AS the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno concludes plans to defect to the APC, local government councilors say they will not join the Governor because he has not consulted them as elected representatives from their various wards.
A top officer of the Forum of Elected Councilors, who pleaded anonymity, decried what he described as humiliation, saying that they have resolved not to defect with the governor, except he addresses and negotiate with them.
According to him, some of them are already favoured by zoning to return for a second term under the platform of PDP, but may have their plans shattered if they follow the Governor to the APC, an already structured opposition political party with aspirations and ambition.
They noted with pains that the governor has consulted with National, State lawmakers, local Government Chairmen and other political stakeholders, but to their dismay, the governor has not consulted them, a development they view as humiliation, even as they were duly elected by their people.
What will we tell our wards and supporters? How do we persuade them to follow the bandwagon without any concrete reasons ?
Speaking further, he said the Governor has underated their political and electoral value in their wards, noting that the critical stakeholders he has consulted cannot secure electoral victory without the councilors in the wards.
‘Nobody has talked to us about defection, so we are not defecting to anywhere. Elections are not done in the government House, but in the units, so if the governor does not consult us, we will remain in PDP” he added.
Reacting to the councilors position, a serving Commissioner, who did not want to be mentioned, said the governor is not owing the councilors any explanation after consulting and securing the nod of the local government chairmen.
According to him, none of them won elections in their wards. The governor has made it clear that his planned defection is not compulsory.
