UNITY OF IKOT EKPENE SENATORIAL DISTRICT, MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE INTEREST OF ANY INDIVIDUAL, POLITICAL PARTIES
Several issues bothering on the unity, peace, progress and development of the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and the ongoing campaigns by political parties were on Sunday, January 29, 2023, upheld as paramount at the meeting of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Conscience Group (ISDCG) – a foremost sociopolitical group in Akwa Ibom state.
Consequently, the Board of Trustees, EXCO and congresspersons, after a robust session of deliberations on such topical and cogent issues, arrived at the following extant resolutions:
i. Congresspersons applauded the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for the restoration of peace in Essien Udim local government area and for the enormous developmental strides recorded in ISD. These included human capital development, rehabilitation/construction of several classroom blocks, rehabilitation/construction of health care facilities, massive construction of access roads in the rural areas, siting of factories in the area as well as the recent opening of the Four Point By Sheraton hotel which has direct and indirect economic benefits on the people.
ii. Attendees at the meeting noted with deep sense of satisfaction and appreciation that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Young Progressive Party (YPP) a few other democratically conscious parties and even major political stakeholders across party lines have acknowledged that 2023 is the turn of Abak Federal Constituency to produce a Senator for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District for the first time in 63 years of Nigeria’s existence.
iii. Congresspersons on that note, commended relevant stakeholders, including the aforementioned political parties for the patriotic demonstration of mutual respect for the existing rotational arrangement, which was described as a cynosure of peace and Unity.
iv. At the meeting, the PDP candidate for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem, was pinpointed as the first in the political history of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to dilligently embark on a ward-to-ward tour across the 108 political wards that make up the district. The group commends the PDP for carrying out and focusing only on issue-based campaigns in the wards visited, praying other political parties to emulate the footsteps of their umbrella counterpart.
iv. Though it was observed that everyone of age has the constitutional right to vie for any political position, the Conscience Group recalled that zoning was institutionalized in the area to promote unity, justice and fairness, hence the need for utmost adherence to its precepts.
V. Following a recent judgement of the Supreme Court that affirmed former Governor Godswill Akpabio from Essien Udim LGA as the authentic candidate of the APC, the group in balancing the zoning scale, recounts that while Abak Federal Constituency is yet to produce a senator for the first time, Ikot Ekpene (where Senator Akpabio hails from) and Ukanafun Federal Constituencies had produced 5 and 3 senators respectively while Ikono/Ini federal Constituency had produced a senator for two times and thus turning a full wheel of the representative circle since the inception of Nigeria.
Gleaning from the fact that the emergence of Akpabio as governor in 2007 emanated from the same zoning Principle, therefore, any party fielding any candidate from another federal Constituency is tantamount to haughty disdain of peace and fairness that the people of the district deserve, by such a party.
vi. Given that the unity of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district supercedes the interest of any individual or political party, we therefore call on the electorates in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district to support Abak federal Constituency to produce the next Senator for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district.
Granted the aforementioned measures, rancor, violence or any form of antisocial activity which could threaten the unity and prevaillent peace of the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district would be eschewed.
Prince Samuel Ukut
Convener