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From Isaac Job, Uyo
Concerned stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Ikot Ekpene have opposed plans to impose a consensus candidate for the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State House of Assembly seat in the party primaries scheduled to hold between April 23 and May 30.
In a communique issued at the end of the Ikot Ekpene APC stakeholders meeting to deliberate on key matters affecting the party in the state, the stakeholders said the planned consensus is dead on arrival.
Governor Umo Eno had at different fora reportedly directed stakeholders to unanimously select a candidate of their choice to fly the party’s flag at the primaries.
However, former APC Assistant Secretary and spokesperson of the group, Ubong Amadu, who read the communique at a press conference held at Four Point by Sheraton hotel in Ikot Ekpene Akwa Ibom State insisted that consensus process circumvent wishes of the majority and therefore antithetical and unwelcome.
Amadu highlighted the benefits of direct primaries noting consensus arrangement is against internal democracy ethos and a rape on the principles of fair play as enshrined in the party’s constitution and Electoral Act 2026.
The communique signed by the Leadership of Ikot Ekpene APC Stakeholders stated “Having noted with dismay, the proposed intention of some people to select their preferred candidate through the unpopular and undemocratic medium of consensus, the meeting of stakeholders in our clime became most necessary.
“We the APC Stakeholders in Ikot Ekpene vehemently reject the undemocratic agenda of consensus candidacy/automatic ticket for any hopeful for the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State Constituency seat in the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) State House of Assembly primaries.
“We state categorically and with no sense of equivocation, that adopting the proposed consensus arrangement as rumoured, will amount to an absurd imposition, a deliberate disqualification of other aspirants from contesting for the state constituency seat which is antithetical to internal democratic ethos and an intemperate rape and bastardization of the principles of fair play as enshrined in the APC constitution as well as the Electoral Act 2026
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“While we unreservedly pledge our steadfast and unalloyed support for our party, the APC, we dare say that our party can only be united and progressive if justice, fairness, and respect for the democratic rights of all members is given its deserving consideration.
“We therefore demand for an inclusive and credible democratic process of open/direct primaries whereof the most popular, credible, and service-oriented aspirant will emerge to chat the course of the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State constituency in the comity of other members of the state parliament, because as a historic pacesetter, Ikot Ekpene deserves nothing short of the best representation.”
The stakeholders also declared support for the second term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno, citing their impactful and performance-driven governance as reasons for the endorsement.
“We wholeheartedly express our overwhelming support for the second term bid of our dear President – Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Senate President – Senator Godswill Akpabio and our amiable Governor – Pastor Umo Eno PhD in recognition of their impactful and performance-driven governance.
“We are resolved to vote overwhelmingly for our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to continue his impactful and people centric reforms which are already yielding positive results across critical sectors of the economy, and we are determined to consolidate these gains.
“We stand firmly with our amiable Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, to return to the Senate. Beyond returning as a Senator, we are committed to seeing him continue his outstanding services as President of the Senate, where he has provided critical legislative support to Mr. President in delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
“We are fully in support of the second term bid of our dear Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, in recognition of his performance-driven governance and commitment to the people of Akwa Ibom State.
“We wish to state that our unreserved support for the aforementioned leaders is earned and based strictly on performance and not on sentiment, pressure, or dubious endorsement.”
