Shades Of Betrayal As Akwa Ibom PDP Governorship Primary Starts

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship primaries in Akwa Ibom State was on Wednesday morning set to commence with focus on the prospects of three of the leading governorship aspirants, Umo Eno, Akan Okon and Bassey Albert Akpan, popularly known as OBA playing out against allegations of betrayal.

The contest in Akwa Ibom is playing out against shades of alleged betrayal of friendship by some of the key actors in the race.

GWGNG reports that supporters of Akan Okon and OBA have been especially pressed on the endorsement of Umo Eno by the outgoing governor of the state, Mr Udom Emmanuel.

While supporters of Akan Okon have been largely mute, those of OBA have almost turned their grievance into violence with their claim that the governor after receiving the strong backing of their patron in his own battles against Senator Godswill Akpabio refused to support their man.

However, the camp of the governor has been quick to assert that he is determined to make a break from the politics that OBA thrived in.

Though no evidence has been produced, the governor’s associates have sometimes alluded to cultism which they said helped OBA to flourish in the past.

OBA’s supporters also allege frustration on their part that the governor did not allow a clean process asserting that he ordinarily would have won given his extensive mobilisation. One of the successes of that mobilisaiton was OBA’s ability to pinch one of the strongest loyalists of the governor and his former chief of staff, Ephraim Inyangeyen to support him.

However, even more, supporters of another tested hand in the Akwa Ibom government of Emmanuel, that is Akan Okon have been more muted.

Akan Okon, who is a younger brother of the respected statesman, Senator Akan Okon.

GWGNG reports that Akan Okon, a former banker was a childhood friend of Emmanuel and upon whom he relied on when he, (Governor) was initially brought to the state by Akpabio as a successor.

When Mr Emmanuel was appointed as Secretary to the State Government in 2013, the new SSG had insisted on his own man as commissioner for finance upon which, Akan Okon left his job in Lagos to help stabilise Udom Emmanuel in government.

Akan Okon also was critical in the legacy projects of the Governor Emmanuel government, serving as commissioner of Special Duties and under whose portfolio the establishment of Ibom Airlines was pushed through.

He was also the anchor man for the 21 Storey Building and until his exit from the cabinet was marshalling the Ibom Deep Sea project.

Sources say that Akan Okon had been seen as Udom Emmanuel’s main friend and buddy in the government.

Though Akan Okon has not come out to speak on any act of betrayal on the part of Governor Emmanuel in the Akwa Ibom governorship race, that feeling, however, is undoubtedly expressed in their thoughts even if not spoken out.

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