2023 General elections: Governorship aspirant says ‘direct primaries enhences mass participation’

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Ide Owodiong, has supported the use of direct primaries in selecting political office aspirants in the country, stressing that such would enhance mass participation in the electoral process, thereby, strengthening the country’s democracy.

He said this while fielding questions from Journalists in his country home in Ibesikpo/Asutan local government council, Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday.

Owodiong who is seeking to occupy the Hilltop Mansion, the seat of Akwa Ibom State government on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), added that for the delegate system to be generally accepted, new innovations should be infused to make it more acceptable, and less prone to manipulation.

The ‘International Coordinator of 1001+ Voice’ Initiative for People’s Empowerment’ said he was throwing his weight behind the direct primaries because of his understanding of what democracy is, ‘government of the people and for the people.

“I want to look at this from the perspective of my understanding of what democracy is all about. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is not the government of a few.

“So if you widen the window of opportunities for people to participate in the electoral process, ultimately democracy wins. The presidential system of government is too expensive.

“For the benefit of our democracy, I think it is good to have opportunities for people to make choices. People are now becoming aware and conscious of what they need to do with democracy. My view is that with direct primaries, democracy wins”

On why he decided to aspire for the 2023 Governorship election, he disclosed that he started to nurse the ambition to govern the state as a teenager, said he wants to build on the legacies of the past and the incumbent governor of the state.

He however advised that Akwa Ibom people should be allowed to make their decision on the position stressing, “it’s not a do or die affair. But I think I have enough to offer the people. It requires deep experience and knowledge.

“I don’t believe in going around throwing money at people, to me that is area boy culture. I am discussing issues. People think ‘Empowerment is about giving people bags v of rice, no, but to liberate the minds. When your mind is liberated, your eyes can then open to know how you can be empowered”

Obong Owodiong who hails from Uyo federal constituency, however, bemoaned Itu federal constituency’s clamour that it was their turn to produce the next governor, as he recalled how that constituency had hijacked the Senate seat that was supposed to come to Uyo federal constituency in 2019 election.

“He who wants equity must go with clean hands. If Itu federal constituency had wanted this governorship so badly, I am sure they would have been gracious enough during the last election not to go back to the Senate, because, at that time, it was the turn of Uyo federal constituency to produce somebody for the Senate.

“But they muzzled their way through, they have gone to the Senate four times. So nothing stops anybody from Uyo Senatorial district from contesting the 2023 governorship and governorship is zoned on the senatorial district, and not on federal constituency”, he asserted