Leadership struggle sparks crises in Akwa Ibom APC

The office of the political leader, Esit Eket Local Government, has sparked palpable tension in the Esit Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state.

A Party Chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said trouble started when the Political Adviser to Governor Umo Eno, Godwin Ntukude attempted to impose Ben Udobia, who was the political leader of the area, under the People’s Democratic Party, as APC political leader of Esit Eket, a move described by APC stakeholders as unconstitutional, divisive, and a calculated plot to destabilize the party’s structure.

Our correspondent gathered that the move started on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at the Esit Eket Council Hall, during a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in the area.

According to reports, only the APC chapter chairman, Daniel Assan, and Urua Akpe, the State Officer of the party, were formally invited, leaving other executive officers of the party and stakeholders.

When contacted for his reaction, the Chapter Chairman of the APC, Daniel Assam, said the meeting was engineered by Iniobong Robson, former Chairman of Esit Eket, now Commissioner for Power, to enthrone his relative, Ben Udobia, as the political leader against the collective will of the people.

He opposed the move to ‘foist’ Udobia on them, reiterating that Bassey Dan-Abia, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, remains the recognised political leader of Esit Eket, having been freely chosen by the people.

Reacting to the allegations of an attempted imposition, Ntukude said Governor Umo Eno had directed him to “act on the situation” as his political adviser, alleging there were leadership issues in Esit Eket.

On the contrary, the Chapter Chairman, Daniel Assam, dismissed Ntukude’s defence as a” fabricated excuse to impose an unpopular candidate on the local government area”.

Read also: Akwa Ibom APC allege hijack plot by new members

Findings reveal that apart from the APC State Officer and Chapter Chairman, the others were new APC members.

Another Chieftain of the APC, Aniekan Udofa, said the plan will crumble the party in Esit Eket unless reverted to the status quo.

To this end, APC stakeholders in Esit Eket have condemned the move, vowing to resist any attempt to hijack the party structure they had built and nurtured for years.

They reaffirmed their loyalty to Bassey Dan-Abia, warning that any attempt to undermine his leadership will be met with stiff resistance.

“Esit Eket is not for sale, and our mandate is not negotiable,” a party chieftain declared.

They appealed to the Governor to call Ntukude before he ignites crises in Esthe, It Eket local government area.

Those who attended the meeting were the Local government Chairman, Uduak Ikemesit Ikot,
Commissioner for Power, Iniobong Robson, Ben Udobia, Enobong Asubop, Isaiah Abia, State officer of the PDP, Urua Akpe, among others.