Crisis rocks APC in A/Ibom over consensus candidacy

Crisis is rocking the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the decision of key stakeholders to adopt a consensus arrangement in the selection of its governorship candidate.

Already, one of the aspirants for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district, Iniebehe Okori has reportedly accepted to step down for Godswill Akpabio, former senate minority leader.

Similarly, Nsima Ekere, the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is reported to have emerged as the consensus candidate for next year’s governorship election.

The decision was said to have reached after a meeting held at the country home of Okorie in Etim Ekpo local government area and attended by Akpabio, Ekere and Don Etiebet, a caucus chairman of the party in the state.

It was gathered that the two aspirants are to be officially presented to the people of the senatorial district at a later date.

Addressing party faithful after senatorial district caucus meeting, the leader of the party, Etiebet, said the decision was reached for the common good of Akwa Ibom state.

“We leaders have decided tonight that Obong Nsima Ekere, be our governor in 2019, we have also decided to endorse Godwill Akpabio to represent the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district (Akwa Ibom North West).

“After individual experimentation, we have decided to work to take the decision for the common good of the people of Akwa Ibom state.

“We are going to work for our collective interest, we recognised the importance of contributory arrangements that between us the leaders, all of us are known in the country and that if we go to Abuja, we can get something working together.’’

The state party chairman, Ini Okopido, expressed satisfaction that the leaders at meeting were able to bring out an amicable resolution that is binding all parties.

“I thank God that we have arrived at definite decisions one of which is to support Obong Nisma Ekere, for the governorship position of the state, support Godswill Akpabio, because when the national leaders our party came here they respected him and we have decided to respect so that he would not be like the proverbial prophet who is not respected in his home town” Okopido stated.

Speaking, Okori, who accepted to step down for Akpabio, assured that the decision of the elders would remain binding on all the parties involved.

“I must admit that we have a tough meeting that lasted for over four hours, but I thank God we were able to resolve and all of us as gentlemen will abide by the resolutions of the meeting.

“The progress we have made is that we have decided to support Nisma Ekere for Governorship and Akpabio for the senate.

But speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Sam Ewang, a retired group captain and a chieftain of the party warned that if direct primary was not adopted in the selection of its governorship candidate, then the party would not fare well in next year’s general elections.

“All the leadership of the party should listen to me, there is a problem in Akwa Ibom APC and the problem is that the leadership we struggle to put up in the state have now becomes campaigner directors. If we are not in hurry to streamline this, the future of APC is bleak in the state, I have been failed again, the leadership have failed to make the party great in the stat,’’ he said.

According to him, the position of the party nationally and in the states is that of conducting direct primaries, wondering why the leadership of the party in the state is clamouring for consensus arrangement.

ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo