May 23, (THEWILL) – The immediate past National Legal Adviser of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, incumbent Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Bassey and former Commisioner for Economic Development Dr Ekong Sampson, have won the primaries and thereby, decleared candidates for the 2023 elections in the three Senatorial seats on the platform of PDP.
Bassey, the speaker of Akwa Ibom 8th Assembly, clinched the party’s ticket as candidate for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District (Uyo), after two opponents boycotted from the party primaries on grounds of respecting the rule of law.
In Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District (Ikot Ekpene), the former National Legal Adviser of PDP, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, pulled a total of 329 votes from 334 accredited delegates across 10 local government areas in the senatorial district to emerge as the flag bearer of PDP in the area.
A breakdown of delegates from wards in the senatorial district comprised of Ika local government area 31, Ikot Ekpene 34, Abak 34, Ini 31, Essien Udim 34, Etim Ekpo 31, Oruk Anam 40, Obot Akara 31, Ukanafun 34, while Ikono local government area had 34 delegates.
However, the former Commissioner for Economic Development, Dr Ekong Sampson, pulled a total 368 votes to win the PDP ticket for Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, while the member representing Eket Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Patrick Ifon, scored 1 vote, as well as Francis Uduyok, representing Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo federal Constituency scored 11 votes.
Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen withdrew from participating in the exercise conducted at Special Protection Unit of Nigeria Police Force Base 27 in Onna council area of the state.
Reacting to the victory, the candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial (Ikot Ekpene), Barr. Enoidem, said he was exceedingly glad to have the total votes from the electoral college.
“I’m going to treasure this for the rest of my life. I know I am going to the Senate because nobody who has ever gotten the PDP Senatorial ticket has ever lost and I am not going to break that protocol”, he assured.
He extended an olive branch to his opponents, stating that the PDP is a large family that is big enough to accommodate all.
Other contestants for the Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District) primary included, Dr Saviour Enyiekere, Hon Akan Eyo, Mr Odoro Edwin and Chief Inibehe Okori, while the former Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel, who bought the senate nomination form for Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen pulled out of the contest in protest of what he described as contempt of court.
“I am in possession of an enrolled order of Court wherein it pronounced that the Peoples Democratic Party which I am a member should maintain status quo ante bellum in a case involving whether or not the contentious issue of ad-hoc delegates be used for the election of flag bearers of the party for the forthcoming general elections”, he explained.
Meanwhile, one of the contestants for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District Hon. Inibehe Okori has petitioned the Chairman of PDP National Assembly- Senate Primary Election Committee in Akwa Ibom state, Barr. Edward Ayo Odugbesan, alleging non participation in the exercise in Akwa Ibom State.
In a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Uyo on Monday, Okori said his refusal to participate in the Senatorial Primary election in the state, was predicated on Abuja High court ruling between Hon Friday Iwok, others, versus INEC, delivered on 18th May, 2022, directing the parties to maintain status quo ante, pending determination of the substantive suit on ad-hoc delegates election conducted in the state.
But in an interview, the state chairman of the party, Hon Aniekan Akpan, said there was no official report received with regards to the conduct of the exercise in the state.
He argued that the state party has carried out all the instructions by National Working Committee of the party, adding that the exercise has no flaw in the state.
“In Akwa Ibom State, we work on the directive of National working Committee. Akwa Ibom is PDP and PDP is Akwa Ibom”, he maintained.
