2023: Senator Akpan Denied Access To Nsit Ubium Delegates

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Senator Bassey Akpan

By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo


Ahead of planned Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) primaries, a forefront gubernatorial aspirant in Akwa Ibom State for 2023 general elections, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan has been prevented from holding meeting with delegates in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of the state.
The development is contrary to earlier warning by the state chapter chairman of PDP,  Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan against any act that would be regarded as discriminatory and anti-democratic trend against any aspirant seeking elective office on the platform of the party.
Akpan, in all consultative visits to the party executives in the state by political aspirants had maintained that the party would allow equal playing field to all to seek supports from the delegates to the party primaries or meeting with stakeholders in order to ensure peace and harmony within the party and for winning in the general elections.
Nsit Ubium is the home local government area of Pastor Umo Eno, who is Governor Udom Emmanuel’s anointed candidate to succeed him in office in 2023.
A statement signed by the Director General of Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation, Pastor Sunny Ibuot, said Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA), who was due to meet with delegates and stakeholders of Nsit Ubium local government on Friday was denied access.
According to the statement: “This morning, March 25, 2022, our Principal, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA), and his campaign team were due to pay a consultative visit to the Oku Ibom Ibibio, the delegates and party structure in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area. All necessary arrangements had been made days ago”.
“But to our shock and dismay, the Chapter Chairman of Nsit Ubium, Chapter chairman of Nsit Ubium, Edet Inyang Eno,  informed us this morning that he had been instructed not to receive Sen. OBA and his entourage in Nsit Ubium. This is completely against the tenets of democracy, good conscience and peaceful co-existence”. 
“The question is: what has Sen OBA really done wrong to be so persecuted, maligned, disparaged and discriminated against? When did it become a crime for a freeborn – a man who has always stood for peace and equity; a man who stood by others in their moments of despair – to aspire to lead his people?”
It should be noted that on February 6, 2022, OBA openly pleaded with his kinsmen, stakeholders and party structure in Ibiono Ibom his home local government, to open their doors wide and receive every aspirant with open arms.
He reportedly “told them clearly, and still does, that politics is a friendly game that should not generate unnecessary acrimony, hatred, blackmail, mudslinging, disunity and discrimination. Rather, it should be a game that allows all the aspirants access to the people, to afford open scrutiny based on issues and devoid of primordial sentiments”.
The statement said following OBA’s advice, some aspirants have so far been well received by the people of Ibiono Ibom and have been given the opportunity to market themselves and their programmes. 
“It should be recalled that the State Chairman of PDP has repeatedly instructed all party formations across the state to give all the aspirants equal access to the delegates and stakeholders. How do you arrive at the best if you don’t evaluate from the lot?”
“Therefore, it goes against good conscience, expectation and dictate of democracy for Nsit Ubium party exco and stakeholders to  discriminate and openly treat a loyal cum committed party-man, who has contributed immensely to the stability of the party, with ignominy”.
“If OBA’s offence is his insistence that 2023 must be a year of jubilee for Akwa Ibom people, he has no apology.  In fact, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan emphatically reiterates that in 2023, through him, the youths must be liberated from hunger and  poverty, which have now become a weapon of subjugation. He insists that our women must be free from economic strangulation. He insists that the elderly must be returned to their place of honour. He is on a movement to actualise a new but positive vision for Akwa Ibom Sate and no gate of hell shall prevail against that”.
The statement reminded all “that POWER belongs to God and HE gives it to whosoever he please and strongly believe that even this will soon pass away”.

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