Akwa Ibom LG poll: PDP conducts primaries

•Nominates 31 chairmanship candidate

By Folorunsho Alagbede

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Akwa Ibom State chapter, has elected its 31 chairmanship and 368 councillorship candidates ahead of the October 5th local government polls in the state.
A statement released by the media unit of the Awka Ibom State PDP yesterday said the exercise, which was held on Saturday, was described as peaceful by the stakeholders of the party.
Speaking at Nsit-Ubium LGA, the state governor, Umo Eno, hailed the peaceful conduct of the primaries ascribing the success to the peace being enjoyed in the state.
He appreciated the people of Akwa Ibom state, particularly party faithful for conducting themselves and the exercise peacefully, especially in a period where several parts of the country are still in turmoil as a result of the ongoing hunger protest.
“I want to appreciate all of us for the peaceful conduct of the primaries. The success of our party primaries is largely due to the peace enjoyed in our state and the general disposition of my administration,” Eno stated.
The governor who reiterated his commitment to unveil and implement more welfare programs for the youths, congratulated the chairmanship candidate of Nsit Ubium, Mr Alfred Charles, and all councilorship candidates who emerged from the nomination exercise.
He tasked them to be ready to work and maintain the democratic ethos of the party as well as contribute to driving the community development efforts encapsulated in his ARISE Agenda.
In Oron Local Government Area, the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, hailed the primaries, saying PDP has once again shown good example in “orderliness and peace” in the conduct of it affairs in the state.
On his part the state PDP chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, who witnessed the nomination of Uyo Ukpanah in Ukanafun LGA, lauded the delegates and party faithful for the successful conduct of the exercise.
He said that the peaceful conduct of the exercise throughout the state is an indication of the party’s “readiness to win at the polls and continuing to deliver good governance to the people”.
In Abak, the primaries ended on a peaceful note as delegates converged at the Independence Hall, Abak, to elect Mrs Ime Charles as the party’s flagbearer in the forthcoming local government elections.
Speaking after the exercise in Abak, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Udeme Otong, a former member of the National Assembly, Aniekan Umanah and other leaders predicted a massive victory for the party in the October polls.