Intra-zoning crisis rocks Akwa Ibom gov’ship electioneering campaign

Akwa Ibom State is one of the states in Nigeria where power rotation and zoning have be successively implemented among the three senatorial districts since 1999. Akwa Ibom, like most states, has also been dominated by one party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which made zoning and power rotation successful without obstruction.

In the preparations for the 2023 general elections, micro-zoning pressures have been generating crisis in the various parties over the governorship candidate(s) of the respective parties. Returning the governor to Uyo senatorial district marked the beginning of the second round of power rotation and zoning in Akwa Ibom State after each senatorial district has served two terms of eight years successively.

Accordingly, all the leading governorship candidates for the 2023 elections emerged from Uyo senatorial district, the various parties ensured compliance with the zoning and powered rotation agreement.

However, National Daily investigation showed that pressures of micro or intra-zoning demands among the three federal constituencies in Uyo senatorial district have been generating crisis in the dominant parties in the state. Stakeholders across party lines have been agitating that it is the turn of the Itu, Ibono Ibom federal constituency to have the governor in 2023, after governors had emerged from Uyo, Uruan, Ibesikpo Asutan, federal constituency and Etinan, Nsit Ubum, Nsit Ibom federal constituency over the years.

According to National Daily findings, the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), James John Akpanudoedehe, represents Uyo, Uruan federal constituency, the candidate of the Peoepls Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Umo Eno, is from Nsit Ubum, Akan Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) represents Nsit Ibom, and Senator Bassey Akpan from Itu, Ibono Ibom federal constituency.

Obong Victor Attah was the first  governor to emerge from Uyo senatorial district in 1999 on the basis of the zoning and power rotation agreement. Godswill Akpabio and Udom Emanual completed the zoning cycle in the other two senatorial districts.

National Daily also gathered that the PDP governorship aspirant, Akan Okon, who sued the party’s candidate, Umo Eno, in court, alleging certificate forgery, is also from Itu, Ibono Ibom federal constituency, the same micro-zone with Albert Bassey, who was frustrated out of the PDP.

In the suit of Akan Okon at the Court of Appeal, the appellate court upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court which dismissed the suit challenging the victory of Umo Eno at the PDP primary.

The presiding Judge of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Justice Agatha Okeke, has  dismissed the suit by Akan Okon, citing  forgery.

Okon had alleged that Eno forged the West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Sources from the PDP in Akwa Ibom State disclosed that Governor Udom Emmanuel had maintained a hard-line stance that he will not handover to a ‘cultist’. However, no one in the state had ever been indicted or convicted for practicing cultism or being a cultist.

The governor, however, opted for Umo Eno, a pastor, which compelled Senator Bassey Akpan to defect to the YPP, where he picked the governorship ticket.

Bassey Akpan, until his recent defection, has been the only senator who stood with Governor Udom Emmanuel after two other senators in the state dumped the PDP and joined the APC.

The APC is also having its own cycle of internal crisis, which culminated in the supposed expulsion of former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Ita Enang, from the party by the state chairman. Ita Enang has been challenging the governorship candidacy of Udofia in court, which the Court of Appeal upheld. The former SSA to the President has, however, resolved to pursue the suit to the Supreme Court.