By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
The Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana Okon Umana has began moves to restore peace and unity in the Akwa Ibom Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Party has been embroiled in an internal crisis since 2021 in the aftermath of the State congresses and party primaries.
Umana set the peace initiative rolling with an all-inclusive critical stakeholders meeting he convened Thursday, 30th December 2022 in Uyo, the state capital.
In his opening remarks during a peace meeting he convened with an all inclusive stakeholders weekend the Minister said the meeting was to initiate dialogue among the stakeholders with a view to proffering a solution to the lingering crisis in the party.
He said the meeting was also necessary as it was his first engagement and interaction with the party and stakeholders since he was appointed Minister of the Federal Republic and assigned to the Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs by the President.
Umana also noted that it was his intention to get every stakeholder involved in the preparation for the APC presidential campaign rally scheduled for the 12th of January, 2023.
The Minister who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his appointment took the opportunity to brief stakeholders of some activities of the Commission and the commitment of Buhari to ensure that the ministry is able to delivers on its core mandate to the people of the region.
He assured that Akwa Ibom is a major beneficiary of core projects proposed by the NDDC citing Azumini/Ikot Ekpene Road as one of such projects.
Speaking on the crisis in the Party, Umana urged party stakeholders to cease dwelling in the past and rather look at the bigger picture that the future holds for the party in the state.
“Let us move away from petty bickering and wrangling over the past. Now, we are to focus on the APC presidential rally while strategic steps are being taken to peacefully redress the protracted challenges in our party.” He said.
He notified stakeholders that the Party NEC had presented the name of Obong Akan Udofia to INEC as the Party’s candidate for the gubernatorial election, adding that the Party is only awaiting confirmation by the court for INEC to do the needful.
Also speaking, Senator Godswill Akpabio thanked Obong Umana for the peace initiative and sued for peace, asserting that he was personally ready and focused on achieving peace for the party.
Akpabio called for the recognition of Mr. Steven Ntukekpo as the substantive State Chairman of the party as authenticated by the APC national Secretariat, and reechoed the position of Obong Umana that Akan Udofia was the duly adopted and recognized governorship candidate of the Party.
