By ETIM ETIM

Members of Akwa Ibom branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are getting increasingly frightened at the rampant incidents of untimely deaths of its important leaders in the past few months. Some are worried that at this rate, the party may be bereft of its fighting force by the next election. In the last 12 months, no fewer than six influential members of the party have kicked the bucket. Some of the departed are:

1. Obong Uko Umo, former Vice Chairman of APC, Uyo Senatorial District. Fondly known as Commander by his friends and political associates, he was buried in in March 2024.

2. Engr. Akanimo Edet, former Chairman of Etim Ekpo LGA. Also fondly known as Commander by his friends and political associates, he is yet to be buried.

3. Rt. Hon. Bassey Effiong Etim, former member of the House of Representatives. Fondly known as BAFIL by political associates and friends, he is yet to be buried.

4. Engr. Maurice Ebong, Political Leader of Uyo Senatorial District. He is yet to be buried.

5. Mr. Uyio Nathaniel, Youth Leader of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and former SA to MD of NDDC. He died only yesterday (Monday, March 26, 2024).

6. Engr. Etim Eyoette. He was a director at NDDC and a strong party member. He was buried a few months ago.

7. Mrs. Cecilia Ekpenyong Okon, former Chapter Women, Leader, Itu LGA. She was buried March 2024.

8. There is also a rumour currently circulating about the health of a prominent female leader of the party. I hope it is not true.

These people were very committed and active members of the party who played prominent roles in building the platform and in all the elections the party had participated in. Some party members are wondering if these deaths, or some of them, might be connected with the traumas of successive election losses and disappointments which they have experienced over the years.

Said a former party official, “I suspect that their deaths are linked to dashed hopes and expectations, particularly considering the pains of unsuccessful bids of the party for the Governorship seat in the last three election cycles. Their deaths may also be associated with depression occasioned by frustration following the comatose condition of the state chapter of the party.”

I should also note that in 2021, the party’s State Chairman, Hon. Ini Okopido, passed away on active duty.

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