Ini PDP stakeholders on warpath over zoning:
Ini Local Government Area is practically sitting on a keg of gun powder waiting to explode, following pending political crises in the area.
The bone of contention is the purported attempt to truncate zoning arrangement in Ini and the alleged administration of a traditional oath-taking popularly called Mbiam.
At the centre of the looming crisis are the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet; the PDP chapter chairman, Hon Emmanuel Umah; and the local government council chairman, Hon Israel Idaisin, whom some stakeholders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the area have been accused of engaging in nefarious political activities with a view to thwarting zoning system in Ini.
Ini PDP stakeholders indicted the trio of playing ignoble role in the appointment of some person into the local government coordinating committee in the area and subsequently reject the list, describing it as an evil ploy to jettison zoning and ferment trouble in Ini.
They particularly accused the PDP chapter chairman, Hon Emmanuel Umah, of bias and partisanship and called for his removal for breaching the party constitution.
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Local Government Council Election Planning Committee recently approved appointment of five persons from Ini as members of the coordinating committee, with Mr. Moses Akpan as chairman, Mr. Okon Asuquo, Secretary; Sq. Leader Effiong Benson; Mr. Sam Rueben and Imaobong Peter James as members.
But Ini PDP stakeholders posited that those behind the list does not have the interest of Ini people at heart and have deceived the party at the state level, insisting on the removal of chapter chairman of the party in Ini for being biased and partisan.
A document signed by some Ini PDP stakeholders in that area, including Rt. Hon Emmanuel Ebe, Hon Etetim Anwatim, Obong Imoh Abam, CSP Asuquo Inyang (Rtd), Mr. Joseph Udousoro, Engr. Sunday David and Dr Benjamin Bassey, indicated that Ukwok has never produced the chairman of the council since the advent of democracy in 1999, almost 20 years ago and appeal to Governor Udom Emmanuel to correct the injustice.
“For equity, justices and fair play, we urge you to uphold the zoning structure to enable the two wards of Ukwok, Wards 9 and 10 to produce the local government council chairman in 2020,” the document noted.
Rising from a meeting at Odoro Ikpe on the pending crisis and zoning in the area, the PDP elders posited that the so-called chairman of the committee is a ghost name smuggled in by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet; the Chapter Chairman of PDP in Ini, Mr. Emmanuel Umah and the chapter chairman, Elder Israel Idaisin, challenging them to produce the purported committee chairman.
They explained that the secretary of the committee, Mr. Okon Asuquo, is the campaign chairman of the incumbent chairman, Elder Israel Idaisin’s second term bid, while Mrs. Imaobong Peter James is the wife of the Leader, Ini Legislative Council, with Sq Leader Effiong Benson and Mr. Sam Reuben serving as Supervisory Councilors in Idaisin’s cabinet, all of whom are loyal to his second term ambition.
“The zoning that has been existing and peace-driven should be allowed to continue by allowing Ukwok to produce the next council chairman for peace and development to operate in Ini.
“We condemn in totality the statement accredited to the PDP chapter chairman in Ini, saying that Elder Israel Idaisin is the most qualified chairman for 2nd term which really shows that the chapter in is biased and partisan instead of being totally neutral as the father of party who supposed to carry all aspirants along in the same footing.
“Our attention has been drawn to the obnoxious and purported lost of local government election coordinating committee.
“We wish to state that Mr. Moses Akpan is a ghost name, Mr. Okon Asuquo Usoro is the campaign manager of Idasin’s second terms bid, Sq. Leader Effiong Benson is the current supervisory councillor in Ini Local Government Council, Sam Reuben is also a current supervisor in Ini, while Mrs. Imaobong Peter James is the wife to the leader of Ini Legislative Council,” Ini PDP stakeholders noted.
Some Ini PDP stakeholders who spoke with Morenews, including the pioneer chairman of Ini, Dr Benjamin Bassey; former SA to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Project Monitoring, Hon. Imoh Udo Abam; Mr. Isaac Essien, and Mr. Ibanga Effiong, expressed fear over impending crisis in Ini should Elder Israel Idaisin insists on his second term bid.
“You know Ini was a trouble area. Zoning is the only thing that keeps us in peace. Adaisin wants to return Ini to the trouble days with his selfish second term ambition, because he was a Lagosiam; he does know how it used to be. We used to hide in cassava farms. He has not seen it before.
“That is why the authentic elders say the chairmanship should be zoned to Ukwok, because they are peaceful elders. Anyone who says contrary has peculiarly gains.
“The chapter chairman is biased for saying Israel Adaisin is the most qualified candidates. He was not a PDP member; he was an ANPP member just brought in. A chapter chairman supposed not to take side because he is aware that three aspirants from Ukwok have bought forms. He supposed to be neutral. So if a chapter chairman takes side, has he not collected money?
“So we appeal to Governor Udom Emmanuel to halt this madness and allow Ukwok to have a shot at the Ini Local Government council. We want peace to reign in Ini. Akwa Ibom is God’s Own State, not Mbiam own State. Let the zoning system prevail in Ini; nobody should truncate it,” Dr. Benjamin Bassey maintained.
For Mr. Isaac Essien, there is need to sustain peace, justice, equality, transparency and harmony in Ini, adding since zoning has never brought problem in the area since 1999, it should be allowed to continue.
In his remarks, Mr. Ibanga Effiong urged the council boss to seek a higher political office such as the State House of Assembly come 2023.
A statement signed by several members of Aggrieved Members the of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Local Government, including its chairman and immediate past Chapter Auditor of PDP in Ini, Chief Uwem Mboribo; its Secretary and immediate past Secretary, Ward 7, Mr. Aniefiok Akpan as well as the Organising Secretary of the group and immediate past Chairman, Ward 4, claimed that out of 187 chapter and ward officers of the party that were taken to the premises of Mr. Peter Udo Ekanem (Udotata) for traditional oath-taking, 89 of them refused to partake in the act and as such were denied chances of going for second term.
In a communique issued at the end of its Enlarged Meeting held at Primary School, Odoro Ikpe on the 10th August, 2020, entitled “Stop the use of Mbiam, Support Zoning Arrangement in Ini”, the group noted that they have been observing with dismay the “heightening of tension in Ini Local Government Area over the forthcoming chairmanship election and the threat to the existing peace, cordial and harmonious relationship that had hitherto been the landmark of our party People Democratic”
“We have been taking keen interest to watch the turns of event in Ini Local Government Area since the present council chairman (Mr. Israel Akpan Idaisin) joined the party.
“His reign as a council transition member, transition secretary, PDP chapter chairman, caretaker and elected chairman witnessed full blown campaign of calumny against founding members/stakeholders of the party. His hallmark has been selection of in-laws and brothers for juicy appointment, marginalization of party faithful (especially those with contradicting opinions) and active usage of Mbia, (traditional oath) in party activities to induce loyalty.
“We condemn in totality the use of ‘Mbiam’ on party officers, delegates and supporters by the council chairman as the dignity of party members must be respected at all times while conducting party activities.
“We plead with our governor and leader of the party, His Excellency, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, to intervene in this matter by providing succour to Ikwok Clan through the existing zoning arrangement in Ini Local Government Area by allowing the clan to produce the next council chairman, as this will go a long way to further cement our bond of Unity and entrench fairness, justice and equity,” they pleaded.