The battle for ward leadership has threatened peace in the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A quick check indicates that the planned defection of Umo Eno, the state governor, and his supporters to the APC, has triggered a sudden scramble for offices and political space among stakeholders and stalwarts in the APC.

The office had remained uncompetitive, especially after the loss of the party during the 2023 general elections, but interest suddenly increased following the expected defection of the Governor into the broom party.

While some faithful, said the office of the ward political leaders and functions are not enshrined in the APC constitution and that in many cases, ward leaders, particularly during the build up to elections, usurp and duplicate the functions of the ward EXCO to the detriment of the party, others maintain that they are necessary for advisory roles and to checkmate the excesses of recalcitrant officers and members, especially, where they are influential members.

In Mkpat Enin Local government area of the state, for instance, a battle for supremacy has recently provoked the emergence of a battalion of ward Leaders, a development that informed the Chapter Chairman of the party, Utitofon Jeremiah, during a stakeholders meeting, Monday, June, 2, to immediately constitute a disciplinary committee, headed by the Chapter Secretary, Leo Ntokekpo, to among others, draw out modalities as well as recommend punitive measures to erring members of the party.

To the ward chairmen, he charged them to take responsibility of running the party’s administration and to be good ambassadors of the APC.

He charged members to remain friendly and accommodating to the expected defectors, even as he chided them to suspend emphasis on ward leadership. (BusinessDay)