Fear of Umana: Akpabio plans to dissolve local govt councils in Akwa Ibom

Gov. Godswill Akpabio

By Nse Peter

A report published in a local newspaper in Uyo says that Governor Godswill Akpabio is planning to dissolve the local government councils in Akwa Ibom State ahead of the 2015 governorship election in the state, so as to have firm grip of the political structures at the grassroots before the election.

The paper alleged that the plan to dissolve the local government councils in the state is borne out the fear that most of the council chairmen are still in support of Mr. Umana Okon Umana, the APC governorship candidate in the state. Umana, a former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government was the leading PDP governorship aspirant in the state, before he defected to APC.

Umana’s defection to APC and his eventual nomination as the party’s governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2015 election has altered political calculations in the state, and has caused confusion and fears in PDP circles at the state and national levels because of his political clout and following.

The newspaper report alleged that 23 out of the 31 council chairmen in Akwa Ibom State are clearly not in support of Governor Godswill Akpabio’s plan to foist his protégé, Mr. Udom Emmanuel on the people. Mr. Emmanuel is the PDP governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.

The governor will require the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to amend the law governing local government administration in the state before he could dissolve the councils, since the councils were elected by the people and are protected by the constitution, analysts in Uyo say.