There’s No Way Cross River Would Have Conceded it’s Place in PDP NEC to Akwa Ibom
Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party In Akwa Ibom State, Obong Paul Ekpo holds a conversation with Nseobong Okon-Ekong on how Governor Udom Emmanuel has been able to keep the party going strong Having served as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State and honoured by your colleagues as the ‘Chair of Chairs’, one would have thought that the natural progression for you in the party was to become Deputy National Chairman South or National Vice Chairman South-south, why did you return to play local politics in Akwa Ibom?
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a very structured party; naturally we have pairs of states-Cross River/Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa/Rivers, Edo/Delta. When we ended that tenure, the National Legal Adviser was from Akwa Ibom State, a member of the National Executive Committee. What then remained at that level is that the next NEC member will go to Cross River State. What was given to Akwa Ibom at the national level is the National Ex-officio, which I am, by the grace of God. My services at that level is recognized. I am the National Ex-officio of the party from the South-south zone; the only elected member of the party from the state because Emmanuel Enoidem just left as the National Legal Adviser. The next NEC member at that level goes to Cross River State. Next time, it will come to Akwa Ibom State. It is not as if Akwa Ibom is not in reckoning. We are comfortably represented.
Is it wrong then to think that Governor Udom Emmanuel deliberately stalled the election of an Akwa Ibomite into the PDP NEC to forestall an opponent from the state in the PDP National Secretariat?
People must have all sorts of fake news to tell. There is no way Cross River State would have allowed Akwa Ibom to produce a national NEC member. It is interchangeable, like you have in the Civil Service Commission; if you have a Civil Service Commissioner from Akwa Ibom, next time, it goes to Cross River; the same way, Bayelsa, next time, it goes to Rivers.This is not about Governor Udom Emmanuel saying anything. Of course, the Akwa Ibom State Governor is a lover of PDP. He is a builder of PDP. Major decisions of PDP in this country today were housed in Akwa Ibom. Our governor is doing excellently well, building bridges, organizing the party, giving strength to the party and making the party very strong. There are no issues about that.
How do politicians like you with a large following manage to satisfy everybody?
It is about grace and the way I was brought up. I have always been people oriented. Even in services that God has provided for me, they have always been people oriented. Throughout my school, I was a Monitor, then Head Prefect. I was a very active student unionist. Where I worked, I was in the services department all my life. I came back to the state to serve here. I was Commissioner for Trade and Industry for nine months. The rest of the five years, I was the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs. That is why, Everytime you see me, you see me in the company of people. Consciously God has given me that grace to always be among people; you feel me, I feel you. That is why, by God’s grace, I am not wicked to people
Accepting to serve as Chairman of SUBEB was a surprise to many people couldn’t you have given the job to one of your loyal followers
When service beckons on you, you have to serve. There are former ministers, former governors and even presidents. Like the current president of this country served in PTF. When God beckons on you and says go and serve, please do so. I did not appoint myself. I was in my house and my governor said go and serve here. You don’t expect me to say Your Excellency, no when it has been announced already, it will amount ot insubordination
How do you hope to sell yourself to the people when Governor Emmanuel’s preferred governorship aspirant is from your federal constituency?
I am a manager of the political party called PDP. I understand processes. I will never circumvent a process that I know is correct. What they are asking of me today, I want to put it back to them with facts. When in Uyo Federal Constituency did you have one constituency contesting senate? Did they say somebody should not contest? The issues are simple. Senate is in Abuja. House of Representatives is in Abuja. Governor is at Barracks Road End. These are three different directions. What they are asking of me, how come that when Senator Effiong Bob was contesting election, Senator Anietie Okon contested, as well? Were they from one federal constituency? How come that when Senator Bob went for a second term, Senator Ita Enang and Ime Albert contested against him? Were they from the same federal constituency? How come that when Senator Bassey Albert contested, there were opponents from the same federal constituency? Have these not answered your question? How come that when Governor Victor Attah was in power, Senator John Akpanudoedehe was in the Senate? Are they not from the same federal constituency? How come that Emayak Ukpong from the same village as Attah became a member of the House of Representatives? How come that Hon. Pat Ifon is in the House of Representatives and His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel is from Onna? Those are separate offices. There is no small election in life, even if you want to contest election in your family, things must present themselves. Election is not a do or die, but don’t bring issues that are not related. Didn’t ask me what I will do. What did other people do? I am doing politics. We are all in PDP. This is not anti-party activity.
