By Victoria Akpabio
PDP reconciliation meeting with Itu Party Executives, last Thursday suffered setback as the State Chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo asked stakeholders, elders, youths and women at the party Secretariat to give him and the party hierarchy more time to sort out the matter.
Paul Ekpo, said there was need for the party to step into Itu matter in order to move the State forward, saying the power of the people will subsist and all interest protected.
The PDP boss pleaded with the two factions of the PDP to go back and select their representatives and come back to the party house on Monday for settlement.
"I want to appeal to you all that the issue has not come to this.We should reduce your interest to a sizeable number who would meet with us to discuss the way forward because we cannot achieve a meaningful decision in this house with this number of people", Obong Paul Ekpo would noted.
Speaking with the media separately, immediately after the meeting, Obong. Barr Kennedy Ekong, a former Deputy Leader of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Secretary, Board of Trustees of Itu Development Union; Acting PDP Chapter Chairman, Itu LGA, Hon. Bernard Ekpenyong together with a former Chairman of Itu Local Government Area, Obong Dr. Nsima Edet, the party men expressed displeasure over the failure of the party to reconcile aggressive PDP members in Itu.
They noted that the party in its wisdom decided not to lister to, nor address the people, but rather prefer to re-invite few stakeholders to have meeting with them some other day.
Hear them: the stakeholders of Itu felt the party has been pocketed by one or two individuals and wished to pull it out of their pockets so as to guarantee the electoral fortunes of Itu under the big Umbrella of the party, anything short of that will bring back the ugly incident that happened in itu in 1999 when an opposition party won in the area."
They pointed out that the issue of Itu has gone beyond few people that the party has invited to meet with the State Working Committee together with Hon. Idongesit Itu, member representing Itu in the State Assembly and Mr. Akan Okon, the Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties.
believing that the party under the ably leadership of Obong Paul Ekpo would have listen to the people first for the fact that the people came from far distance to tell that party their problem.
They further noted that Itu people would no longer play politics of one family and will do everything to resist any imposition of decisions by members of one family which made up of Senator Anietie Okon, Akan Okon, Effiong Ebong Okon, Ifreke Ikotidem and Victor Okon.
Also speaking, the Acting PDP Chapter Chairman, Obong Bernard Ekpenyong, who vowed that the people were ready to resist any imposition of decisions by members of one family made up of Senator Anietie Okon, Akan Okon, Effiong Ebong Okon, Ifreke Ikotidem and Victor Okon on the whole of Itu people, maintained that he was ready to sanitize and then work hard to bring back the sanctity of the party.
Here him, "We want to correct the imbalance in Itu. That time is over when just one family controls the whole politics of Itu people.
The erstwhile chapter Chairman is being pocketed by the state Officer of the party, the Commissioner for Special Duties and the chapter officer. We are ready to sanitize and bring back the sanctity and the lost glory of the party so that we can win elections as usual."
"We are going to take the matter to another level if the State PDP can not handle the issue. We will take it to Abuja. This is the last effort of our remaining in PDP. If the party like to listen to us they do, if they refuse, we move to another party, "Obong Nsima Edet emphasized.
Those that were in attendance of the failed meeting were Itu Transition to chairman, Mrs Esera the, Commissioner for special Duties, Mr. Akan Okon, Itu representative at the State House, Prince Idongesit Ituen, and 117 ward executives, out of a total of 170, and other chapter executives, elders, stakeholders and over a thousand of other supporters.
No comments: