A former member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State, Onofiok Luke, has vowed not to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This party has given me all my political platforms, from governor’s aide to state legislature, and speaker (Akwa Ibom House of Assembly) and thereafter federal lawmaker. So, if this same party is in its trying times, good conscience forbids that I abandon it,” Mr Luke, a lawyer, said on Monday, 26 January, at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
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Mr Luke, who represented Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency from 2019 to 2023, said he will rather remain in the PDP and help to rebuild the party than defect to another party.
The protracted national leadership crisis in the PDP has weakened its nationwide presence, with several of its governors, federal lawmakers and other chieftains defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
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Many believe the PDP crisis is being instigated by the APC and President Bola Tinubu through the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, but both have denied any involvement.
Mr Wike, a member of the PDP, is serving as the FCT minister in Mr Tinubu administration. He has been campaigning for Mr Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
In Akwa Ibom, Governor Umo Eno, who defected from the PDP to the APC in June last year, is fighting hard to weaken the PDP in the state so he can easily win re-election as Akwa Ibom governor in 2027. He has been funding the sacked PDP executive in the state, and has used the police to prevent the recognised party leadership from accessing the PDP state secretariat in Uyo.
“I want those in the other party to allow us remain in our party. Let them allow us to exercise our rights and freedom of association to remain in our party the same way we have respected their rights and freedom to move from one party to another,” Mr Luke said at the stakeholders’ meeting, apparently referring to the concerted attempts to distabilise the PDP in Akwa Ibom.
“I will rather remain and rebuild the party, trusting the word of God in John 12:24, which says, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit.’”
The former lawmaker continued: “In Job 14:7-9, the scripture assures us that ‘for there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant’.
“This party shall rise and flourish again.”
Mr Luke commended the PDP members in Akwa Ibom for their steadfastness.
‘It’s time for us to go into the communities’
The Caretaker Chairman of the PDP in Akwa Ibom, Iquat Umoren, thanked the stakeholders for keeping faith with the party despite the current happenings, noting that the stakeholders’ meeting was part of the party’s strategic plan to commence its rebirth and rebuilding.
“We are here to prepare our strategy for the year. It is time for us to go into the communities. It is clear that we all have political value; that is why they want us,” Mr Umoren, a lawyer, stated while assuring that the PDP in Akwa Ibom will bounce back under his leadership.
“Don’t let anyone lie to you. The PDP is very strong in Akwa Ibom. That is why, despite all the people they claim they have, they are still afraid and are still coming after those of us who are remaining in PDP. Together, we will work, rebuild this party and reclaim our mandate in 2027.”
Ini Emembong, the PDP national publicity secretary, flew in from Abuja to attend the meeting.
Mr Ememobong, a lawyer, admitted that the PDP was “undergoing a test” but urged members not to be bothered about who was leaving or joining the PDP, as the party would continue to thrive.
“I want to charge you all to brace up because they will test you. I can assure you that they will come to buy you, but the question is, how much will you be worth?”
Speaking on the multiple lawsuits involving the PDP, Mr Ememobong assured that the cases will soon be heard, expressing the confidence that the judgements will be in favour of the party following judicial precedents in cases of a similar nature.
“I can assure you that we have reached the bottom of the valley. From here on, it is a movement up. I can assure you that PDP is coming back strong in Nigeria. Whether it will come back strong in Akwa Ibom will depend on us,” he added.
In their separate remarks, a former chairman of the PDP in Akwa Ibom, Uwem Ita Etuk, PDP chieftains, Tony Esu, Chris Abasieyo and other PDP stakeholders in the state urged members to go back to their communities and embark on robust mobilisation, noting that the PDP was still the most popular party in villages across the state.
The highlight of the meeting was the constitution of the Akwa Ibom PDP Elders’ Forum, with Mr Etuk as chairman, Mr Esu as deputy chairman, and Mr Abasieyo and Adasi Obolum as members.
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