A former minister of petroleum, Don Etiebet is leading the fight against the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as next senator for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State.
Etiebet’s position is that it was not the turn of Akpabio’s axis of the senatorial district to produce the senator.
Akpabio, from Essien Udim, had occupied the seat for four years and could not return there in 2019 when the PDP candidate, Chris Ekpenyong, from the same area, defeated him.
Ekpenyong, the current occupant of the seat is not contesting the election again. Rather, Mr Eno Idem is the PDP candidate, from Etim Ekpo, which has not produced a senator, even though Etim Ekpo belongs to what has now come to be known as the Abak 5.
Etiebet, a member of the APC has already made his position known, that the Akpabio candidacy will not fly, as it was against the interest of the Abak 5. He was quoted as saying that Essien Udim could not be allowed to return to the senate when other Annang local governments were yet to produce a senator.
But Etiebet’s position is not going down well with Akpabio. His media aide, Joe Iniodu, has already responded to Etiebet’s statement and are urging him to recant and join Akpabio and his party to win.
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“As a campaign council, we have both misgivings and reservations with the unsalutary statements credited to our revered APC Elderstatesman whom we believe should see the protection of our great party as sacrosanct and respect for the rule of law as a cardinal avowal. Sadly this does not seem to be the case.
“The rehash of the Abak-5 sentiment which seems to pander to motives that can be deemed as noble other than that of public good and genuine interest of the people of Abak Federal Constituency is indeed unfortunate.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio Senatorial Campaign Organisation holds Atuekong Don Etiebet in the highest regards and also expects our dear elderstatesman to be restrained and guided in his public utterances to continue to merit the reverence that he is deserving of.”
Apart form Etiebet, other Annang sons have opposed the plan by Akpabio to return. One of them, Mr Dominic Akpan, in a statement said it would be unfortunate if Akpabio is allwed to return to the senate.
“From Oruk Anam Local Government Area to Ini, Obot Akara, to Ika, Ikono, Ukanafun, Abak, the zoning arrangement is firmly engrained in the consciousness of the people.
“The further the people go in the electoral cycle, the deeper and impregnable their resolve to abide by the zoning arrangement in the Senate race.
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“In 1998, the political leaders in the senatorial district led by Atuekong Don Etiebet gathered at Garara Hall, where it was resolved that Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency should produce the senator in the1999 general elections.
“Engr. Emmanuel Ibok Essien, who later became the senator flew the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He is from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. His main challenger was Dr. Emmanuel Ukpong from Iwukem in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area. He contested on the platform of the then All Peoples Party, APP. The people voted massively for PDP in line with the zoning arrangement.
“For the 2003 general elections, the major political parties, PDP and the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, did not go against the tide as they fielded candidates from former Abak Division, which is made up of Abak, Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo and Ika Local Government Areas.
“Chief Itak Ekarika was the candidate of PDP, while Mr. Jimmy Enobong flew ANPP’s flag. Ekarika is from Oruk Anam, while Enobong is from Ukanafun. Ekarika won.
“The entire Annang nation had conceded the Senate seat to Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency in 2007. Hon. Aloysius Etok, a former member of the House of Assembly from Ikono Local Government Area defeated his main challenger, Dr. Anny Asikpo, who went against the zoning arrangement. Asikpo, who is from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area was the candidate of the ANPP.
“In 2011, Asikpo and Barr. Joe Ukpong were roundly rejected by the people of the district for going against the zoning arrangement.
“This time, Asikpo contested the National Assembly election on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. On the other hand, Ukpong, who hails from Abak Local Government Area flew the flag of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. The people of the district had resolved that Senator Etok should take a second term, but Asikpo and Ukpong decided to test their will at the polls.
“In 2015, Mr. Inibehe Okori, a former banker from Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, decided to run against the tide after the entire district had resolved that Chief Godswill Akpabio, who was about leaving office as governor should go to the Senate. Okori was simply trying to make fish relocate from water to live on top of the trees like birds.
“Like others before him, the people rejected Okori’s senate aspiration and voted to elect Akpabio, who is from Essien Udim Local Government Area, one of the three local government areas in Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency.
“So, when Akpabio defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2018, the custodians of the political power in the district – the people – withdrew the mandate from him at the polls in 2019 and gave it to Obong Chris Ekpenyong – who is from Obot Akara Local Government Area in Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency to complete the two terms of that zone.
“Expectedly, Akpabio was roundly rejected at the polls by the people in that election. That having been achieved and in line with the zoning principle, the political leaders in the district met in 2022 at the Independence Hall, Abak and zoned the Senate seat to Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency.”
