Former senator and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ita Enang has said with president Bola Tinubu, the party will win all the 31 local governments in the October 5 council polls.
Speaking on Tuesday as the APC prepares for the election with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje exceed to flag off the campaign of the party, Enang said that although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controls the state, the APC dominates Akwa Ibom state.
Enang said, “We (APC Akwa Ibom) are confident that with President Bola Tinubu, having taken the bold step of ensuring the autonomy of LGs and having rescued LGs from the claws of the state governments, we are going to contest and win the election in all 31 LGs in Akwa Ibom.”
He declared that, “We’re more than ready. Akwa Ibom is APC, only unfortunately controlled by the PDP government which we respect are in charge as governor and government, but we are more than them.
“And so we want to display our majority, our strength, our capacity in the forthcoming LG elections,” Enang said.
He added that, “I’m sure you’ve not been satisfied with the performance of LGs in Akwa Ibom. LGs have the capacity under the law to tar roads, manage local education authority, repair, and build primary schools, expand agriculture, produce food, to take charge of land matters, issuing customary right of occupancy.
“And that has not happened in Akwa Ibom. And that is why we have stepped up and are coming and confident we will win.
“We may concede a few to them (PDP) out of honour. We are going to win more than PDP,” added.
Enang explained that, “We know that whichever state conducts LG elections, the ruling party wins all. That may have been so under Udom Emmanuel and governors in other states, but we’re consciously optimistic that Governor Umo Eno has appeared to be different and had seemed to honour his words.
“He has said there will be free and fair LG elections. I’m sure in all other elections we have participated in this state, we’ve not been this optimistic because the ground did not appear to be level.”
Enang added, “Although we do not trust Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, we’re feeling and believing the governor will ensure that the umpire conducts a free and fair election and the best candidates emerge winners.
“When you look at the list (list as published by AKISIEC) this is the highest the APC has fielded candidates in every LGA for these elections. It shows we are up and on to win the elections. So we hope there will be a level playing field, but if the field is not level, then we will also play in the unlevel field.
He justified his lack of confidence in the AKISIEC chairman saying, “We saw how he did in the last LG elections including what he did even in my presence.
“And even when he was in INEC, there were so many complaints against him. So we are speaking from the past. There could be hope that with time he may have changed and we hope we see a changed Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak.”
On the internal crisis tearing the Akwa Ibom chapter of the party apart, Enang said, “A Reconciliation Committee was put in place under my leadership and we have worked to bring together most of the aggrieved persons.
“Not all yet have been brought under the radar but everybody is willing to come together.
“What we need to do is show respect to all respective leaders, chapters and blocs of the party and the Leader of the Party, Senate President Akpabio has taken steps to show leadership to all the blocs,” he stated.