As lobbying and campaign intensifies towards Saturday’s Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, state congress, a group, the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Interest (ISDI) Group, has urged the leadership of the party to zone the state party chairmanship position to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

In a release made available to reporters in Uyo by the group’s Secretary, Mr. Nkeneke Efo, the group said by so doing, “Justice, equity and fair play which are pillars on which democracy is built on, would have been done the people of the district.”

The group further said it was only Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District that is yet to produce a state chairman for the party since its inception in 1998.

”Since inception in 1998, the party has produced five chairmen-Chief Joe Ating (Eket Senatorial District); Chief Tony Emenyi (Eket Senatorial District); Arc Otu Ita-Toyo (Eket Senatorial District); Prince Uwem Ita Etuk (Uyo Senatorial District); Obong Paul Ekpo (Uyo Senatorial District). It is, therefore, for the purpose of justice that we plead with the national and state leadership of the party to zone the chairmanship position to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.”

The group said their demand is not out of prejudice to the state party chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo , who, reports say, is interested in a second term in office.

“Without prejudice to Obong Paul Ekpo who has performed so well and has the constitutional right to seek a second term in office, we believe the party needs to re-generate itself with a new leadership with a person from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. In the district we have sound, confident, loyal, proactive, dedicated, committed, intelligent and dedicated party men who can build on the successes and achievements of Obong Paul Ekpo,” the statement said.

The group, therefore, urged party men from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to show interest in the position which it says “rightly belongs to them.”

The group, however, said it appreciates the state leadership of the party led by Governor Udom Emmanuel who it calls a product of zoning and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio who it calls an apostle of zoning, and urged the duo to make sure justice and fair play is done to the people of the district.