War without end: Umana insists on Udoedehe’s expulsion . As APC crisis deepens
The lingering feud between APC heavyweights Umana Umana and John Udoedehe doesn’t look like ending soon.
The fight which has split the APC in Akwa Ibom into two factions and has resulted in Umana’s faction expelling Udoedehe from the party had looked like abating during Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo’s visit to the state a fortnight ago. During the acting president’s visit, pictures of Umana and Udoedehe hugging and smiling like old friends had flooded the media space leading to insinuations that an unlikely peace was in the offing.
Apart from that, a peace meeting with Udoedehe earlier convened by a party elder (of the Umana Faction), Don Etiebet was also an indication that peace was highly sought after by the warring factions.
NEWS LINK can however report that signs indicating that harmony is still eluding the Akwa Ibom State APC have emerged. Last week, in a communiqué signed by Umana’s men under the auspices of APC Elders Advisory Council and made available to the media, the Umana Faction made it clear that peace with Udoedehe is not a necessity.
The faction accused Udoedehe’s trouble as being fueled by the PDP and described the former Uyo Senatorial District Senator as “undemocratic and disloyal”.
“The perpetrators of these troubles are being fuelled by the opposition party PDP to dampen the clear victory awaiting us in the state come 2019”, the elders said.
To spite Udoedehe and his group, Umana’s men endorsed the Amadu Attai led State Exco and insisted that Attai must be the man to lead the party in the state.
It can be recalled that the main condition tabled by Udoedehe for peace during his meeting with Etiebet was that the Amadu Attai led Exco be flushed out.
On Udoedehe’s expulsion from the party, which was overruled by Etiebet after the peace meeting that had Udoedehe and Sam Enwang in attendance, Umana’s men insisted that the expulsion stands as the constitution of the party is clear on the disciplinary procedures and actions to be taken on erring members and has so done so.
The elders who signed the communiqué on behalf of the Umana group were Obong Sunny Jackson Udo, Engr Etang Umoyo, Chef Edet Nkubre, Dr Etido Ibekwe, ObongEfiok Akpan, Barr Solomon Etuk, Barr Joe Ukpong, Enge Godwin Akang, Dr Nduehe Esitikot, Obonganwan Rita Akpan, Elder Udoekop Udousoro, , Hon Emmanuel Inwang and Dr Udoma Ekarika.
