Two state chairmen expected as Akwa Ibom APC holds parallel congresses

Two State Executive Councils (SECs) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to be sworn in at the conclusion of the ongoing congresses of the party in Akwa Ibom State.

This followed the conduct of the exercise by the feuding factions loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, on one hand and that of Senator John Udoedehe, the National Care-taker Secretary in-charge of the Congress Planning Committee.

 Udoedehe’s faction led by the outgoing state care-taker Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen and his Executive members are holding their congress at the Sheergrace Event Centre along Edet Akpan avenue (two Lanes), Uyo, the state capital.

Chief Akpabio’s faction with the likes of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang; former Military Administrator of Rivers and Ogun States, Group Capt, Sam Ewang and others, which held theirs simultaneously at the Kara Event centre at Nnung Oku area of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area around the vicinity of the Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard, had concluded the exercise.

At the end of the exercise, the former State Youth Leader, Comrade Stephen Udo Ntukekpo, from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area emerged as the state Chairman of Akpabio’s faction, while the poll was yet to be concluded at the the Sheergrace Event centre, venue of Udoedehe’s faction.

However, Ntukekpo commended the conduct of the exercise as hitch-free and the party stakeholders and followers for their “show support of solidarity and support”, even as he pledged to work towards “a one united APC for the overall victory at the national and state level.”

However, the outgoing interim Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Nkereuwem Enyongekere, was quick to dismiss the Chief Godswill Akpabio’s factional congress as lacking in credibility and legitimacy, given the fact that “the seven-man committee sent by the national headquarters to conduct the exercise and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitoring team, are on our side.”

Also, Senator Ita Enang, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune, expressed the hope that everything would be harmonized at the conclusion of the exercise.

“We are at the congress, when we are through we are going to come up with something better”, he assured.

As of the time of filing this report, Senator Akpabio was yet to arrive for the poll to commence, while anxious crowds and party supporters have cordoned off the entire premises and spilled into the road, clogging traffic along the ever busy dual carriage way.

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