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When Think Akwa Ibom!
had news over the weekend of Gov. Akpabio fighting dirty against the Chapter
chairman of PDP in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Chief
Sunny Ibanga, at first it sounded unbelievable because Chief Ibanga is a
well-known supporter and hit man of the governor. Remember, it was Sunny Ibanga
that warned against PDP governorship aspirants, apart from the governor’s anointed
man, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, from visiting Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency for
political consultation. (In case you missed the story, read it here.)
We had confirmed the
story of Akpabio’s war against Sunny Ibanga from at least four different sources,
before Ibanga himself issued a press release on the matter. (Read Sunny Ibanga’s
press release at the end of the story)
From our findings, the
summary of the trouble Akpabio is having with Sunny Ibanga is that the later
has refused to support the political ambition of Udom Emmanuel; the chief has
taken a stand for former Akwa Ibom deputy governor, Obong Nsima Ekere as far as
2015 Akwa Ibom governorship election is concerned.
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In what has been described as a political tornado that swept
across Akwa Ibom at the weekend, the once powerful Chapter Chairman of the
Peoples Democratic Party in Ikot Ekpne Local Government Area, Chief Sunny
Ibanga was dropped by the party.
A replacement has been named for him. He is Dr. Okoro Essien
Also shown the way out of the party was his Essien Udim counterpart,
Mr Friday Michael.
The state chairman of the party, Mr. Paul Ekpo made the
announcement in the media. The sack is coming few weeks before the party's
primaries for the various elective positions.
Indications are that the erstwhile party stalwarts may have
been victims of the power play going on in the state.
In the case of Chief Ibanga The Sensor gathered
authoritatively that the former Member representing Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim
and Obot Akara in the Federal House of Representatives, Mr Patty Etete Ineme
met with some stakeholders of the party in Ikot Ekpene yesterday and vowed to
return Chief Ibanga as the Party's Chairman.
It will however be recalled that in the past week, the
Essien Udim Chapter Chairman, Mr. Michael has been engaged in a face-off with
some stakeholders in the council area after the consultation of a gubernatorial
aspirant, Chief Helen Esuene, which he superintended over turned sour
Meanwhile, a source told The Sensor yesterday that some
stakeholders in Ikot Ekpene had thought that the best way to give Chief Sunny
Ibanga a soft landing was to offer him the position of the Village Head of Utu
Ikot Ekpenyong.
However, The Sensor gathered that Chief Ibanga immediately
rejected the offer which came with a certificate from those that brought it to
him.
It is suspected that
the highly influential Chief is heading to the Court to challenge the decision
to sack him as Chapter Chairman of the party.Upon his return from Abuja recently, the PDP Chairman of Akwa Ibom state, Mr.Ekpo had warned the Chapter Chairmen engaged in anti-party activities to desist from it, maintaining that all their allegiance should be to the party and not an aspirant.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council, Obonganwan Gloria Useh has congratulated the former PDP chapter Chairman in the Area, Chief Sunny Ibanga as he ascends the throne as Village Head of Utu Ikot Ekpenyong.
She described Ibanga as a dutiful party man who helped to
build the party in the area
Useh stated this in a meeting of Ikot Ekpene women
yesterday. She equally hailed Dr. Okoro Essien on his new appointment as
Chapter Chairman of PDP, Ikot Ekpene
She wished Ibanga
well in his new calling. Those who attended the meeting included Obnganwan
Christiana Obinda, Obonganwan Lucy Udo, Obonganwan Abigail Akpan among others.
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| Copy of the press release by Chief Sunny Ibanga |
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