Indication emerging at the weekend alleged that the G-22 aggrieved Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has strengthened the bond of friendship between them during their periodic reunion meeting and also celebrated the appointment of their Chairman, Obong Nsima Ekere, as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Contrary to an online speculation that alleged that members of the group where mobilizing in their various capacity to front Obong Ekere in 2019 as its Governorship candidate, the group’s meeting has become a routine since its inauguration on December 7, 2014.
It was gathered that the meeting, which took place at the group’s Secretariat at Ontario Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, had in attendance former Governor Obong Victor Attah and former Petroleum Minister, Chief Don Etiebet, who was there by happenstance.
It could be recalled that the last reunion meeting of the group was held at its Chairman’s residence in Uyo during the Easter break and bulk of their discussions have been centered on the state of the nation and the welfare of its members “and Nsima Ekere’s appointment was discussed as one of the items in the reunion meeting.”
Information at our disposal has it that “the Chairman of the group, who is currently the Managing Director designate of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), met with members as was our monthly routine reunion meeting and nothing political or 2019 was discussed.”
On the allegation that a former Deputy Governor of the State and a member of the group, Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, was mobilizing and reconciling most of its member to support Nsima Ekere for 2019, the group said it was a cheap blackmail.
The group, which today is 70% PDP and also has its membership spread to APC and Labour Party, had chosen Obong Attah, an elder statesman and former civilian Governor of the state, from the first day as its Grand Patron, however, dismissed the online speculation stressing that the progress and development of Akwa Ibom State was more important to them than politics of 2019 and that there was no crack in the walls of G-22. (Culled from facebook).