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Assembly crisis: more lawmakers join APC faction



...Akwa Ibom governor's aide quits.



From Bassey Anthony, Uyo


Scores of Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) lawmakers in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly may defect to the All Progressives Congress(APC).


A dependable source told THE NATION that the PDP lawmakers were unhappy with the Speaker, Mr. Onofiok Luke for declaring the seats of five APC lawmakers vacant.


Sources said they had pledged their allegiance to the factional speaker, Mr. Nse Ntuen who represents Essien Udim State

Constituency, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s area.


The source said the PDP lawmakers met for several hours with the factional speaker at his Shelter Afrique home in Uyo Wednesday night.


“Over eight lawmakers have teamed up with the factional speaker’s group of five to effectively recover the Assembly from Luke and continue their legislative activities next week”, he said.


On the late night meeting the source said it resolved that Luke’s action was

‘subjudice and contemptuous’ stressing that his poor handling of defection politics have thrown the state into avoidable tension.


The source added that the others  lamented that Luke allowed the Governor to dictate how he runs the Assembly, a situation no longer acceptable to the members.


He said fresh entrants into the group of five pledged to work with Ntuen, and said the Assembly would reconvene next

week with him as speaker.


The APC factional speaker said he met  with other members, who have pledged support and co-operation to his leadership.


“I have said it before and I am saying it again that I am here to take government to the people and ensure that things are properly done. I am not here to witch-hunt anybody but will work with the people of

Akwa Ibom to get the dividends of democracy eluding them” he said.


Ntuen said he would not force his way into the Assembly complex but would consult and negotiate with  stakeholders in the

security circles to allow them do their job in a peaceful and conducive atmosphere.


The Assembly is still surrounded by security forces preventing people from entering the complex.


Governor Udom Emmanuel's Special Assistant on Projects Godswill Ekpenyong has resigned.


Ekpenyong who defected from PDP to APC is the ninth aide of Emmanuel to quit.


In a chat with reporters in Uyo, yesterday,  Ekpenyong said he resigned because the Governor was becoming unfair to some of his aides.


He accused the Governor of favouring those he called "the Lagos cabal."


The ex - aide said Akpabio unlike Emmanuel treated all aides fairly.


He advised Emmanuel to withdraw from the governorship race to save himself from disgrace because the people would vote him out.


Ekpenyong said he was joining APC because PDP structure in Mbo, his local government has collapsed with the resignation of Mr Victor Antai, ex - Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, now APC House of Representatives candidate for Oron.


He said the electoral chances of Emmanuel and PDP in Mbo were further ruined by Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, secretary to the state government, who altered the zoning to deny Mr Samuel Ufuo, House of Assembly member for Mbo a second term ticket.


Source: THE NATION Friday, November 23, 2018.
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