…as Councillorship Screening Committees submit reports
By Ime Silas
As processes for the 2024 local government election in Akwa Ibom State begin to gather momentum, appeal has been made to stakeholders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Etinan LGA on the need to maintain an already established template for election into the office of the Executive Chairman.
The Transition Chairman for Etinan Local Government Council, Hon. Uko Umoh who made the appeal on Monday while consulting Stakeholders of the party on his ambition to vie for the Executive Chairmanship position, also added that track record of performance should be part of the yardsticks in choosing who flew the PDP Chairmanship flag in the forthcoming Council polls.
Etinan PDP Stakeholders’ meeting which was held at the Angelo Hotel, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, was Chaired by a former Chairman and current Political Leader of the LGA, Isantim Kenneth Okon with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Uko Udom, SAN, in attendance.
Others were the Honourable member representing Etinan State Constituency in the State House of Assembly; Hon. Uduak Ekpo Ufot, PDP Chapter Chairman and Chairmanship aspirant; Dr. Inemesit Itina, other aspirants, serving and former political office holders, Ward Chairmen and a host of other stakeholders of the party.
Consulting the gathering, Uko Umoh stressed that the peace that often defined the Etinan Chairmanship electioneering was due to an existing template where a performing Transition Chairman evolved into substantive Chairmanship.
“The House of Assembly Committee visited Etinan Local Government Area and gave my administration a clean bill”, the Council Boss quipped, adding “The Special Committee set up by His Excellency, the Governor and Chaired by a Commissioner also visited Etinan Local Government Area and commended my administration for doing a great job”.
Hon. Uko Umoh continued “At this point, I think that for the sake of physical and human capital developments, I should be allowed to continue my services to our people, this time, as an elected Chairman.
Besides, there has been a template on ground in Etinan that a performing Transition Chairman is elected as Executive Chairman.
Other Chairmen in the past have benefited from this template. So I believe that for equity, Justice and fair play, this template should be maintained”.
Earlier in his remark, the Etinan Political Leader, Isantim Okon had urged all the Chairmanship and councillorship aspirants as well as the Stakeholders to explore ways through which the forthcoming Council polls could be conducted peacefully.
He canvassed the need for a consensus, noting that no matter the number of aspirants for a certain position, only one person would be elected for each position.
Highpoints of the meeting were consultations by other aspirants and the submissions to the Etinan Political Leadership of the reports of Councillorship Screening Committees from all the Wards in the area.