The Director General of Akwa Ibom Democratic Forum (ADF), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo has described the allegation levelled against his Group by the Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, Mr Nkereuwem Enyongekere as wild, unsubstantiated and diversionary.
Ekpo, a former member of the National Assembly in an interview on Saturday, further observed that the publicity secretary rather than addressing their genuine concern raised by committed members over the possible imposition in the party due to bias, injustice and lack of unity has deliberately embarked on a “wild goose chase” while playing the ostrich amid leadership crisis they ignited.
Recall that Spokesperson of the APC in the state, Mr Nkereuwem Enyongekere in a press release on Thursday said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has also procured a tipper load of brooms to be burnt during the so-called defection.
According to Enyongekere in the press release, ”Yesterday, a tipper load of freshly-made brooms arrived from Ikot Ekpene to the residence of a PDP Chieftain in Akpa Ube, Aka Offot community in Uyo Local Government. A mountain-like heap of the broom is to be set on fire to illustrate the “demise” of APC in the state.
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“The source further revealed that a former member of the National Assembly, hitherto a member of APC and now a Chieftain of the political pressure group that goes by the name; Akwa Ibom Democratic Forum (ADF) is linked and closely associated with the planned charade”.
However, the Director General of ADF who dismissed the statement as complete illusion and a deliberate ploy to divert public attention from ongoing maladministration in the party, urges genuine members and supporters of the party to unite and rescue the party from impostors.
According to him, ”APC without equivocation has a good number of fifth columnist whose intents are to play the insider role of destroying the party and unless there is a conscious effort to rid the party of these saboteurs and rein in amenable ones, APC may never rise from this doldrum and prostrate state to win election in Akwa Ibom State.
Ekpo, who maintained that APC has been mired in crisis of confidence with the caretaker committee openly taking sides instead of investing efforts in building the party noted that their attitude constitute failure of leadership and it is detrimental in every ramification to the party.
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The Ex-lawmaker who said he remains a bonafide member of APC and completely disassociates ADF from the concocted press statement, urges those steering the affairs of the party to demonstrate personal moral ardour that can overcome inducement.
In his words, ”We have more than 10 former NASS Members who are Chieftains of ADF. They are all APC biased and are all intact in the APC. Nobody will buy into these senseless and false allegations anymore.
“As allies, we frown at any action that puts our party in peril and recent actions of the acting Chairman and members of the State Working Committee of the party can not pass the test of morality and the considerations of justice, equity and fair-play.”
The DG described as inexplicable the deliberate hijack of registration materials sent to the state by the Caretaker Committee and appeal to them to return membership registration materials to the units for continuous registration exercise in the interest of the party.
Ekpo, who warned them to stop spreading false and unfounded rumors in order to mislead the people regreted that the latest actions of the Caretaker committee re-echoed their earlier position that the entire party structure has been compromised, induced and turned into an appendage of a particular individual.
“As a group, our motto remains ‘Dependable leadership,’ we shall continue to support the party and build a solid democratic ethos. In the same vein we must also resist a situation those manning the affairs of our great party surbordinate themselves to the apron strings of any individual.
