Trail Reporters
Authoritative reports from Eket central ward five, shows that, the Peoples Democratic Party primaries, which was held in the ward centre on Saturday, September 24, 2017 at Odio, showed a popular candidate, Emem Bassey Wilson, a female, emerging as the choice of the people in the ward, after beating Comfort Adiahambuk, with 219 votes as against 19 votes recorded for Comfort Adiahambuk, who is also a female.
In a video, exclusively obtained by Trail Reporters, it showed, that, option A4 was used in the primary elections, and Emem Bassey Wilson was announced as the winner by the Returning Officer, Hon.John Udofa, who is a former councilor in Urban ward 2.
Findings revealed that, the Woman leader of PDP Eket Chapter who hails from Central ward five, Emem Francis, who we learnt, had claimed to be the Special Assistant to the wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, had said, the primary election, which saw Emem Bassey defeating her choice candidate, will not stand, because the Governor’s wife had written Comfort’s name, and no other person could emerge against the choice of the Governor’s wife, even with the fact that, both Aspirants are females.
We gathered that, the woman leader, Emem Francis, has allegedly threatened fire and brimstone that Comfort Adiahambuk remains the candidate of Martha Udom, and nothing can change that, as she had said, that the party primary which was conducted in the ward, remains a nullity.
In a telephone chat with the Ward 5 Chairman, Smith Johnny, he confirmed to our Reporter that the election was free and fair, and that Emem Bassey had emerged as the candidate of the party.
Sources from the ward, who participated in the party primaries said, the days of imposition in the PDP are long gone, as a popular candidate had emerged already. Another party stalwart said, name dropping by aspirants to emerge through the backdoor is no longer acceptable in the party, as the Governor had openly said that only popular candidates should emerge from the primaries.
Speaking with the Returning Officer, he said he was in a noisy environment, and could not hear our Reporter clearly; also, a call placed to Emem Francis, she denied saying such, and demanded to know who made the statement, when our Reporter told her we could not reveal our sources.
Also speaking, Comfort Adiahambuk, the defeated Aspirant refused to respond to the questions put across to her, and demanded to know how we got her number, when our Reporter told her she is an Aspirant, and her number ought to be everywhere for anyone to reach her.
The winner of the PDP primaries in Ward central 5, Emem Bassey Wilson, while answering questions from our medium said, the primaries was peaceful and orderly.
When we contacted the media Aide to Udom’s wife, Koko Udonquak said he was in the church.
©Trail Reporters
