As the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) embarks on its rebuilding process following the defection of Governor Umo Eno to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a group, PDP Advocates of Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) has warned Aniekan Akpan, PDP Chairman in Akwa Ibom State, to resign or stay away from APC events.
Akpan, who has been the PDP state chairman since Governor Eno was elected in 2023, was seen on the front row during Eno’s presentation of scorecard on Thursday.
In a statement made available, Tom Fred Fish, director of the group, said Akpan’s resignation would enable him to “fully commit himself to the programmes and activities of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.”
According to the statement, Akpan’s perceived non-action has resulted in PDP not having effective leadership that could help in checking infiltration of the party by opposition elements after the defection of Governor Umo Eno to the APC.
FredFish observed that the frequent presence of the PDP chairman at political events that promote the APC is undermining PDP’s interest and runs contrary to the political culture and convention of party-based politics anywhere in the world.
“Akpan cannot fulfill the desire of Governor Umo Eno to imitate the anti-democratic behavior of Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, of belonging to two political parties by using the PDP chairman to hold forth in the PDP while he is an alleged registered member of the APC.
“The PDP chairman should come to terms with the fact that Governor Umo Eno has moved to another party; hence, he should disengage from the governor on matters relating to politics and should focus more on coordinating and galvanising the PDP like other patriotic members of the party are doing.
“Akpan has no moral or political reason to attend the socio-economic impact of the Arise Agenda event organised to promote the APC agenda in the state.
“There are many indications that Akpan’s body is in PDP while his heart is in APC.”
He cannot be the PDP chairman at this moment when the party needs sincere and result-oriented leadership.
“It is irritating that Akpan has become so bored that he is willing to sit comfortably in an APC gathering that he has no useful role to play.
“How many such events in PDP did the APC chairman attend when the governor was in the PDP?”
FredFish also observed that “the APC, through Governor Eno, is proliferating party chairmen by using two party chairmen at the same time against democratic norms and principles.
“The Akwa Ibom PDP chairman has continued to combine his role as the PDP chairman in the state and that of the APC acting like the “hallelujah boy” of the APC.
“To make matters worse, Akpan still proudly adorns the emblem of the Arise Agenda on his chest showing his commitment to the APC administration. He should retreat or resign.
“We are calling on the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum to note our concerns and ensure that Aniekan Akpan is put in check to safeguard what is left of the Akwa Ibom PDP. Such a step will return the party in Akwa Ibom to the cynosure of Nigeria’s political system, as it used to be.”
