by crossriverwatch admin
Ntufam Ekpo Okon, the former PDP Chairman in Cross River State was over the weekend manhandled by youths from Akamkpa Ward in Odukpani local Government area following disagreement between the elders and youths over who to pick as the flag bearer for the PDP in the forth coming local government election scheduled for September 2013.
An eye witness, Ene Etim, a member of the Akamkpa Ward said three aspirants for the position of councilor had earlier been shortlisted to contest a collegiate election with the person who scores the highest votes emerging as the flag bearer for the ward “but Ntufam Ekpo Okon did not want a collegiate election and wanted to impose one of the aspirants on everybody which was resisted by the youths who wanted the right thing to be done”.
The plan of the former PDP Chairman allegedly angered the youths who laid siege for him at 23 MCC Way, the home of Mr Akiba his erstwhile personal assistant whom he made chairman of Odukpani local government area twice.
“When he came into the venue of the meeting the youths remained calm waiting for him to tell them what he said was the decision of the elders and he, thinking all was well, went ahead to tell them that there was no need for a collegiate election that the elders had settled for one of the aspirants and immediately hell was let loose and several kicks landed on him and he was swept off his feet and he landed on the ground”.
When he was picked from the floor he was said to be panting and out of breath and allegedly made to escape but the youths had surrounded him and they locked the gate to the house so there was no way out for him . “When Akiba saw what had happened to his boos, he called the Quick Intervention Force stationed at the MCC Junction and they came in shooting into the air and the youths dispersed”. Ene said.
Ntufam Ekpo Okon whose political fortune has since nose-dived with his exit as the State chairman of PDP in 2012 and his loss to Bolaji Anani when he threw his hat into the ring to contest for the post of PDP National Financial Secretary has been trying to find his bearing to no avail.
His effort to get his candidate selected as the PDP flag bearer for the post of chairman of Odukpani also ended in failure as Effiok Cobham, the state deputy governor over reached him and put his person, Bassey Nyong Asuquo as the flag bearer.
The former chairman who during his tenure doubled as the NDDC commissioner representing Cross River State is now fighting vigorously to regain his stage back in the State politics starting from his ward.
In his quest to stage a comeback into the political arena, Ekpo Okon it was gathered allegedly elected to start from his Ward with the imposition of Mr Eyo Ekpeyong Eyo on the people of Akamkpa ward of Odukpani local government as councilor in the September 21 local government elections in the state contrary to the candidate who emerged at the caucus level and elders forum of the ward.
In a petition written by an Aspirant, Ekpeyong Akiba to the Screening Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, and made available to crossriverwatch, Akiba said:
“I wish to protest against the recent attempt by the former Chairman of PDP, Cross River State, Ntufam Ekpo Asuquo Okon to impose one Mr Eyo Ekpeyong Eyo who just resigned as a serving supervisor for Agric in the LGA as the councilorship candidate for Akamkpa Ward in Odukpani Local Government Area against the wish and will of the people and elders forum of Akamkpa Ward in the ongoing local Government primaries”
“I wish to most respectfully, with every amount of sincerity and true sense of purpose appeal for proper investigation into the activities and process of councilorship selection in Akamkpa Ward.” the petition read in part.
Efforts to speak with the former chairman Mr. Ekpo Okon to react to the allegation were not successful as several calls to his phone kept saying “unavailable”.
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5 commentsOn Youths Beat up Former PDP Chairman
Even Imoke did d worst by installing his candidate so it’s not new. D problem is one party rigging n our refusal 2go out n vote on election day.
This is just the Genesis, when we get to Malachi, he will know that Cross River is no longer under his control. He was celebrating the rumoured dead of Imoke thinking he is God. If he is rejected at home,where will be his hiding place? He held two positions in the State when many were looking for one. The music has turn to a war song, he should get ready to dance naked from Odukpani to Calabar.
Yea @ ur right.
I THINK IT’S HIGH TIME FOR THIS OPPRESSION TO PUT A STOP IN ODUKPANI POLITICS,LETS SAY NO TO SELECTION INSTEAD OF ELECTION.SINCERELY THE YOUTHS IN ODUKPANI LOCAL GOVERNMENT WILL SURELY REVOLT COME THIS YEAR ELECTION.SO BEWARE OF SELECTION
Dear All
Until we have a wake up call platform where all our sons and daughters will gather and proclaim total resistance to politics of the few favored elements in our political domain ( odukpani). There is no gain saying that, our political freedom cannot be granted if we all refocus our minds and eyes on the activities that will propel and facilitate the realization of this vanguard.
Dear Odukpanist as dynamic compatriot, let us come together and chart this course of total redemption for our paternal right and privileges.
But we must also remember, no man is indispensable,therefore we should be constructive in this pursuit and devoid personality character assassinations.
LONG LIVE ODUKPANI PEOPLE LONG LIVE CROSS RIVER AND LONG LIVE NIGERIA
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