By Emeka Samuel
Governor Udom Emmanuel and some PDP elders has reportedly endorsed his Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umoh Enoh as his preferred choice as Governor of Akwa Ibom in next year’s general election.
However there are reports that the endorsement which was left in the hands of former Governor Victor Attah to perform because of his reverred position in the state has not gone down well with a cross section of PDP stakeholders
It was gathered that the governor had invited some party elders including some gubenatorial aspirants to governor’s lodge without disclosing to them the agenda for the meeting where Attah is said to have presented Eno as the endorsed candidate of the stakeholders of the party.
It was also learnt that some members of the governor’s cabinet, such as the state Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr Akan Okon and the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Emembong were not present at the meeting.
Daybreak learnt that only Selected stakeholders from each of the 31 LGAs were invited for the meeting via a text message by the National Secretary of Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), Prince Enobong Uwah.
Members of the state House of Assembly who had traveled to Port Harcourt yesterday for a retreat had to hurriedly return to the state in order to meet up with the meeting, though invitation was extended to only the leadership of the Assembly.
Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Ekerete Udo, who confirmed this said that, “the governor announced that Eno was the one God has revealed to him as the next governor of the state and he was unveiled to all the stakeholders from the three senatorial districts of the state by the former governor, Obong Victor Attah, who then commended the choice. It was an array of the political elders made up of senators and House of Representatives members.”
It was however gathered that one of the governorship aspirants and Chairman, House Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Barr Onofiok Luke stormed out of the meeting when he was not allowed to express himself during the endorsement drama.
Luke,in a telephone interview said he was not aware of the agenda of the meeting but had to attend to honour the governor who extended the invitation to him.
“I’m not against their endorsement; and I’m not against the elders of the state. But I’m saying the endorsement could have happened after proper consultation.
“I went to Obong Attah and told him why didn’t you talk to all of us who are in this race? Why didn’t you talk to Sen Bassey Albert, why didn’t you talk to Akan Udofia; why didn’t you talk to Akan Okon; why didn’t you talk to James Iniama? because it Obong Attah that made the presentation, not the governor.
“We would have loved their endorsement but that would have been after due consultation. We would love the endorsement by the elders of the state. But whoever they would endorse should be the choice of the majority of people in the state.
” So for me as Onofiok Akpan Luke, I am in the race for the governorship. I am going to stand election on the platform of my party the PDP. I am not part of that endorsement at all.
“But I respect their views; I respect the opinion and choice of the governor. I respect Obong Victor Attah and the opinion of the elders of the state. It is their choice. I only respect their opinion; but I am not in support of what they are doing.
” I was ambushed. I didn’t know the agenda of the meeting but I had to respect the governor and attend the meeting at the lodge on his invitation. But for thee good times I had raised my hand seeking to be allowed to speak but I was ignored.” Luke explained.
It was also gathered that some of the frontline governorship aspirants this evening had a meeting to form a united front and strategize on resisting the attempt by the system to impose the Lands Commissioner on the delegates during the forthcoming PDP guber primary.
