Adoption of direct primaries by APC stirs controversy in Akwa Ibom State
The adoption of direct primaries as the mode of electing aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State is generating controversy with some governorship aspirants kicking against it.
Don Etiebet, the caucus chairman of the party in the state had in a press statement affirmed the adoption of direct primaries for the election of candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
A party stalwart, Bassey Eyo told Businessday in a telephone interview that the adoption of the direct mode of primaries will ensure inclusive governance and check inducement of delegates by aspirants adding that as the policy of the party, members were ready to with it.
But checks by our correspondent show that while some of the governorship aspirants have received the directive with a pinch of salt others have expressed reservations over it saying it.
One of the aspirants who has been a member of the APC before the defection of others to the party is quoted to have said that he would accept the result of direct primary is it is free and fair adding that it not free, it would be a different ball game.
The controversy is so overwhelming that one of the aspirants has even threatened to defect to the PDP if the outcome of the direct primaries is manipulated, adding that while he built the party from the scratch in the state, others were nowhere to be found.
Among the governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC in Akwa Ibom State are Nsima Ekere, the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), John James Udoedehe, a stalwart of the party and Bassey Dan Abia, the immediate past managing director of NDDC.
One of the supporters of a governorship aspirant is reportedly to have said that the APC would collapse in the state if his principal were to pull out of the party apparently if the direct primaries are skewed to favour other aspirants.
“We will vote for Governor Udom Emmanuel is APC is not willing to accommodate our interest,’’ a supporter of one of the governorship aspirants was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile controversy has trailed the publication of the lists of party’s ward/chapter executive members with party leaders describing it as fake. This has to do with the inability of the party leaders to agree on the lists of executive members elected during the last congress of the party. Also, the state executive committee of the party has yet to be inaugurated apparently due to the internal wrangling within the party.
The secretary of the party, Austin Ekanem did not pick calls to his phone as to confirm the authenticity of the list.
By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK - Businessday
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