LG polls: APC vows to dominate in Akwa Ibom

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Akwa Ibom State Chapter has expressed optimism that the party will dominate the Local Government Elections scheduled to be held in the 31 LGAs of the state on October 5, 2024.

The Chairman of the APC Local Government Council Election Campaign Committee, Senator Ita Enang, made this statement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Information Drive, Uyo. He announced the official flag-off of the party’s campaign at the Township Stadium, Ikot Ekpene, on Wednesday, September 18.

Senator Enang stated that the Akwa Ibom APC is prepared to end the trend where the ruling party in the state wins all the seats. He mentioned that while the APC might concede a few seats to the PDP due to miscalculations, it will secure the majority of the councillor and chairmanship seats.

He boasted that the PDP could only win in some areas where the APC faces unforeseen issues. However, due to the APC’s mistakes, the ruling party in the state might win some wards and LGAs.

“APC will win seats in all 31 local government councils in the state because the party has more members and supporters than the rival PDP. We will demonstrate our majority, strength, and capacity during the forthcoming election,” he said.

“The forthcoming election is a test of APC’s strength and capacity in Akwa Ibom. Akwa Ibom is APC, although unfortunately controlled by a PDP Governor. We will not allow the PDP to carry ballot boxes and run during the elections because APC members understand what the ruling party in Akwa Ibom knows,” he stressed.

Senator Enang added that while the APC is not issuing threats because Governor Umo Eno has promised to provide a level playing field for the election, if the field is not levelled, the APC will still compete on an uneven field.

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The APC expressed cautious optimism about Governor Umo Eno’s promise to provide a level playing field for the election but passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak. They criticized his track record of unfairness, citing his previous tenure as Resident Electoral Commissioner.

“His antecedents in the last local government election conducted in the state and during his tenures as Resident Electoral Commissioner in some states have undermined his credibility to deliver a free and fair election,” he said.

He urged Akwa Ibom people to vote for APC and noted that the APC-controlled federal government has made strides in ensuring the autonomy of local government councils, rescuing them from the control of state governments.

Also speaking, Mr. Patrick Umoh, the member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, stated that the party is well-prepared for the elections.

“We are ready for the election. Our assumptions are that AKISIEC will be independent, and the Governor will provide a level playing field. We trust we will win the majority of the LGAs because we are not treating it as business as usual. We will win across our constituencies,” he said.