders for substitution, Eno is unbent and unwilling to pull out for another to mount the saddle.’’

Information gathered by Straightnews shows that legal pundits made up of three  high-ranking judicial personnel were consulted.

Straightnews learned further from the source that the stakeholders spearheaded by the Governor consulted two retired and a serving high-ranking judicial personnel to advise on what will be the possible outcome of the case if it progresses to Supreme Court for adjudication.

‘‘The judges painstakingly understudied the substantive suit and discovered that the case was a ‘bad’ one that might not favour Eno and PDP at last. After x-raying the substantive suit, they reasoned that given the burden of proof and weighty nature of the case, they advised him to withdraw from the race.

‘‘Based on their professional advice, the party’s stakeholders summoned Eno to a meeting to convince him to withdraw to be replaced with another to avoid losing the governorship position in court to Akan Okon, the appellant.’’

According to the source, they met at Government House, Uyo on Sunday evening, August 7 to pressurise Eno, who is at the centre of the controversy, to withdraw to allow for replacement with another.

‘‘During the meeting, Eno refused to bow to pressures in tendering a letter of withdrawal to INEC, to allow replacement with a successor,’’ the source hinted Straightnews.

According to the source, ‘‘Before now, the state PDP Chairman was mandated to go to Abuja and collect withdrawal form from the party’s National office. So, on the said day, the chairman produced the form, which has two columns- one for the name and signature of the candidate and the other for his successor’s name and signature.

”When Eno was asked to sign, he ‘refused’ arguing ‘‘I have been disgraced and humiliated by many including my opponents. What will I tell my people? I will like the case to continue. It will be better to be convicted than to withdraw from the race as many will mock me,’’ he was quoted to have said.

‘‘At this point, the Governor had to cover his face, thinking over what will be the final outcome in the case as Eno sticks to his gun and refuses to withdraw.

‘‘He confided in a member of his kitchen cabinet, thus ‘I wish I had listened to my wife. She did not like the choice I made, but I ignored the time-honoured advice.

‘‘Apart, the governor has sent eminent Pastors and top party chieftains to beg him to withdraw.”

The source told the newspaper that the Governor allegedly said ‘‘I have withdrawn my financial support and structure from you. You should source for your money to fund your campaign and logistics.’’

Straightnews gathered that some months ago, the wife was rumoured to have wanted her husband to support the candidature of Akan Okon, who was their best man during wedding.

Recall that some months ago, Eno visited the first family at Government House, Uyo on a thank-you visit. The Governor’s wife, in a viral video seen by Straightnews, was seen sitting down and watching in utter dismay without a word when her husband received Eno who knelt before the governor.

However, Straightnews learned that early signs that Udom Emmanuel would not like to share limelight space with Akan Okon was soon after inauguration in 2015 and a new cabinet was to be formed.

It further gathered that Emmanuel only proposed Ephraim Inyangeyen as his nominee for Works Ministry and Linus Nkan as Accountant-General for the state. He deferred all other positions to Godswill Akpabio and Emem Akpabio. So, it was at the instance of the Akpabios that Akan Okon was re-appointed Honorable Commissioner for Finance in 2015.

”A second pointer is the matter of the court case involving Paul Usoro SAN,  Udom Emmanuel, Linus Nkan and others related to prosecution of the funding of post 2015 election defence. Akan Okon was conspicuously missing.”

The online newspaper gathered that Umo Eno had left Akwa Ibom for Lagos some days to avoid what he saw as ‘undue pressures’ on him to withdraw from the race, while Governor Emmanuel was said to have left Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Thursday, August 11.

Before then, Straightnews gathered that the party’s Presidential candidate’s men had asked the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to drop Eno, the defendant in the case, but forward Akan’s name, the plaintiff to INEC to calm some frayed nerves in both the political and legal circles.

An anonymous source told Straightnews ‘‘Okon has a strong national backing and sympathy because of the rapport some of the PDP key players at the national level have with his relative, Senator Anietie Okon.’’

Incidentally, Akan from Mbiatok Itam in Itu Local Government Area is a junior brother to Senator Okon, a seasoned politician.

‘‘A one-time Youth Leader of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in Cross River State in the 80s, Anietie was also the National Publicity Secretary of PDP when the late Solomon Lar was the National Chairman of PDP between 1998/1999.

‘‘By then, Ayu served as the Special Adviser to Solomon Lar, who once ruled Plateau State as governor.

‘‘Between 1992 and1993, Anietie won election and represented Uyo Senatorial District under National Republican Convention (NRC) while Ayu won under Social Democratic Party (SDP). Ayu became the Senate President in the botched third republic Senate. Moreover, one of the sons of Ayu marries a woman from Cross River State.’’

During the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections, Okon is said to have headed what was known as ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ that mobilized, canvassed votes and contributed to the successful election and re-election  of Emmanuel,’’ the source told Straightnews.

According to the source, ‘‘Akan threw in everything to canvass votes to his election in the hope that Governor Emmanuel would support him when he guns for the top-notch position.

‘‘Alas, this was not the case as his friend (Emmanuel) abandoned him and went ahead to endorse Eno, the immediate Commissioner for Lands.’’

Feelers from the grapevine show that if PDP surrenders the ticket to Akan Okon, Governor Emmanuel may not support his candidacy, but would stay put to ‘work against’ the final outcome of the party.

‘‘He may be surreptitiously working for the emergence of Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, the governorship candidate of NNDP in the state whom many have accused in the past of helping Udom Emmanuel in previous elections by sabotaging his party interest.

‘‘In a situation Akpanudoedehe wins as Akwa Ibom governor, then the governor may convince him to return to PDP to shore up the PDP’s relevance in the state,’’ the anonymous confided in Straightnews.