… threaten defection
Ward officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State have decried what they described as gross marginalization, oppression and usurpation of functions by the forum of PDP ward leaders, a group they described as unconstitutional.
According to a PDP ward chairman from Uyo Federal Constituency, the ward leaders, who are mainly former commissioners, former House of Assembly members and former board members, and those who once aspired, but did not win elections to different political offices, have practically taken over their constitutional and political functions in their wards, leaving them redundant and irrelevant in the eyes of party members.
Sources from the government house said it is the nefarious behaviour of many ward leaders that has caused the delay in constituting and announcing supervisors long after the inauguration of the local governments.
According to one of these sources, most of the ward leaders, who are board members and other political office holders, nominated their children, wives, family members and close relatives, a development that has necessitated the cancellation of the supervisors list for a fresh one by the governor.
It is also gathered that a very few of the ward leaders have preferred to toe the path of integrity and justice, by respecting public opinion and fairness in the process of selecting supervisors at the local government.
Another ward officer confided in this reporter that during the local government electioneering campaigns, the ward leaders were given more prominence than ward officers of the PDP.
He however agreed that the ward leaders’ forum was instrumental to the success of the party, but argued that the constitution of the PDP does not recognize such a body.
He however agreed that the group was instrumental to the success of the PDP during the last elections, but should not overwhelm other political groups that contributed to the emergence of the present state and local governments.
Finally, they threatened to defect to another political party if the power and constitutional integrity of the ward leaders is not restored.
