Indications were rife that the ward congress of All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State would generate controversy and unusual heat owing to diverse interests of some members and the key political gladiators.
Since the conclusion of the APC’s congress on Saturday, July 31 in Uyo, claims, counter-claims and accusations have continued as menu of the congress.
On Friday, stakeholders under the aegis of APC Elders Forum led by Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Group Captain Sam Ewang, had passed a vote of no confidence on the state care-taker Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen, alleging he was playing the card of Senator Udoedehe by manipulating the exercise and doctoring the candidates’ lists in his favour.
Therefore, the elders drawn across the 10 federal constituencies, expressed lack of faith in the exercise and called for the anomalies to be addressed before the polls.
On the day of the congress, suspected hoodlums arrived at the party’s secretariat along Ikot Ekpene Road in Uyo and made bonfires, thus scaring away passers-by and some delegates.
Shortly, furious protesters allegedly loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, launched mass protest calling for cancellation of the ward congress exercise.
However, the party in a press release entitled RE: WANTON IMPUNITY/INVITATION TO ANARCHY BY DR ITA UDOSEN LED APC CARETAKER COMMITTEE IN AKWA IBOM STATE dismissed allegations of the opposing groups.
In a release signed by Mr Nkereuwem Enyongekere, State Publicity Secretary, Akwa Ibom State and dated Sunday, August 1, the party denounced a press release issued by concerned group of the party on the conduct of the congress in the state.
”The attention of All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State Chapter has been drawn to the text of a Press Statement issued yesterday, Saturday, 31st July 2021 now in circulation against the conduct of the ward Congresses in Akwa Ibom State.
”The Press Release in reference was issued by a group which described itself as “Concern APC Stakeholders”, which is not known to the party. The party has also received report of their protest at the party secretariat while everybody was busy at the ward centres making sure that the congresses went well.
”For the record and emphasis, we wish to state that Congresses to elect party ward officers and delegates at the ward levels by our great party nationwide held yesterday, July 31, 2021 and in Akwa Ibom State at all the 329 ward centres known to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),’’ the release stated.
According to it, ”From preliminary reports submitted by party agents assigned to execute the exercise and against the position held by the above named group, the congresses at different ward centres across Akwa Ibom State, was largely peaceful, successful, free, fair and credible with a large majority of our party members being satisfied with the outcome of the exercise.
”The party now belongs to the people from the grassroots, semi-urban and at the urban levels. We can therefore guarantee that the claims contained in the statement in review is fallacious and mischievous targeted at mudslinging party officials and leaders.
It should be dismissed by the general public.
As a party, we are willing to listen to genuine grievances, if any of our party members is against any aspect of the Congresses.”
”We therefore advise our members and supporters to channel such grievances to the Congress Appeal Committee when constituted for necessary remedial actions as stipulated in the party Constitution and congress guidelines instead of the current mischievous effort aimed at inciting party leaders against one another and portray our great party and its leaders in bad light before Akwa Ibom people who desire to see our great party leading the change processes in 2023 in the state.
”Against many spurious claims in the Press Statement including but not limited to the falsehood that Alhaji Yusuf Sheriff Banki, Chairman of the APC Ward Congress Committee (WCC) in Akwa Ibom State was Chairman of the Membership Registration and revalidation Committee and currently compromising results of the Congresses; that remains false and misleading.
”Senator Abubakar Girie was the Chairman of the said Committee and every member had a chance to revalidate and register new members during the exercise. At the close of that exercise, APC recorded membership strength of over 700,000.
”We caution our party members against making unguarded and unsubstantiated utterances against the party leadership and warned that we shall not hesitate to activate disciplinary actions against any party member spreading false claims to rubbish the integrity of the just concluded exercise.
”The Dr Ita Udosen led Caretaker Committee in Akwa Ibom State runs an open party administration in which the interest of both the “strong” and the “weak” among our party membership pool is well protected.
”He should be commended like what INEC in the state has done so far. Dr. Ita Udosen has revived our party and stabilised it despite the setback of “losing” the 2019 general elections coupled with the passing of our dear State Chairman, Hon Ini Okopido (Peace to his Soul) and getting to this level of heightened political interest as the party prepares for 2023 general elections in the State.
”We take this opportunity to thank our party leaders and members for the support they have given so far to make this exercise successful. Our party’s commitment is a message of Change and readiness to provide good governance to the people of Akwa Ibom State in 2023.
”We assure all that every ongoing effort is to ensure that our great party gets to that desired destination for the general good of Akwa Ibom State. We are conscious of our trust and shall not breach it,’’ it added.
In what appeared as the major stakeholders controlling the party’s soul in the state, they issued a release on the title APC congresses: Akwa Ibom stakeholders settle for consensus arrangement.
Accordingly, the stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), have settled for a consensus arrangement in the ongoing congress in the State.
Known as Akwa Ibom Progressives Liberation Movement, led by a member of the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Ukoete, they said: “The Akwa Ibom State APC Ward Congress Committee (WCC) held a well-attended Pre-Congress Stakeholders Meeting in Uyo on Friday, 30th July, 2021 at the Party’s State Secretariat, amongst the attendees were the Caretaker State Working Committee of the Party, led by Dr. Ita Udosen and the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia was also in attendance.
“Investigations revealed that about 95% of critical Akwa Ibom APC stakeholders including the 2015 Governorship candidate of the party, now Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Mr. Umana Umana; the 2019 Governorship candidate and former MD NDDC, Obong Nsima Ekere; Senator Nelson Effiong and the National Secretary of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe were on the same page and had a consensus arrangement amongst themselves in all the 329 wards of the state.
“However, only one of the APC stakeholders did not support the arrangement overwhelming backed by majority of APC leaders in the state.
“The leaders therefore used the unity list to call for direct democratic elections during the Congresses. It is instructive that ward congress and delegates nomination forms were adequately supplied and provided to all aspirants for Saturday’s ward congresses, rubbishing fears of hoarding in some quarters.
“The late commencement of the ward congresses in Akwa Ibom was due to the restrictions of movement (7-10am) occasioned by the monthly sanitation exercise in the state. So logistical arrangements forced the exercise to commence at about 1pm, where materials were distributed to the 329 wards in the State.”
