By Emem Brandy
Fresh facts have emerged in the raging crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing ward congress in Akwa Ibom State, with allegations that State Chairman, Obong Stephen Ntokekpo, deliberately misled Governor Umo Eno to justify a planned dismantling of existing party structures in the state.
Credible party sources disclosed that Ntokekpo allegedly informed the governor that, current ward and chapter executives in Akwa Ibom could not continue in office because they had supposedly taken an oath of allegiance (Mbiam) to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, when he was still a minister, before assuming their party positions.
However, fresh findings now indicate that the claim is false and was allegedly fabricated to provoke the governor’s displeasure against the long-standing leadership in the state particularly, his Local Government, Mkpat Enin, thereby paving the way for a complete restructuring of the party leadership loyal to the state chairman and his allies.
According to insiders, the narrative was carefully crafted to attract sympathy and political favour, while creating grounds to impose a new leadership structure made up largely of recent defectors from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
One party source said: “They blackmailed the party structure to His Excellency, the Governor, that we all took an oath (Mbiam) of allegiance to Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“They suggested that the Governor should replace all statutory officers in Uyo and Eket senatorial districts with new PDP entrants.
“These lies were cooked by the state Chairman, Obong Ntokekpo so that he can appear loyal to Governor Umo Eno.
“If there was any oath-taking at all, his own brother is among the chapter officers he has retained in the new structure, while he remains the state chairman. Does that mean they did not also take the oath?”
The source further lamented that founding party members who laboured for the APC during its early years were now being sidelined.
“As of today, those who suffered for the party are being flushed out. The Governor and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, should help us. This lie is capable of creating problems across the state.
“We believe in Akwa Ibom united, not Akwa Ibom disunited. The case of Mkpat Enin is the worst. The state chairman, instead of protecting legacy APC faithful, has thrown them under the bus,” the source said.
A senior party stakeholder also dismissed the oath allegation, describing it as a calculated falsehood.
“The story about oath-taking is false. It is a deliberate lie meant to portray the existing executives as disloyal and illegal,” he said.
“These men and women built the APC in Mkpat Enin when it was unpopular. They should not be discarded on the basis of fabricated claims.”
The stakeholder added that the alleged plot was designed to replace grassroots executives with individuals aligned with recent PDP defectors, thereby sidelining original party loyalists who nurtured the APC from inception.
Ahead of the ward and chapter congresses, serving party officials and supporters staged a protest in Mkpat Enin, accusing Ntokekpo and his collaborators of attempting to hijack the party through secret lists and imposed executives.
During the demonstration, ward and chapter leaders warned that any move to dissolve the current structure would deepen internal divisions and destabilise the party.
“We are the foundation of APC in this area,” a protester said. “We laboured when there was no reward. Now, barely months after PDP defectors arrived, they want to evict us through lies and manipulation.”
Despite their grievances, the protesters reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and to Governor Umo Eno, stressing that their demand was not rebellion, but justice, fairness and inclusion.
In a communiqué issued after the protest, they pledged continued support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno, while urging them to urgently intervene to stop what they described as a dangerous attempt to fracture the party.
They warned that for peace to reign in Mkpat Enin, the existing ward and chapter structures must remain intact, insisting that unity, not deception should guide the future of the APC in the area.