Senate 2023: Akpabio loses out as Akwa Ibom stakeholders endorse PDP’s Enoidem
On Abak Federal Constituency we stand- Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Elders declare
…All Political parties endorse Barr Enoidem for Senate
… Today, the history of Annang land has been re-written- Dr Amadu Attai
Enough is enough – that is the message from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Elders to former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. With just four days to the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election, the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Elders Forum, a non partisan coalition of leaders of all political parties in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, have thrown it’s weight behind the decision for Abak federal Constituency to produce the next Senator for the Senatorial District.
The meeting was convened by former Minister of Petroleum, Otuekong Don Etiebet with the Leader of the Senatorial District and Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Moses Ekpo, MFR, in attendance. Their action, they insists, is to ensure the sustainance of the prevailing peace, unity, progress, growth, development and prosperity of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
The meeting held on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at the auditorium of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene also vowed to ensure no one man is allowed to cause political disaffection in Annang land in particular and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in general.
In a 10- point communique issued at the end of the meeting, the Leaders said in view of the need to maintain the prevailing peace, unity, progress, growth, development and prosperity in Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District, they met to brainstorm, analyse and evaluate issues relating to the forthcoming February 25, 2023 Senatorial election and the future of our Senatorial District and resolved adopt and endorse former PDP National Legal Adviser, and PDP Candidate for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem as the consensus candidate for the election.
“We are conscious of the fact that, in the last 24 years, since the advent of the Fourth (4th) Republic in 1999, three (3) out of the four (4) Federal Constituencies in the Senatorial District have had a Representation at the Senate, viz a- viz Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, (1999-2003) Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency; Senator Itak Bob Ekarika, (2023-2007) Ukanafun Oruk Anam Federal Constituency; Senator Aloysius Etok (2007-2011/2011-2015) Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Senator Godswill Akpabio (2015-2019) Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency; and Senator Christopher Ekpeyong (2019-2023) Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency”.
“Fom the above statistics, it is obvious that, only Abak federal Constituency have never had a representative in the Senate in the 4th Republic, whereas, Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency have represented us for 4 years, Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency have represented us for 12 years while Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency represented us for 8 years”, the communique read in parts.
The leaders noted that even in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Republics, other federal constituencies had the privilege of producing Senators, Viz -a- Viz Senator Raymond Umoh (1963-1969) Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency, Senator Donald Etiebet (1979-1982) Ukanafun Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Senator Nsima Akpabio (1983-1984) Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency and Senator Akaniyene Ukpanah (1992-1993) Ukanafun Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Abak federal Constituency, again, had no representation.
“Based on the foregoing, and in the interest of the peace, unity, progress and harmonious co-existence of the Senatorial District, we herby urge no one from the other three federal Constituencies to contest the 2023 Senatorial election”, the release stated.
According to Don Etiebet, the Leaders said they took this decision as representatives of the various communities as a communal effort and social contract they owe the people and as such, urged all eligible voters from the Senatorial District to use their PVC’s on Saturday, February 25, 2023, to enforce this decision by voting for Barr Emmanuel Enoidem, having been picked as the strongest candidate among the array of candidates from Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika federal Constituency and vote for him to emerge as the next Senator for our Senatorial District.
Going down memory lane, Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo stated that Ikot Ekpene (Akwa Ibom North West) Senatorial District Leaders Forum despise the action of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, from Ikot Ekpene federal Constituency, which has produced Senators five times with two from his family, the Akpabios including himself, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, for not listening to the voice of reasoning, brotherliness, fairness, and equity in the District, to drop his ambition to contest again but to give a chance to Abak federal Constituency that has not tasted the seat in 63 years.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio is reminded that the Abak federal Constituency has sacrificed it’s chances thrice to help him win the governorship in 2007 and 2011, and again to honour him as an Ex-Governor to go to the Senate in 2015. His refusal to respect the decision of the Leaders of the Senatorial District, to solely allow someone from Abak federal Constituency this time around, is nothing else but an arrogant exhibition of selfish ambition, which is capable of destroying the fabrics if unity, fairness and peace which have characterized the Senatorial elections in the District since 1960”, they noted.
They vowed to vehemently reject and resist any attempt to cause disaffection, disunity, and political crisis in the Senatorial District by anybody or group of persons no matter how highly placed.
Addressing the gathering, former APC State Chairman and 2019 Deputy Governorship candidate, Dr Amadu Attai, thanked the Leaders for the courage at standing by the truth, submitting that the day marks the rewriting of the history of Annang land for the good of it’s people.
On his part, a former Deputy Speaker and an ally of Senator Godswill Akpabio, Rt Hon Uwem Udoma, noted that the issue of Abak federal Constituency producing the next Senator is about justice, equity and fairness, and urged the people to go out emnaase on Saturday and send a clear message with the power of their PVC through the ballot. He assured that Barr Enoidem will make Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and the Annang nation proud as their Senator.
Responding, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem who expressed delight at the ability of the Leaders to come together irrespective of political party affiliation, noted that this is the first time in the history of the Senatorial District that such a non partisan coalition meeting was taking place, and promised to ensure the sustainance of the meeting regularly once elected into office, assuring that he will not disappoint them in his legislative representation in the Senate.
