By David Ojong
As political tensions rise in Ikom, various groups have emerged, each pushing for their preferred candidates for the chairmanship position. Among them is a faction led by Pastor Tony Bassey, a former member of the PDP, now aligned with the APC, who has been vocally distorting the facts surrounding the zoning of the chairmanship.
It’s crucial to set the record straight: three wards in Ikom—Akparabong, Olulumo, and Ofutop 1—have yet to produce an elected council chairman. While Olulumo and Ofutop 1 have had appointed executives in the past, Akparabong has never held any leadership position in the history of Ikom LGA. This historical exclusion is evident in the absence of any Akparabong representative’s photo in the council’s gallery of past leaders.
For years, Akparabong was told that having Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba in the Senate was reason enough to be sidelined from local leadership. However, with Ndoma-Egba no longer in the Senate, it’s time to correct this imbalance by allowing an Akparabong candidate to serve as the council chairman.
In the lead-up to the 2023 elections, the APC in Akparabong made it clear that their focus was on securing the chairmanship. This decision led them to forgo contesting for the Cross River State House of Assembly seat, despite having strong candidates. Instead, they supported Ikom Urban 1 ward’s Comrade Agbor Bassey, demonstrating their commitment to party unity.
However, the opposition PDP took a different approach by fielding a candidate from Akparabong, which many see as an act of political betrayal. Despite Akparabong’s overwhelming support for the APC in the general elections, members from Olulumo and Ofutop 1 wards, motivated by their desire to control the chairmanship, voted for the PDP. This move cost the APC the State House of Assembly seat.
It’s concerning that some now criticize Akparabong for having an assembly member from the PDP, forgetting that Akparabong itself voted against that candidate. This situation raises the question: should political betrayal be rewarded?
It’s also worth noting that most current aspirants from Olulumo and Ofutop 1 wards were previously aligned with the PDP and only switched to the APC after their candidate’s defeat in court. This shift begs the question of their loyalty—would they have remained in the PDP had the court ruled in their favor?
At this critical juncture, what Ikom needs is not a leader with narrow ethnic ambitions but someone with the experience, vision, and capacity to expand the town and drive development in line with Governor Senator Prince Bassey Otu’s people-first agenda. The focus should be on electing a chairman who can unite the community and attract progress, rather than one who would serve only the interests of their ward.
As Ikom approaches this decision, it’s imperative that Akparabong, Olulumo, and Ofutop 1 present their best candidates and trust the electorate to choose the leader who will best serve the entire local government area, ensuring a prosperous future for all.
Disclaimer: This reportage is solely the opinion of the author and does not reflect the official policy or style of Primetime News.
