2023: OBA campaign team accuses A’ Ibom government, party officials of intimidating PDP delegates

The Campaign organization of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan has accused officials and agents of the Akwa Ibom State government of intimidating and coercing delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that are designated to vote in the gubernatorial primaries.

They insisted as well that Bassey Albert who is the foremost guber aspirant at the moment in the party has no intention of actualising his political ambition on the platform of any other party.

The DG of his campaign organisation, Archbishop Andrew Unwanta, disclosed this during a press conference at the campaign office of the Senator in Uyo, yesterday.

According to him, officials of the state government and the party in the state campaigning for the governor’s preferred aspirant, Mr. Umoh Eno have in recent times threatened some statutory delegates who will participate in the gubernatorial primary.

According to him, this action of the state government and agents is against the party provisions, noting that, already it has caused disaffection among members and threatened to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party in Akwa Ibom.

“It is therefore on the strength of this that the recent and ugly activities of some Akwa Ibom State government and party officials, calling meetings as well as reaching out to some party members mostly statutory delegates to direct them against freely associating with other members of the party and also threatening and intimidating them with violent and illegal sanctions such as delisting, suspension, and prevention from participating in voting at party primary election of which they are legitimate delegates is unfortunate, irrational, unconstitutional, null and void.

“This has been the scenario across the state in recent times and cuts a picture of systematic and strategic plan to victimize, undermine and infringe on the inalienable rights of members of the party as provided for in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party.

“In as much as this action negates the tenets of democracy and fundamental rights, it is an abuse of office and threat to public peace, in contravention of the oath of office taken by these government and party officials.

“These unwholesome and illegal actions are seriously viewed as a calculated attempt to polarise the party with the intent of negatively affecting the long earned success of the party in the state and is hereby condemned.

“We hereby encourage our party members and delegates to ignore their empty threats and intimidations and continue in their lawful and loyal activities to promote an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality, and justice,” he stated.

On the possibility of the aspirant dumping the PDP in the face of perceived intimidation, Unwanta insisted that as a founding member of the party, the Senator was not thinking of dumping the party.

“We are contesting in PDP and we will win the primaries in PDP. Such an attempt was made in 2007 to impose an aspirant on the PDP and it failed woefully. The people know who they want. The people of Akwa Ibom will decide their fate.” he stressed.

The campaign organization demanded that the party’s primary election as stipulated by the constitution of the party, be conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner, “where all the aspirants will subject themselves to the voting choices of the delegates and test their popularities.”

It would be recalled that since January 30th, when the governor initially announced Mr. Imo Eno as his preferred successor in 2023, multiple criticisms have trailed the decision and are still pouring in.