Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has warned against stoking the embers of violence ahead of the forthcoming local government elections scheduled to hold on October 5, 2024.
The Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) had earlier fixed the election for October 26 before rescheduling it to October 5, 2024.
Governor Eno gave the warning during the weekend at the State’s monthly prayer meeting for July, held at the Government House in Uyo, where he advised contenders to adhere to the zoning formula.
“On the forthcoming local government elections, my appeal to stakeholders across the State is for them to avoid heating up the polity; respect zoning and support aspirants with the capacity to win election, and deliver democracy dividends,” he stressed.
AKISIEC Chairman, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, announced that primaries to nominate chairmanship and councilorship candidates by the 19 political parties registered for the election in the 31 local government areas and 368 wards begin on Monday, July 22.
Ikoiwak explained that the change in date became necessary as the enabling laws by AKISIEC, provides for between 90-150 days constitutional time frame to conduct the election.
“The announcement falls within 120 days from the date of issuance of notice of election.
“All political parties’ primaries are to commence on Monday, 22nd July 2024, which shall be observed by AKISIEC in line with the revised election timetable,” he told chairmen and representatives of the 19 political parties during a consultative meeting in his office in Uyo, at the weekend.
However, in the build-up to the contest, there have been complains of marginalisation by leaders, elders and stakeholders across the councils, over alleged political exclusion with claims and counter-claims of surrounding whose turn is it to produce the political office holders across the local government areas.
Checks indicate that agitations by other clans, apart from Utu, in Etim Ekpo LGA; Ward 2 in Mkpat Enin LGA, allegations by other clans across the 31 LGAs over alleged marginalisation to produce chairmen and councilors have heightened tension in the State in the build-up to the contest, indicating that the exercise could be marred by violence if not nipped in the bud.
In Etim Ekpo LGA for instance, the political leader of the area and former National Legal Adviser of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Enoidem (SAN), has been accused by other clans of manipulating the zoning arrangement in favour of his Utu clan.
This is leading to the threats members of the ruling party to defect to the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), if the anormalies are not corrected before the polls proper.
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