By Ime Silas
Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, has warned ‘factional stakeholders’ of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ikono local government area of the state, against doing anything that would scuttle the peace currently being enjoyed in the area, our paper can authoritatively report.
The governor who stated this last Sunday at the Government House, Uyo, when some aggrieved members of the party, led by member representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Hon Emmanuel Ukpong-udo, popularly known as Macaire, took their protest to him, charged them not to distort the wishes of Ikono people concerning the last PDP chapter Congress.
Also in Macaire’s protest group were the PDP State Legal Adviser, Barr Goddy Umoh, Sir Victor Etefia and Sir S. U. Akpan. Sir Akpan, according to our source, was said to have been misled by Macaire to join the protest.
A chieftain of the party from Ikono, who was in the know of the protest visit, told our correspondent in confidence that their intent was to convince Udom not to recognize the newly elected Ikono Chapter Chairman, Barr Ekemini Uba, whom he said emerged through a peacefully organized Congress on Saturday, March 21.
According to our source, Udom, who was evidently disappointed at the attitude of the protesting faction admonished them to abide by the popular decision of majority of Ikono PDP members.
He said that the State Chief Executive advised them not to cause any rancor but to maintain peace, love and unity within the party in particular and Ikono in general.
Our source further hinted that Governor Udom, while praising the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area therefore asked them to go home and work with the newly elected chapter chairman, Barr Ekemini Uba, and avoid hatred and division.
Efforts to reach the National Assembly member, Ukpong-udo, for comments on the issue were unsuccessful as phone calls to his telephone were not answered or returned.
But when contacted, an aide to Macaire, Mr. Emmanuel Boniface, confirmed the visit of the group to the governor on the said date which was a day after Chapter Congress, but insisted that it was a meeting and not a protest.