By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo
Ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for this weekend, Saturday, February 25, the coast is clear for three major contenders to lock horns in the race for the coveted Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom North-West) seat at the Red Chamber.
The race, which has pitted the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Godswill Akpabio, and the former National Legal Adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Enoidem, against the leading contender and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) flag-bearer, Rt.Hon. Emmanuel Ekon, according to political bookmakers, has all the trappings of surprises, going by the flurry of endorsements for Ekon and equity in power rotation in Akwa Ibom North-West.
From the camp of Akpabio, feelers garthered by our Correspondent revealed the former Senator, is currently pondering withdrawal from the race, going by the resolution of the Elders’, leaders and stakeholders of the zone, who have unanimously agreed on equity in the zoning process in favour of the Abak Federal Constituency, popularly called Abak – 3, comprising Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika Local Government Areas.
Akwa Ibom North-West, checks by our Correspondent revealed, has no fewer than 10 Local Government Areas carved into four of Federal Constituencies of Abak, Ikono/Ini, Ikot Ekpene and Ukanwosu/Oruk Anam.
“Across all the four Federal Constituencies, only Abak Federal Constituency never had any opportunity since 1960 to occupy the Senatorial slot, but others like Ukanafun/Oruk Anam, had it with Senator Itak Ekarika and Chief Senas Ukpanah. Senator Akpabio had it for Ikot Ekpene in 2015, and left it for his kinsman, Senator Chris Ekpenyong, who is about serving out his tenure later this year.
“Before now, Senator Aloysius Etok, had taken the slot for eight years for Ikono/Ini, leaving only the Abak Federal Constituency to wallow in grave state of deprivation and wanton lack of physical development and human capital developments for all these years.” Angry youths and students of Annang extraction lamented during a protest march in Ikot Ekpene at the weekend.
Comrade Akwaowo Akpan’, a student activist, who led the agitations for the evolution of the slot the Abak Federal Constituency “for equity, peace and unity of the Senatorial District”, told the electorates ahead of the polls.
“Be ready with your Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) because we are looking for a younger and experienced candidate from Abak Federal Constituency to lead us because we know that the older ones can only think of the next election and not the next generation.” He stressed.
At the extraordinary and emergency General meeting, the youths under the aegis of Future Leaders Forum of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (FLFIKSD), rising from the crucial meeting at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, the political capital of Annang nation.
chaired by the President-General, Comrade Aniekan Udo Mbre, the, forum endorsed the shift in slot to Ikot Ekpene, describing Akpabio as a “Meddlesome interloper, trying to usurp and alter the popular wishes of the people of Akwa Ibom North-West.”
The forum which drew participants across the zone, however charged the electorates not to be carried away by the sentiment of voting for a political party, but individuals, pointing out that Ekon’s antecedents as a former Natural Assembly member for years at the Green Chamber, where provided effective representation in the zone, recommends him for the mission to the Red Chamber.
“Ekon represents the best choice because Akpabio, is already out of the picture due to the fact that zoning is not in his favour. Ekon, for eight years at the Green Chamber has touched so many lives and provided social infrastructure in education, scholarships, skill training in the oil and gas industry, building of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across schools and Local Government Areas of the state.” Mbre recalled.
Describing Enoidem, as a total green horn, the group in a communique pointed out that “it’s not the time for someone who has never contested any elections before to be sent to such a hallowed chamber like the Senate to be swallowed up by experienced and seasoned lawmakers, who are more conversant and grounded in the politics of the national legislature.”
In the same vein, lecturers under the auspices of the National Association of Annang Lecturers in Tertiary Institutions (NAALTIN), called for a united action to enthrone a leader with patriotic drive towards liberating the zone from years of marginalization.
The President of the group, after a crucial meeting in Uyo, the state capital, Prof. Stanley Akpan’, charged eligible voters to shun the allures of money and ensured their votes count for Ekon and YPP, at the polls.
He said: “Rt Hon. Ekon, is great and better candidate the others including Akpabio and Enoidem, because the former House of Representatives member for Abak Federal Constituency, had the experience and records of effective representation. He was the Chairman of the Local Content Committee, and for four years we saw empowerment, jobs and skill acquisition for youths and infrastructural development.” He noted.
