Stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom South senatorial district (Eket) have threatened to boycott the upcoming election if the incumbent Senator Ekong Sampson’s name appears on the ballot paper during general election.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting held at Eket Unity hall , former member of the federal house of representative Hon Dan Abia Jnr in a motion stated that the Senate seat should be restricted within Ikot Abasi )Mkpat Enin/ Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency instead of consensus plan mooted by incumbent Senator Ekong Sampson.

According to Abia , any credible aspirant from the said federal constituency can emerge not by imposition as planned by the incumbent Senator

” We don’t want any self imposed aspirant who wants to dominate the people . The Senate seat should be open to all .

Senator Ekong Sampson who represents Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District has indicated interest to return to the red chambers of the National Assembly in 2027, and has commenced consultation across the different strata of the Senatorial District

Addressing Journalists shortly after the meeting , one the aggrieved members from Okobo Local Government Area Mr Johnson Okwong, threatened that he would not use his hands to vote for Sampson again

He disclosed that when the incumbent senator was campaigning in 2023, he promised to attract many things for the constituents based on his experience, but nothing, adding that he has started campaigning again for another term.

“I can never use my hand to vote for Ekong Sampson again in my life, when he came to campaign he said that he worked in the National Assembly as Personal Assistant that he knows all the doors and how to bring back dividends of democracy, he didn’t even stay upto two years he started campaigning for second term despite being the only National Legislator in Akwa Ibom State that has not done a mega empowerment programme. The only thing he does is to gather school children to endorse him every morning”.

He expressed disappointment that one year after the senator asked his constituents to travel to their federal constituency offices to fill empowerment form, nothing has happened since then.

” Our people are highly disappointed that one year after the Senator asked constituents to travel long distances to their federal constituency offices to obtain and fill empowerment forms, till date he has not rolled out the planned empowerment packages as done by other federal and state legislators across the country, a development that has greatly affected grassroots support for the All Progressive Congress, APC, who now view the Federal government thought the Senator as a lying government.” He said.

A political office holder from Mkpat Enin who pleaded anonymity said “We have tolerated Ekong Sampson enough, we have rewarded him enough politically, he has been In government since 1999, and it’s usually through consensus and even when we cried in 2023 that any other Mkpat Enin son or daughter should be made a senator, the PDP, as at then nominated Ekong Sampson, today, Mkpat Enin has exported her worst product to the Senatorial District and everywhere people are regretting”.

Reacting, Senator Ekong Sampson’s Media Aide, Mr Samuel Udoma, described the people concerned as political jobbers who are out to heat up the polity for selfish interests.

He said Senator Ekong Sampson has received massive endorsements across board including the youths, women and critical stakeholders of the the Senatorial district including chief Nduese Essien, a former Minister of Housing and others

Udoma said ” These People who are saying these are political jobbers who are just interested in heating up the polity for selfish considerations. Senator Ekong Sampson has received massive endorsement from various groups including stakeholders like

Former Minister of Housing, Chief Nduese Essien and others. These are people with great followership in the Senatorial District” he said. (The Sun)