Richard Peters, Uyo
Against the backdrop of the erroneous speculations on the social media that some stakeholders of Uyo politics carted away with materials for voting during the just concluded Primaries for the State House of Assembly in Uyo, a frontline politician of Uyo, Mr. Michael Enyong (Babantan) has dismissed such assumptions, and confirmed to INSIGHTLINK MEDIA that the primaries for the selection of who to represent Uyo State Constituency in 2019 in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was duly conducted, and the incumbent, Mr. Monday Eyo (Murray) lost out, as Anietie Eka emerged the winner.
Mr. Michael Enyong who is the Member representing Uyo Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, explained to INSIGHTLINK MEDIA through a phone call, that on Tuesday (two days before the Primaries), Monday Eyo had voluntarily stepped down on his aspiration to go for a second term, and agreed in the presence of stakeholders of the party that Mr. Anietie Eka be returned as a consensus candidate for the Uyo State Constituency seat, and also pledged to work for the success of Mr. Anietie Eka.
But to the chagrin of all the stakeholders, Monday Eyo (Murray) suddenly changed his mind and contested the Primaries with the same Anietie Eka he had earlier declared his support for, which led to his woeful defeat.
“Monday Eyo had already stepped down for Anietie Eka two days before the Primaries (Tuesday night precisely), and Eka went unopposed. I was there when Hon. Monday Eyo (Murray) stepped down; I was physically present. So I am faulting him (“Murray”) for changing his mind later, having stepped down for Eka”, Babantan explained.
Another delegate who was present at the venue of the Primaries, also confirmed to INSIGHTLINK MEDIA that no material was carted away as speculated on the social media, as the Uyo State Constituency Primaries was conducted peacefully, and Anietie Eka emerged the winner.
Babantan advised the people to embrace the path of peace and desist from taking the laws into their hands; in order to scale through in the general elections. In his words:
“The Primaries have come and gone, we must be united and embrace the path of peace. It is not time to be fighting each other, let us come together in unity so that we can confront and subdue our common enemies (the APC) in the general elections.”
Babantan expressed hopes that there shall be reconciliation and the people of Uyo shall unite for victory.