On the surface, the resignation of Obong Paul Ekpo as the Akwa Ibom States’ Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs sounds like a textbook case of the usual affairs in any government. Just listen to the official press release, which Obong Ekpo issued as the reason for his resignation; "I am resigning from the Executive Council as Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to create more time for my family and business." It is a lie! It is nothing, but lies.

Behind the public glare, insiders say the “official” version given for the resignation of Obong Paul Ekpo is a calculated attempt to mislead the people of Akwa Ibom State. Some say the entire resignation thing is orchestrated by Godswill Akpabio and Umana Okon Umana to manipulate the political affairs of the State, as if Akwa Ibom State is their personal property.

So, what is the real story?
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For some time now, there has been a fierce tussle of power-play by the protégées of Akpabio over who should succeed him as the next governor of the state. This power-play, led by Umana Okon Umana, Nsima Ekere, and Bishop Samuel Akpan, has been breeding underground since the PDP party in Akwa Ibom State had settled on the return of Godswill Akpabio for a second-term. Inside sources say Akpabio has repeatedly made known his preference for Umana Okon Umana to succeed him. However, the emergence of other aspirants, such as Samuel Akpan and Nsima Ekere, has created rancor and confusion in Akwa Ibom State, the type so enormous that if there is no adequate caution in place, some aspirants may chose the option of blackmailing their opponents or even resort to the their usual primitive tactics of kidnapping and political assassination.

There is no doubt that for any governorship aspirant to succeed, he or she must be able to win the support of the ruling party, which is the Akwa Ibom State wing of the Peoples Democratic Party---its corrupt and vindictive nature of its officials notwithstanding. The struggle and the stampede to win the party’s support is the genesis of all the manipulations, counter-manipulations, intrigues, back-stabbings, threats, including threats of assassination that are presently being played out in Akwa Ibom State by those who think they are well placed, more than others, in the society to tear apart Akwa Ibom State. And the game is being led by Umana Okon Umana, Nsima Ekere, Samuel Akpan, and Godswill Akpabio, who is tossing the heads of these major manipulators against each other, despite the fact that even if he (Akpabio) stays in office till the end of his second-term, legally, he can no longer remain in the office as a governor; well, at least as stipulated by law.

To gain the upper hand for Umana Okon Umana---the choice of Akpabio (at least in the open)----the first step is to restructure the PDP hierarchy to a level which will make sure that Nsima Ekere is out of the picture, while the support goes to Umana Okon Umana. The first step is to remove Uwem Ita Etuk and install Obong Paul Ekpo as the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the PDP. A reliable source has confirmed that in a few days or weeks, Obong Paul Ekpo will be confirmed as the Chairman of PDP. Obong Paul Ekpo is from Etinan Local Government Area, which is the same LGA of Hon. Samuel Ikon, the current Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Godswill Akpabio, in his infinite wisdom, does not think it is politically expedient to have both the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the ruling party come from the same LGA, hence, the next plan.

Reliable sources have confirmed that there are plans in place to manipulate the political system, which will enable cultist Onofiok Luke to emerge as the next Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. It may be of interest to know that both Onofiok Luke and Umana Okon Umana are from the same LGA of Nsit Ubium. The position of a Speaker is highly influential, enough for the occupier of the position to use the power vested upon him to affect political outcomes in the State. If the plan to impose Onofiok Luke as the Speaker of the AKSHA succeeds, it is very highly possible that Nsima Ekere and the rest of the aspirants will be out in the political ice, while Umana Okon Umana may very likely be manipulated into becoming the candidate-of-choice of the PDP for the 2015 gubernatorial race.

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