It’s no longer news that, by April 2020, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will hold her Ward and State Congresses.
This comes after the tenure of the current state leadership of Obong Paul Ekpo heads to the expiration after the duration of four (4) Years. As the party’s Constitution states, each tenure makes the interval of four (4) years and it’s unarguably believed that, the four years tenure, started in April 2016 is gradually coming to an in the same April 2020.
Apparently, preparations in both state and local governments are in top gear as aspired officers have already started consultations. However, the fate of the state officers especially the principal officers are still unknown to people as nobody is yet to know who will succeed Obong Paul Ekpo, the incumbent State Chairman of the Party. Even in local government level, there is a serious power tussle as some chairmen who want to contest for second term, the State House members who also want to go for either second or Third Term and those who aspire for council chairmanship are battling for the chapter chairmanship with names of their chapter officers especially that of chapter chairman as they believe that, the new chapter chairman of the Party will determine who will become the next local government council chairman.
In other words, people have already started insinuating that, though the 2023 general elections is still very far, the next State Chairman of PDP in April will determine who will become the next governor of Akwa Ibom State as factions have already been created. Also, those who aspire for 2023 governorship have already started fronting their candidates for the party’s chairmanship and other top party’s positions with the hope that, when their sole candidates succeed in becoming the State Party Chairman and other official positions in the party, his governorship bid will be assured.
Now the questions are: who will succeed Obong Paul Ekpo as the next PDP State chairman? Whose faction will emerge as chairman? Who does the governor want? because as far as PDP is concerned, governor’s interest can never be compromised. Even the current party’s chairman who some people say will aspire for governorship in 2023 has his own party’s chairmanship candidate too.
But as it is, people believe, whoever pleases God shall become the next State PDP chairman come April 2020 as all fingers are kept crossed