By Ekemini SIMON
All is not well in the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, as stakeholders of the Party have cried foul over alleged plan to perpetuate impunity in the forthcoming party Congress.
Among stakeholders who are uncomfortable over the said development in the party is a Caucus member of the APC, Elder Enefiok Ekefre.
Briefing newsmen in Uyo yesterday, Ekefre complained that plan has been concluded by a fellow Caucus member of the APC, Otuekong Don Etiebet to make the party carry out what he described as guided Congress in the selection of its executive.
The Caucus member who kicked against the planned process disclosed that Etiebet had instructed all aspirants for the position of the party chairman to back down their ambition for who he anoints as his candidate.
Ekefre stated that the plan by Etiebet to return Amadu Atai as Chairman of the party is strictly the opinion of Etiebet and does not represent the collective wishes of party members even as it is against the interest of Akwa Ibom people and strange to democratic principles.
He added ” Etiebet did that in 1998, it failed. That is what gave birth to impunity in Politics of this State. He singlehandedly produced Attah without consultation and kept people of his choice as party executives.
” When Attah refused to play ball, he fought with Attah. Somewhere along the line, Godswill worked with Attah. He understudied the process and he did more. Godswill Akpabio my friend came and perfected the act. Who knows what will happen to Udom?”
The Statesman said he is concerned over the effect the gesture will have on the State since democracy starts from the level of party Congress. He pointed out that when democratic process in the party is not transparent, the government can never be right.
Ekefere added, ” Anytime a party conspiracy is in conflict with the collective interest of the people, I will take side with the people. What is happening now in the APC is quite unfortunate. It is normal. In a party leadership, there must be struggle here and there.
“But when a government is not answerable to its citizens, there is no way you can call the government to order.”
He explained that the interest of Akwa Ibom citizens should be placed first when making decisions that concerns the state, stressing that popularity of a party does not translate to victory if the party’s interest conflict with that of the masses.
While complaining that the Amadu Atai led executive lacks ideas on how to run the party, he said “the people running the party do not know what they are doing. I can say this anywhere. If you have a superior argument,if you know what to say to the people, nobody can stop the masses from voting for you. The members of the party should be allowed to produce a chairman amenable to their general interest.
” The party guideline is simple, you do not change the zoning but you can change individual. There should be a change in the leadership of the party for a vibrant democracy.”
Ekefre reasoned that since the Abak axis had produced the Deputy Governorship candidate and Party Chairman when Sen James Udoedehe was the Governorship Candidate of the Party, it is his stance that Uyo Senatorial District should produce the Party Chairman alongside the Deputy Governorship Candidate which the party has zoned to the Senatorial district.
Ekefre maintained that if the guided congress prevails, he among others who have seen the need for internal democracy will have no choice but to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party which he described as Egypt.
Contacted, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Barr Edet Bassey said he is not aware of plans by his party to have a guided Congress.
He said ” I am not aware of that. I am aware that the party has issued a guideline as to the mold the congress will be conducted and the party will conduct according to the guidelines of the party”.
The Publicity Secretary added that he has not heard claims that there would be guided Congress nor have been hinted about such plans by Don Etiebet whom he described as the Leader of the Party.
