By our Reporter
Leaders of many groups in Itu Local Government Area are spoilt for war over reported attempts by a certain political leader in the local Government Area to persuade the governor to dissolve the Bar Godwin Awah’s led Local Government Election Coordinating Committee of the PDP in Itu Local Government Area. Their grudge is that a certain family in the local government “is lording it over the entire local government Area and until an appointment is settled from their Village, Mbiatok Itam, that person is not qualified to run”, said a former House of Assembly member who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity.
Recall that ahead of the forth coming Local Government election in Akwa Ibom State, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had announced persons into election Coordinating committees across the state to coordinate election matters at the local government areas for the party.
For Itu Local Government Area, the committee is headed by Bar Godwin George Awah with Hon Inemesit Eyo as Secretary. Members of the committee include, Hon Godwin Ndon, former Local Government Chairman, Hon Ekaete Ebong Okon, former House of Assembly member for Itu State Constituency and Mr Ndifreke Ndon, former transition council Secretary.
Available reports show that the committee was well accepted among political groups and party members who said the combination will enhance cohesion and calm down frayed nerves ahead of party nomination and local government poll.
Those who spoke to the Press yesterday accused the political leader of attempting to set aside the committee and imposing his cronies on the local government area. According to reports, the accused political leader had written a petition to the governor seeking that the committee be set aside alleging that the Chairman of the committee is a campaign manager to the sitting Local Government Chairman, Hon Bar Etetim Onuk who according to report, is seeking a second term.
Findings however by our reporter revealed that the Chairman of the committee is not the campaign manager as alleged.
Some Chapter exco of the PDP who volunteered information to the Press accused a certain political bigwig in the area of seeking a window to impose a pliant aspirant on Itu Local Government as Chairman. A senior member of the exco told the Press in confidence that: “We know he has an interest he seeks to protect. He has his preferred aspirant. That is okay by most of us. But what we don’t agree with him is his attempt to blackmail even his close associates and loyalists and mislead the governor to dissolving a committee that has garnered so much goodwill among the party in particular and Itu local government in general.
“Again, he has this attitude of dragging everything coming to Itu to his family. He hardly feels comfortable with anybody except that person is from his immediate family or endorsed by it. In many occasions we have told him that there is need to spread offices to every part of Itu because on election day, we need support across the entire local government area to win for the party. So if you don’t have or give everyone a sense of belonging, on such occasion, it can affect the fortune of the party”.
Corroborating, another member of the chapter exco called on the governor not to yield to the call of dissolving the committee as that will not be in the best interest of the party. According to them, the committee as currently constituted, will be fair to all aspirants allowing the best that can better advance the course of Politics and governance for the PDP in Itu Local Government Area.
Effort to speak with the political leader who once occupied a sensitive office at the national Secretariat of PDP was abortive as he did not pick his calls nor answer text messages sent to him over the story.