Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to journalists in the state to set agenda for the newly-elected representatives as they prepare to assume power instead of joining the untimely clamour for the 2023 governorship race.
The party speaking through its publicity secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, during a parley with newsmen at the party secretariat in Uyo on Monday, said the society expects journalists to be at the vanguard of adding value to the system through critical researches for better governance and holding government accountable in line with the best practices.
The PDP insisted that the campaign for 2023 governorship being carried out by a section of the media was premature and diversionary, explaining that such a premature agitation could distract both the elected representatives and the electorate, and end up depriving the people of expected dividends of democracy.
The party’s spokesman, however, commended the press for the balanced coverage of the 2019 general elections, noting that while the opposition in the state had the ‘federal might,’ PDP won the election because of its dependence on the will of the people.
He urged the media to hold those elected into public offices accountable to ensure that the victory at the polls brings tangible benefits to the people.
“Let us hold them to account; don’t start the 2023 campaign now. We suffered a lot in 2019; let us not start a new phase yet. Let us all hold our elected representatives to account,” he stated.
He explained that by starting the campaign for the 2023 governorship now, “you will forget about those we recently elected; it does not make sense, let us hold them to account.
“In this state, it is a known fact that those who were the first to buy nomination form never win an election. Again, we all saw what happened during the just-concluded elections where all the strong men in this state failed to the divine power of God. It points to a reasoning that there cannot be a strong man where divinity is at work.
“In 2023, I can conveniently advise those who think they have strong men to keep their strong men in their pockets because strong men will not arise again in Akwa Ibom State; only a strong God will arise. It will be divinity over man’s power,” Ememobong said.
On the PDP’s preparations to respond to the over 34 petitions filed by opposition parties before the 2019 elections tribunal sitting in Uyo, challenging the conduct of the elections, Mr. Ememobong said the party had received notices of some petitions from the tribunal and had also referred them to its legal department for necessary action.
According to him, the party was not in any way worried as it believes that the tribunal would do justice to all the petitions before it according to the law.
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