Update

NOBODY OPPOSING ENOIDEM’S ENDORSEMENT IS A STAKEHOLDER OF ISD – NWOKO

• Former Chief Law Officer reveals real reason behind backlash, hints what will happen to others mulling over Senate election in 2023

Because Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko , SAN is a man who never shy away from controversy, he has become the first Stakeholder of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to break silence on the controversial new year Stakeholders endorsement of the immediate past National Legal Adviser of the PDP and incumbent National Chairman of Maintain Peace Movement, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem for Akwa Ibom North West Senate Seat.

While Speaking on a breakfast programme on Premium 89.9fm, Nwoko stamped his feat on several issues stirring controversies in his senatorial district, disclaiming that those heating up the polity with criticism of Barr. Enoidem’s endorsement are Stakeholders of the Senatorial District.

“None of them are Stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. The question one may ask is, who and who constitute the Stakeholders body of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District? When you see the list of those who signed the communique, you will find a clear answer “.

Curious over Barr. Nwoko’s disclaimer, the show host probed and got succinct response on what led to the invitation of non stakeholders on the day stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District gathered.

“This is what transpired on that day. His Excellency the Deputy Governor convened his yearly get-together which isn’t exclusive to just stakeholders. The communique that was read in the meeting that day, wasn’t a referendum of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. It’s just that some people don’t seem to understand the difference between Stakeholders and the general public. Certain persons who are not stakeholders but would happen to be in the meeting simply because it was an enlarged meeting began to feel like they are stakeholders. The mere fact that you got into a stakehoders meeting doesn’t make you a stakeholder.

When you go to every local government, we have certain persons who can be selected to be stakeholders. In most cases, they’re just 5 or 10, depending on how big the local government is. So, in Ika, I signed. In Ikot Ekpene, Senator Emmanuel Ibokette signed. The deputy governor signed in Abak. Hon. Aniekan Umanah who is the representative of the federal constituency signed too.

In every local government of the Senatorial district, all the major stakeholders signed the document. It wasn’t a referendum which requires the opinion of everybody. It was a communique of stakeholders.

The people that made the noise at the get-together were not stakeholders. None of them qualify as a stakeholder. They are people who were just invited so that every local government of the senatorial district can have up to 20 people at the get-together. So, because of the mixed crowd, some people who were just invited to come and eat, drink, dance and take transport money home began to clamour that they should have been allowed to sign or that they should have been carried along in the process of the communique. It’s not done that way “.

Clearing air on whether the Stakeholders’ endorsement of Barr. Enoidem hampers the aspiration of any other contender in the Senatorial district, Barr. Nwoko said no.

“The endorsement of Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem by the Stakeholders does not stop any other aspiration. You are entitled to aspire but as I speak with you, nobody has consulted me. Let people play politics the way it should be. They don’t need the Stakeholders to become anything but they have to market themselves because the ultimate say is with the people. Sadly, they’re not even marketing themselves to neither the masses nor the stakeholders.

We made it clear that Barr. Enoidem was endorsed as an aspirant, not as a candidate. No candidate has been chosen. What that means is that every aspirant can go to the political market and sell themselves. So if you can convince me tomorrow, nothing is foreclosed. If you can convince me tomorrow that your aspirant is better than the one we are supporting, we make him the candidate. So there is nothing we have done that is undermining the aspiration of others. Their only issue is fear. The PDP is a very democratic structure.

Even if you’re not from Abak federal constituency, you can still step forward and contest. But as of this moment, we sincerely believe that the people of Abak federal constituency deserve the seat because that’s the only federal constituency that has never produced someone at the red chambers.”

“Enoidem is more than qualified “, Nwoko furthered. “Those who know me over the years know that, yes I play politics but I’m not used to massaging people’s ego, I’m not used to sycophancy. There is no value of such to my integrity. The amount of money that can be used to purchase my good name has not been printed. My support for Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem is because I know that he is very competent to represent us. He is fearless, a man who will say the truth before anybody at anytime.

When he goes to the Senate, he can meet anybody shoulder to shoulder and negotiate the rights and entitlement of our Senatorial district. He has interacted at the highest level in the country. As the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, there is no class of people he didn’t meet, no class of politicians he didn’t meet. His tentacles spreads all over the country”.