Judex Okoro, Calabar

Tension has gripped members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, family in Cross River as two different lists of cleared candidates and delegates have emerged for tomorrow’s state Congress.

While the first list in circulation has three candidates including Venatius Ikem, Alphonsus Eba and Frank Adah cleared to contest for the chairmanship seat in the state’s congress, the second list, also in circulation, has Alphonsus Eba as the only cleared candidate for the chairmanship seat.

Checks by our correspondent revealed that both lists, stamped and signed by the party national organising secretary, Col Austin Akobundu (rted), has Hon (Olorogun) Talib Tebite (JP) as chairman of the five man panel.

This development has created fear into the candidates and the delegates as they are at a fix of what becomes their fate and the outcome of the congress just as rumour is making the rounds that Venatius Ikem, one of the chairmanship candidates and former National Publicity Secreatry, has been disqualified.

Delegates from both factions are said to have been qurtered in some locations within and outside Calabar metropolis in readiness to move them tomorrow morning to any chosen venue for the congress.

Further checks at the party secretariat showed that most state executive committee members have equally gone underground for fear of unknown just as most of them claimed that they are oblivious of what is happening with regard to the congress and the lists in circulation.

Sources close to both factions disclosed that their leaders are not ready to cave in to any allegd machinations or threats, insisting that the congress must hold and winners winners will emerge tomorrow.

It was learnt that both groups are still making frantic efforts and have intensifies lobbying to ensure that their candidates sail through and possibly plug all loopholes.

Calls put across to the party chairman, Ntufam Edim Inok, and the publicity secretary, Egbung Odama, could not go through.

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But reacting to his alleged disqualification, one of the candidates, whose name was not on the second list, Venatius Ikem, in a terse statement, said: “Please disregard any rumours of disqualification.

“We are still in the race according to the authentic list of aspirants as forwarded to INEC,” he stated.

And worried by the ugly development, the former governor, Sen Liyel Imoke, in a statement signed by him observed that, in the last few months, there has been a seeming dispute and differences within our great party which emerged after the election and in the build up to the Party Congresses.

Imoke noted that it has been the tradition of the party to manage and resolve disputes, believing strongly that this one is no different from all the others.

The statement reads in part: “I hereby call on all stakeholders and party leaders to sheath their swords. This is a time to close ranks and not create factions. We need to work as a team under the leadership of the Governor.

“As Leader, it behoves the Governor to accommodate and protect the interests of all stakeholders and ensure balance and fairness. This has always been our way and I am confident that His Excellency will provide the necessary leadership. He should be accorded his due as Governor and Leader of our Party.

“I urge all our leaders at every level to use the opportunity of the State Congress to meet in caucus and resolve all differences, emerging as one united family. Every leader, from the Senators, members of the house of representatives, to the state assembly members and below, should be accorded their due and not be disrespected.

“They should reciprocate same to His Excellency. Our tradition of stakeholder consultation and concensus building should be applied over the next few days to guarantee successful outcomes.
I believe that with God on our side, we will emerge victorious,” he stated.