YPP, PDP Candidates Disagree over Zoning in A’Ibom South Senatorial District
Okon Bassey in Uyo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district, Ekong Sampson, has disagreed with the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen, that there is no zoning in the senatorial district.
The YPP candidate had while fielding questions from journalists last weekend alleged that there has never been zoning and that zoning is dead in Eket senatorial district.
But while reacting, the PDP senatorial candidate said: “What the YPP senatorial candidate fails to understand is the fact that Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district is bigger than a single individual” to be blackmailed.
The PDP senatorial candidate reaction was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Head of Media and Publicity, Ekong Sampson Campaign Organisation, Mr. Essien Ndueso.
It said: “The party (PDP) zoned the governorship seat in Akwa Ibom State to Uyo senatorial district, which Pastor Umo Eno won. The party also zoned the senatorial seat for Eket to Ikot Abasi federal constituency which Ekong Sampson won.”
The statement sai, the YPP senatorial candidate, Inyang-eyen, cannot deny that he was at the special meeting of stakeholders and leaders of the senatorial district earlier this year, where the unanimous decision to zone the senatorial seat for 2023 to Ikot Abasi federal constituency was reached.
“Once that decision on zoning was reached, every politician from other federal constituencies in the senatorial district, including the serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pat Ifon, opted to back out of the race. No reasonable person defies the collective decisions of his people,” it added.
The statement stressed that nobody can challenge the noble efforts of former First Lady, Senator Helen Esuene, and the incumbent Senator, Akon Eyakenyi, who have both performed so creditably in human capacity development and social welfare schemes in the district.
It noted that the business of making good laws and representing one’s people far outweigh rascality and bullying, which are intrinsic traits of dictators and non-democratic elements.
“Eket Senatorial District has spoken clearly that it needs a highly cerebral and well lettered representative in the Red Chambers, Eket senatorial district needs a representative with a calm disposition to speak for, and listen to the people of the district,” it stated.
