The coalition of Akwa Ibom gubernatorial aspirants have demanded the immediate cancellation of the April 30th adhoc congress and all primaries held by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa ibom state citing massive irregularities and illegalities.
The coalition which members are Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko, Mr James Iniama, Mr David Okpon and Hon Idoreyin Umoh made this known to newsmen through a press statement tagged “Impunity upon Impunity," in Uyo on Sunday
They urged the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee of PDP to cancel the conduct of the gubernatorial primaries in Akwa Ibom State pending the hearing and determination of the reliefs contained in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22.
They further noted that the primaries conducted for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate positions using the three (3) AD-HOC Delegates per Ward in Akwa Ibom State be immediately invalidated on grounds of its illegality.
The press statement further reads in parts, “To say that the exercise of choosing a governorship candidate for the PDP in Akwa Ibom state was a charade is stating the obvious.
"The exercise was fraught with widespread irregularities, subterfuge, and intimidation. The impunity upon impunity was palpable and brazen. It was a mockery of civilized behaviour and opposite of what is right and decent”.
“Sadly, the skewed political culture in the state, governed by patron-saints would rather go for the ephemeral.
"Instead of allowing a level playing field for all aspirants to convince the electoral college to choose their preferred aspirant based on a thorough and cursory analyses of the capacity, character and competence of individual aspirants, our know-all chieftains resorted to mundane considerations and subterfuge, and the result is the charade that came out of the State Congress held on May 25, 2022 for the purpose of nominating a Gubernatorial candidate for the Party.
"In fact, this charade and shambolic conduct has trailed all congresses leading up to the May 25, 2022 Special State Congress in Akwa Ibom State.
They further highlighted, “We reiterate that the complaints contained in our petitions did not in any form mean that we had withdrawn from the contest; and this informed our presence at the Special State Congress to enable us to observe at close range the conduct of the primaries as well as offer us the locus standi to further challenge the validity of the processes in law court, if need be.
“One of such seeming irregularities, is that the so-called adhoc delegates did not go through any proper identification and accreditation process before being allowed into the venue of the State Congress for Gubernatorial primaries.
"Secondly, the list of these adhoc delegates were not published for all aspirants to be properly informed of who to consult and engage. Only the government sponsored aspirant had prior knowledge of who the adhoc delegates were and only he was able to meet with them before the primaries.
"Finally, only the government sponsored aspirant, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno and his wife were listed as adhoc delegates and had the opportunity to vote for themselves. Other aspirants were denied this privilege."
The Aspirants lamented, “Unfortunately, our political culture, especially that of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State is not only skewed but strewn with all sorts of debris that precludes the emergence of any organized and cerebral candidacy, and where such seems possible, is immediately sacrificed on the altar of short-sighted considerations and predatory elite instincts."
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