Zoning Battle: PDP Meeting Ends In Fiasco

first in-house deliberation for or against the adoption of zoning of House of Assembly seat in Ibesikpo Asutan recently, an enlarged ward and chapter executive meeting of PDP in Ibesikpo Asutan ended in disarray.
The meeting, convened by the Chapter Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan, Apostle Ekpo James had in attendance all the chapter and ward officers of the party. The business of the day started with relative decorum until the chapter chairman brought the issue of zoning which he presented to the state executive of PDP during their visit to Ibesikpo Asutan for deliberation and possible adoption. The venue became rowdy as members ran out of patience raining abusive words on the chapter chairman. The executive told the chairman that they cannot adopt a personal speech made without their knowledge as a political stance of the local government and warned him not to constitute himself as a hindrance to the wish of the electorates by imposing what they termed: “a self-serving formula of zoning to sent your godson to represent us”. Some of the participants accused the chapter chairman of sundry charges and failure to ensure proper consultation with party executive before decisions are taken. One of the ward chairmen from Asutan, Mr. Iniobong Lyons who claimed to speak on behalf of other ward chairmen, argued that there has never been zoning of Assembly seat in Asutan Ekpe and maintained that if zoning was to be introduced, the chapter chairman and his co-hort from Ibesikpo clan should have duely consulted the stakeholders and elders of Asutan Ekpe before coming out with the position of the party on the matter. The speaker alleged connivance of some power brokers in the area to impose a surrogate on the constituency.
The chapter chairman who is from Ibesikpo clan is said to have subscribed to installing a certain aspirant allegedly anointed by the state party chairman to secure a ticket for himself in his chairmanship aspiration. But unfolding developments and resistance in the constituency has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the dream may not materialize as political elders in the council have set high standard of discipline in education, experience, political maturity and generosity as qualification for the contentious seat. Speaking recently with the press in Ibesikpo Asutan, an elder statesman and politician, Obong Donatus Noah said the house of Assembly seat of Ibesikpo Asutan state constituency will not be subjected to political manipulations as has been the case thereby rubbing the electorates effective representation. Obong Noah who is Ibereden Ekpe of Asutan Ekpe said the political antecedent and contributions to the development of Asutan Ekpe as a whole by the contenders will be evaluated to make sure dividends of democracy is brought to the local government. While appreciating the developmental strides of Governor Godswill Akpabio and the council chairman, Barr Chris Essien, the speaker who is former vice chairman of Ekpe Atai cautioned against engaging in antics that may scare away credible candidate to the house seat. Global Concord took the former school teacher cum politician on an interview and presents to you details in its forth coming edition. Watch out