Trail Reporters
The National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem has stated that, the PDP will win the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District elections in 2019.
Barr.Enoidem stated this, while reacting to reports trailing the adoption of Engr.Chris Ekpeyong, a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, as the sole candidate of the PDP in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.
Responding to an article written by Franklyn Isong, the NLA said, “Be that as it may, why your interest in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District instead of Eket Senatorial District which is yours is a story for another day. So let me believe as you claim that it’s a mere journalistic adventurism that actuated this vain less enterprise.
Your opinions here lack merits, lack substance and is bereft of truths as they failed woefully to give any scant regards to the palpably clear sentiments surrounding the entire scenario orchestrated by the defection of my boss and former Senate Minority Leader to your party, the Apc.
Firstly, you may deserve my pity for the outright ignorance expressed here because you aren’t from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district.
But whatever pity I may have for you flies in the face of the recklessness with which you approached the subject apparently in some lame effort to shore up support for your party, the Apc.
Secondly, you have approached the subject as if we are running a non-political party elections. For your information, the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, both recognize only elections run on the basis and platforms of political parties. So the 2019 general elections will be fought in the names and on the platforms of political parties so to say with individuals only subsumed in them. So the umbrella and broom will be on the ballot.
Senator Akpabio’s (my boss and brother’s ) defection from PDP to Apc was/is bad enough. But like I always say, he reserved such right and privilege, whether it was rightly or wrongly exercised, will be judged by history. But for you to think he’s gone with the soul of PDP in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is the most mistaken and baseless assumption you have embarked upon by this piece.
For you to say that PDP in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District “had (sic) herculean task to get a candidate to face the former Senate Minority Leader in the forthcoming 2019 Senatorial poll” is totally without justification.
This conclusion is very unfortunate both in terms of legality, facts and times.
Legally faulty because every one, except you, knows that the nomination processes within the time schedules provided by INEC are still on for all the political parties in Nigeria.
Factually faulty, because on September 2, 2018, all major PDP stakeholders from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District met to brainstorm on who should fly the flag of the party for the senate seat in 2019. And in the course of the meeting, two illustrious sons and founding members of the party: Senator Emmanuel ibokessien: a pioneer senator on the platform of the party between 1999-2003 and Engr Christopher Ekpenyong, a pioneer Dep Gov on the platform of the party between 19999-2004, showed keen interest on the ticket/seat. The latter emerged as a consensus candidate of the party to the joy of everyone and was congratulated by Senator who was named the DG of the campaigns.
So as we speak, HE Engr Christopher Ekpenyong, is the sole candidate of the party for the senate in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district and has bought, filled and submitted the Party Expression/Nomination Form.
So please be informed and take notice that PDP in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district didn’t find it herculean to nominate and present someone to run against whoever will run on the ticket of Apc that is yet to resolve on who will be the candidate for the election between senator Akpabio, Obong Ini Okorie and Rt Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo.
I know that as a lawless member of a lawless party you have already come out with the result of the Senatorial congress even when your party has not conducted the Congress, or decided who the delegates to the congress will be or what method will be used: whether direct or indirect primaries.
Your party, the Apc, has the herculean task of deciding who your candidate will be and not the PDP.
Franklyn, you have obviously written off, HE Christopher Ekpenyong, as a fit and proper candidate that can face Senator Akapbio in the election to the extent that in your little mind you “ do not think Akpabio needs to print any campaign poster(s) or electioneering material(s) of any sort to floor his would-be opponents to the senate seat in 2019 election.”
You went on to delude yourself by saying:
“If my words are anything to go by, I would advise the PDP not to waste its resources by filing a candidate for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial seat because, no matter, whoever flies PDP’s Senatorial ticket, the result of the poll will appear as though, Godswill Akpabio did not have any opponent at the election. Mark my words.”
The above conclusions mark and stand you out as one of the worst political illiterates of our times. It betrays your unmitigated lack of capacity in political analysis aided by your total disregard of the electoral value of the elders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.
It depicts your absolute deficiencies in the political demography of the district as at the moment.
It is an advertisement of your limited knowledge of the inherent coercive force that can spring up whenever a people’s assumed vulnerabilities and impotencies are thrown to their very face in public.
Don’t ever dare the powers of the mob. Don’t dare the will of people the who feel helpless.
Don’t challenge the force behind the pride and love of party and partisanship
PDP remains a force in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and anyone and everyone who has been a beneficiary of the party in the district needs not undermine it potency. It is PDP that will win the 2019 elections in the district no matter who she presents.
You can take this to the bank.” He stated.
