The State Executive Committee of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has suspended all members of the State Working Committee (SWC) /Extra Ordinary Convention Centre Planning Committee ethical misconduct, dereliction of responsibilities and breach of confidence, among other infractions.
It also passed a vote of no confidence on the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Udoedehe, for failing to ensure that guidelines for the ward congress are followed, strictly and congress held in the state.
This was disclosed in a communiqué issued at the end of the state APC SEC meeting of 1st August 2021, jointly signed by Group Capt Sam Ewang (rtd), Rt.-Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, Obonganwan Geraldine Etuk, and Obonganwan Glory Effiong.
The suspension followed the inability of the failure of the SWC)/Extra Ordinary Convention Centre Planning Committee to hold the Statewide Party Ward Congress, as announced.
Giving reasons for the suspension, the communiqué stated that, according to the timetable/guidelines duly published “on or about July 18, 2021” by the National Secretary of the CECPC, Senator Udoedehe, the ward congresses were supposed to be held on July 31, 2021.
The communiqué stated that each state, according to the guidelines, was supposed to have a committee of seven persons selected based on integrity to be known as Ward Congress Committee, comprising the chairman, secretary and five others.
The Ward Congress Committee would appoint three persons as Local Ward Congress Committee “who shall be responsible for the conduct of the screening and the congress.”
It stated that the screening was scheduled for 29th to 30th July 2021, and the venues for the congress were ward centres, while members were to be notified of such centres within 12 hours before the commencement of the congress.
The SEC noted that “Further to the guidelines highlighted above, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, as he then was, Mr. Nkereuwem Enyongekere, on Thursday July 29th, 2021 through a public notice captioned ‘NOTICE OF APC WARD CONGRESS IN AKWA IBOM STATE’, unequivocally affirmed that the ward congress shall be by direct election (Option A4) across the 329 wards in Akwa Ibom State.”
But it noted that these guidelines “were completely breached, as ward congress was not held at any of the 329 ward centres in the state on the stipulated date.
The SEC noted: “Aspirants for the ward executive positions who paid money into the bank accounts designated by the party and obtained tellers in lieu of positions they were contesting for were not screened nor availed any opportunity to participate in any democratic process of election.
“The aspirants who were not screened either on the dates stipulated on the congress guidelines or any other date known to us were disenfranchised and fraudulently schemed.
“Some aspirants did not even access the forms which they paid for.
“Members of the APC in Akwa Ibom State were not notified of the time and venue of the congress as stated in the congress guidelines.”
It described the action of the State Working Committee members as “mischievous dereliction and criminal negligence of responsibilities.”
The SEC announced the appointment of a new State Working Committee to pilot the affairs of the party in acting capacity, “pending when disciplinary actions would be concluded on the suspended and erstwhile members of the State Working Committee of the party and the State Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.”
The members of the acting State Working Committee, according to the communiqué, are:
1.H.E.(Grp. Capt) Sam Ewang
2. Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh, former MHR
3. Rt.Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, former MHR
4. Hon (Dr)Emaeyak Ukpong, former MHR
5. Rt Hon Ema Bassey – former MHR
6. Hon Patty Etete Ineme former MHR
7. Hon Prince Nyong former MHR
8. Rt Hon Bassey Etim, former – MHR
9.Rt.Hon Bassey Essien(former Speaker AKHA)
10.Hon Nkereuwem O Dan former MHR
11. Hon Ubong Etiebet – former MHR
12. Hon Akpabio Ukpa (former Majority Whip, AKHA)
13. Bishop Ekpe James – former Council Chairman
14. Dr Effiong Etuk – former Party State Secretary
15. Obonganwan Glory Effiong – former State Women Leader
16. Obonganwan Geraldine Etuk – former State Women Leader
17. Hon (Mrs) Gloria Useh former LGCouncil Chairperson,
18. Barr Chris Okorie – former LGCouncil Chairman
19.Dr Chris Akpan -former Commissioner/LGCouncil Chairman
20. Rt Hon Gabriel Toby -AKHA
21. Hon Victor Udofia – AKHA
22. Hon Idongesit Ntuen AKHA
23. Hon Victor Antai -former Council Chairman/Commissioner,
24. Edidiong Joseph Idio. Chapter Chairman Etim Ekpo LGA . 080237155028.
25. Engr Ifiok T Udoh. Chapter Chairman,Nsit Atai LGA.09147131602
26. Bassey Effiong Udo. Chapter Chairman,Uruan LGA.08132858918
27. Hon Ubong Ekpo,Chapter Chairman,Ikot Abasi LGA.07066156498.
28. Elder Ubong Inyany, Chapter Chairman, Ikono LGA.08025131188
29. Hon Augustus A Nkuseying, Chapter Chairman Esit Eket LGA. 08035653157
30.Mr Akaingene Ukpanah.Chapter Chairman, Ukanafun LGA.08027479733
31. Hon Nkereuwem Edet Okpok. Chapter Chairman Nsit Ibom LGA..08023418218
32. Elder Daniel Ekanem. Chapter Chairman Ikot Ekpene LGA. 08063428479
33. Elder Anthony Toby Akpan. Chapter Chairman, Uruk
36. Hon Samuel Mbosoh. Chapter Chairman, Onna LGA 08138165169
37. Hon Okon Toby Ebione. Chapter Chairman ,Oron LGA.07083145318.
38. Hon Emmanuel Udoh. Chapter Chairman.Mkpat-Enin LGA.07035151090
39. Mr David Umoh. Chapter Chairman ,Ibiono Ibom LGA .08035827657
40. Joseph Sam, Chapter Chairman.Ibesikpo Asutan.LGA.0806894402
41. Mr Kufre Umoh former LGCouncil Chairman, Ukanafun
42. Dr David Umoessien former LGCouncil Chairman, Ukanafun
The State Executive Committee called on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who is the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom State; the SSA (Niger Delta Affairs) to the President, Senator Ita Enang, “and other very respected members of the party” to work with the acting State Working Committee in liaison with the National Executive Committee of the party to fix a date when the ward congress would be conducted in the state.