By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The lingering cracks and mutual distrust in the ranks of members of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are becoming more visible by the day as different groups within the party question the integrity of recent actions of its leaders.
There has been an uproar within the party over recent developments, including the endorsement of one of the governorship aspirants, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, by a faction of the party led by a former Minister, Chief Don Etiebet.
Also a contentious issue in the party is the recent inauguration of state chairmen of the APC, where a chairman elected by a faction of the party in state, Augustine Ekanem, participated in the ceremony. Ekanem is said to be elected by the faction sympathetic to Udoedehe, who is also the national organising secretary of the APC.
These developments didn’t go down well with the other faction going by the outrage emanating from the state in recent times.
The aggrieved party faithful have therefore urged people to disregard the controversial endorsement and claims of inauguration of Ekanem as the authentic chairman of the party in Akwa Ibom State, as they are misleading and divisive and could be counter productive to the party’s quest to win the 2023 governorship election in the state.
A statement by a pressure group within the state chapter of the party, Akwa Ibom Progressive Coalition (APC), endorsed by its National Coordinator, Otuekong Iniobong John, said: “As a body within the party, we’ve vowed not to allow any person(s) or group of persons cause us the electoral calamity we suffered in the 2019 elections. No affliction shall rise a second time.”
On the issue of the inauguration, the statement said: “Whereas there was nothing like inauguration of state party chairmen on the 3/2/2022 by the chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in Abuja. Nobody, and we repeat nobody including Ekanem took the Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance on the said date as the chairman of APC Akwa Ibom State and as such Ekanem, cannot assume and infact perform the duties of the state chairman of the party(APC) just yet.
“What took place was the issuance of Certificate of Return to Ekanem and this is on record.
“Even Senator Udoedehe, while presenting the Certificate of Return, had said and we quote: “I’ve been directed to issue you with Certificate of Return, as the duly elected State chairmen of states”.
“These are the exact words of Udoedehe on that day and on that occasion. That’s the only thing that took place as carried out by Udoedehe himself. We can safely state that it was a one-agenda event; The Issuance of Certificate of Return.
“Although, the twist was in clear contrast of what was supposed to take place that day as was stipulated in the party time table released earlier. On the Time Table, the inauguration of state chairmen was scheduled for that day. Why and how that changed to Issuance of Certificate of Return, is one big question that has not been answered by the Caretaker Committee and that’s the crux of the matter.
“Something is definitely not adding up. It seems to us that the Caretaker Committee was compelled, forced, coerced or directed to rather issue only Certificates of Return on a day that was meant for inauguration and that’s a story for another day. There was no inauguration and no oath was administered to anybody.
“How the above translates into Ekanem being inaugurated as state chairman to the extent of conveying legitimacy on him to further inaugurate the state Exco is completely unimaginable and unacceptable. This is “iberiberism”, apologies to Rochas Okorocha.
“We challenge the promoters of this charade to make public pictures or video clips of where any state chairman of APC was inaugurated on the 3/2/2022. If they do, we’ll instantly withdraw this, and tender an unreserved apologies to them, but if the reverse is the case, they are also free to believe their lies.
“This act is against Article 29 of the APC Constitution, which mandates every elected or appointed officer of the party to subscribe to Oath of Office. “Every Officer elected or appointed as an Officer of the Party shall subscribe to the Oath of Office as provided in Schedule II to this Constitution before an appropriate Principal Officer of the party.
“Chief Don Etiebet and his group of endorsers were expected to work for the cohesiveness and formidability of the party before resuming their business of endorsing candidates.
“They were the same people, who endorsed Obong Nsima Ekere for the 2019 election, but overtly and covertly worked against his candidacy and the APC in the elections.
“President Muhamadu Buhari and the National Leadership of the party cannot be misled or hoodwinked by such charade by Chief Etiebet and his group of endorsers.
“When Chief Etiebet assumed the National Chairmanship of the defunct ANPP, the party had 9 governors, but by the time he defected to the PDP in 2006, the party was left with only 2 governors.That was how well he grew the party.
“Going forward, we want to urge well meaning members of the party to continue to remain calm, resolute and tenacious in their loyalty and commitment to the cause of the party
“The leadership issue in our great party would soon be resolved and we’ll have a capable leadership that will lead us to victory in the 2023 elections
“Let nobody be distracted, perturbed nor dismayed by such charade. There is no cause for alarm.
“To rescue the party and win the 2023 election, is a task that must be done.”