In a bid to redress the political imbalance between the three senatorial zones of Akwa Ibom State, the governorship has been zoned to Southern senatorial zone, which has not produced a governor since the creation of the state.
Meanwhile, to ensure that one of their own becomes the next governor of the state, the Elders Forum of the Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial zone, has resolved to present a common political front in the 2015 governorship election in the state.
Rising from its meeting in Uyo, the elders, drawn from 12 local government areas, led by Chief Nduese Essien, applauded the decision of Governor Akpabio to zone the position of governor to the Southern senatorial zone, saying that the move will bring about justice and peace in the state.
The group resolved to shortlist Larry Esin, Nsima Ekere and Effiong Abia, to contest the 2015 governorship election on behalf of the zone.
“The seeming conviction by Akpabio, that Eket senatorial district is where to shop for the governorship candidate in 2015 is not a loss to the Oro people, who make up the third majority tribe in the state,” a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state has said.
Akwa Ibom stands on a tripod of three ethnicities: the Ibibios being the largest, followed by the Anangs and then the Oro. Only the Oro have not governed the state since its creation. So, Oro people have since taken pragmatic steps to put their house in order before the election proper.
If the wishes of Governor Akpabio, as well as the principle of zoning in the PDP constitution is anything to go by, then, the Akwa Ibom South senatorial district is poised to produce the next governor of the state.
