By Ubong Sampson – Uyo
A political group identified as Forum of Former PDP Chapter Chairmen in Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency has sacked its former leadership for attempting to zone the federal constituency seat to one of the three local government areas in the constituency.
In a communique jointly signed by the new coordinator, Imoh Essien, Secretary, Nkereuwem Akai and 5 others, the group said the decision to relief the former leadership was informed by reactions by constituents who frowned at the division the former leadership was trying to create in the constituency.
“The forum of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) former chairman in Ikot Abasi federal constituency has been inundated with calls after a media announcement recently, purportedly from our forum about the zoning of political offices in Ikot Abasi Federal constituency with tend it to exclude other local government areas in our federal constituency”, the communique read partly.
The communique furthered to clarify that the forum will work closely with other stakeholders in the constituency to implement a zoning and power-sharing framework that, according to it, will reflect the larger interest of all three areas, with justice and equity taken into consideration.
“Our forum will encourage and indeed mobilize to ensure that the peoples democratic party in Ikot Abasi federal constituency present candidates based on their maturity capacity and acceptability. There will be no room for selfishness or sentiment.
“Our forum support the completion and agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel and support measures that will institutionalize good governance in Akwa Ibom State.
“Our forum has put in place a leadership structure that will reposition the forum for political mobilisation in the federal constituency.
“The forum calls and all Peoples Democratic Party faithful in Ikot Abasi federal constituency to go out in March for the ongoing e-registration for our party membership”, the communique further read.
It could be recalled that the forum which was announced to have taken a position on House of Reps slot in favour of Ikot Abasi LGA in a meeting purportedly held on Saturday, October 23, 2021, had called for the seat of House of Representatives to go to Ikot Abasi, while throwing the contest for the senatorial seat open to “any person within the Federal Constituency”.
While our correspondent could not reach the ousted leader of the forum, Aniefiok Smart, a former PDP chairman of Ikot Abasi and member of the forum said zoning the Reps seat to Ikot Abasi local government area intended no division in the constituency, but was for the sake of equity, considering that the area has only had one shot of for years, while the other two have had more.
