• Akparawa Godwin Ntuk Udeh
By Shadrach Okon
The Political Adviser to Governor Umo Eno, Dr. Godwin Ntuk Udeh has vowed that the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Akwa Ibom State, will use money from the state treasury to pay voters during the forth coming local government election on Saturday 5th October, 2024. Ntukudeh made the promise to electorates at Ibiaku Ntukokpo in Ikono Local Government Area, during a PDP campaign rally yesterday 3rd October, 2024.
Godwin Ntuk Udeh, who represented Governor Umo Eno, at the rally organized by Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, to mobilize support for PDP candidates vowed that his party will do everything possible to reclaim Ikono Local Government Area, as a strong hold of PDP in the State come Saturday.
Ntuk Udeh, while delivering a speech on behalf of Governor Eno, said that PDP which is the ruling party in the state will rise against any person trying to fight against the party’s success in Ikono Local Government Area. He described Ikono people as a great disappointment to the ruling party and threatened that any political appointee from the local government that looses election in his/her unit will be reliefed from his position in government.
According to him, “There is no reason for division in Ikono. This is the mother of Ibibio nation. The government of Akwa Ibom State is desirous of taking back Ikono Local Government Area as the cradle of Ibibio nation. I have heard someone promising to invest money in this election. I want to just mock at such an empty boasting, just imagine one man’s money versus state government treasury! Tell such person if he cares to listen, that the government of Akwa Ibom State is desirous of taking back Ikono Local Government Area in this election.”
Speaking further, he said, “This Saturday I want to see ‘the talk and do Nigeria limited in Ikono’. If you don’t deliver Ikono for PDP, someone will loose his position. I am not here for a joke party because you people are a disappointment to PDP. We will raise against any person that wants to fight PDP in this election. This is the cradle of Ibibio nation, we are not here to smile until you correct your mistakes. We will recapture our lost glory in Ikono. As the mother of Ibibio nation, don’t eat your children again. Discover yourself Ikono people as the foundation of Ibibio.”
Addressing the people of Ikono, the State Chairman of PDP Elder Aniekan Akpan, assured the people of Ikono of the determination of Governor Umo Eno to bring more developmental projects to the people of Ikono. He advised them to show patriotism to the party by electing Engr Otobong Essien, the Ikono PDP Chairmanship candidate and all PDP councilorship candidates from the 12 Wards in the Ikono Local Government Area.
Responding, the political leader of Ikono and former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Sir S. U Akpan promised that Ikono people will not allow the past mistakes to repeat itself again. He advised Ikono youths not to allow any politician to lead them into a ditch again. Sir Akpan, assured the leadership of PDP in the State that the election will provide a veritable platform for the governor to remember Ikono people as strong pillar of PDP in the State.
It would be recalled that in 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party had lost Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency seat to a YPP candidate Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong-udoh in a kinly contested election between him and the PDP candidate Hon. Glory Edet a former Commissioner in the State.
However, due to various instances of politically motivated violence that ensued during and after the election in Ikono/ Ini Federal Constituency, INEC had declared the election inconclusive and rescheduled supplementary elections in 17 Units on the April 15, 2023. The rescheduled supplementary election was conducted and after a careful review of the outcomes, INEC declared Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong-udo popularly known as MACAIRE among his supporters as the winner of the election and duly returned elected to represent Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency for a second term in office.
Dr. Glory Edet, before contesting for the seat had served as commissioner for more than a decade in successive PDP government during the era of Godswill Akpabio and Mr. Udom Emmanuel. Many political pundits had described that political development in the Constituency as a big blow to PDP in Akwa Ibom State.
