CHAIRMANSHIP: IKOT EKPENE URBAN STAKEHOLDERS SENDS OPEN LETTER TO GOV UMO ENO
As battle for the soul of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area continues to gather momentum ahead of the forthcoming coming local government election, the people of Ikot Ekpene Urban, under the umbrella of Concerned Stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Urban have called on Governor Umo Eno to intervene as a matter of urgency to prevent the area from being lost to opposition parties.
The group in a statement endorsed by the Ward Leaders – Ps Gregory Ukpong, Obonganwan Regina Udomah,Assistant Secretary General, National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Pastor. Uko Michael, the NYCN State Legal Adviser, Barr. Albert Umoh, and ten others, argued that Ikot Ekpene was fourth position in the State because of the votes from Urban, and therefore would be a disservice to deny the Urban Chairmanship seat in the election.
Comparing a voting strength of 62,000 and 29,000, they further argued that the decision by the opposition to zone the Chairmanship seat to Ikot Ekpene Urban in the forthcoming Local Government Election might negatively affect the voting pattern in 2027.
To further buttress their point, the group observed what they escribed as lopsided appointment and elective positions for instance, a situation where the House of Assembly seat is in Amanyam, arguing further that “It took someone from Urban, in the person of Late. Engr. Samuel Inyang to resign his appointment as Pro Chancellor/Chairman of Governing Council to pave way for the current position of a Vice-Chancellor being occupied by Prof. Essien, an Amanyam son.
The elders and youths are canvassing for mainstreaming with a precedence to the 2012 Local Government experience in Ikot Ekpene.
They feared that an impending implosion awaits the PDP should the Governor and the party look the other way while some stakeholders of the party gather to deny Ikot Ekpene Urban and opportunity of producing the next Chairman of Ikot Ekpene.
