Confusion trails the factional leaderships of the Akwa Ibom All Progressives Congress (APC) held separate congresses at the weekend in elect new state executive to take over from the interim regime led by Dr. Ita Udosen, as Chairman.
This followed the conduct of the exercise by the feuding factions loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio; Group Captain Sam Ewang, Chairman, Akwa Ibom Elders’ Forum and that of Senator John Udoedehe, the National Care-taker Secretary in-charge of the Congress Planning Committee.
At the end of the parallel congresses, different list flew throwing the exercise into more confusion as to which is the authentic list of exco members at the state level.
Udoedehe’s faction led by the outgoing state care-taker Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen and his Executive members held their congress at the Sheergrace Event Centre along Nsikak Eduok Avenue (two Lanes), Uyo, the state capital.
Eventually, Austin Ekanem emerged from Udoedehe’s faction as the elected state Chairman.
Chief Akpabio’s faction with the likes of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang; former Military Administrator of Rivers and Ogun States, Group Capt, Sam Ewang and others, which held theirs simultaneously at the Kara Event centre at Nung Oku of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area around the vicinity of the Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard, had concluded the exercise.
At the end of the exercise, the former State Youth Leader, Comrade Stephen Udo Ntukekpo, from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area emerged as the state Chairman of Akpabio’s faction, while the poll was yet to be concluded at the Sheergrace Event centre, venue of Udoedehe’s faction.
Before the commencement of the poll, one of the aspirants, Mr. Victor Etim Antai, had stepped down for Ntukekpo, who was unanimously adopted unopposed as the new state Chairman, for the Akpabio’s faction.
However, Ntukekpo commended the conduct of the exercise as hitch-free and the party stakeholders and followers for their “show support of solidarity and support”, even as he pledged to work towards “a one united APC for the overall victory at the national and state level”.
However, the outgoing interim Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Nkereuwem Enyongekere, was quick to dismiss the Chief Godswill Akpabio’s factional congress as lacking in credibility and legitimacy, given the fact that “the seven-man committee sent by the national headquarters to conduct the exercise and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitoring team, are on our side”.
Also, Senator Ita Enang, who spoke to newsmen, expressed the hope that everything would be harmonized at the conclusion of the exercise.
“We are at the congress, when we are through we are going to come up with something better,” he assured.
Senator Akpabio arrived at the various centres for the poll and preached unity, while anxious crowd and party supporters cordoned off the entire premises and spilled into the road, clogging traffic along the ever busy dual carriage way.
But in a dramatic twist, Group Captain Ewang, Engr. Maurice Ebong, Chairman of Uyo Senatorial Elders’ Forum and Sen. Enang, signed in a press release with APC headed letter.
In the release, Mr. Douglas Elewe Pepple was declared as the state Chairman, Perry Ntuk, Secretary; while Ofonime Otu is the state treasurer emerged from Sam Ewang’s faction.
Speaking with the Straightnews publisher in a telephone on Saturday evening, Mr. Jackson Udom, Chief Press Secretary to Senator Akpabio dismissed the list as being authentic.
According to him, more lists are being expected from the factional congresses and referred the publisher to Chief Victor Antai or Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo for their list.
The polarity in the factional congresses continues unabated with three factions pending when the national body of the party will harmonise the three lists.
