Ahead of September 11 PDP Primaries: Government Machinery Jittery

… As Uwem Ita Etuk vacates seat

…Plots against Udoedehe

By Our Reporter

One would have thought that the PDP convention that brought in the controversial state PDP Boss, Prince Uwem Ita Etuk into Power will naturally grants him the power of attorney” to conduct the upcoming elections in the state.

Reverse is likely to be the case as the PDP helmsman had been arrested on several occasions in the hands of “our friends”, the Police in connection with the brutal killing of the PDP Chieftain in the state, Chief Paul Inyang, who was murdered in his home town church recently.

Century Newsfront gathered that the battle for the installation of the state Party Chairman has been between the incumbent governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for his re-election and the Ex-governor, Obong Victor Attah candidate, Sen. Akpan James Udoedehe and or his plan B which is yet to be ascertained but hovers between Larry Esin and Frank Okon.

Further investigations by Century Newsfront revealed that who ever between the two titans that succeed to install the PDP State Chairman would have the upper hand because, he who pays the pipers detect the tune, so says a popular adage.

Meanwhile some top government functionaries (names withheld) are afraid of loosing out in the polity if the second term aspiration of the incumbent meets its abortive end. One of the top government officials who spoke to Century Newsfront on a strict confident says that the tussle of leadership in PDP would have been a very minor issue but not for the governor’s present disposition which the sources described it as arrogance coupled with his emperor leadership style. The source blamed the State Chief Executive for not giving attention to people that matter in the political arena who can deliver during the polls rather embarks on flamboyant and ceremonial promises which, according to the source, is only meant to please and entertain his audience.

In a related development, the Campaign team of Senator John James Akpan Udoedehe has decried the ill-treatment meted on them by the police in view of the planned reception and thanksgiving service in honour of its principal, Sen. John James Akpan Udoedehe that was earlier scheduled for Sunday August 29, 2010 at the sacred Heart Catholic Church Aka road in Uyo.

In a press statement signed by the Chairman, Publicity and Media sub-committee of the campaign team, tagged, Positive Change 2011, Obong Thomas Akpan and made available to Century Newsfront reads in part, “we have been denied Police protection/coverage and prevented from holding a reception in any public space in Akwa Ibom State. The reception has been misconstrued as a political rally… as a law-abiding political organization whose members and supporters are taught to respect authority; we accept the decision of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command. However, we wish to note that in a democracy, every citizen has inalienable right and that right is not right”.

He thanked and commended their supporters for their understanding and assured them that their resolution to bring liberation to the state is unshaken irrespective of forces that may raise its ugly heads.

Meanwhile, when contacted the Police through its PPRO, Gabriel Ngban, in his usual calm manner said, “it was not like that, I will reach out to you”, and as at press time, he was yet to reach out to us and further efforts to reach him prove abortive.

convert this post to pdf.