Tension, Confusion A’Ibom Over Supervisors’ Lists

The list of supervisors and Special Advisers announced last Friday by Governor Udom Emmanuel’s led Administration for the 31 local government areas in the State has continued to generate tension and confusion among Peoples Democratic Party, PDP faithful in the State.

The Sensor authoritatively gathered that while few persons who have been informed long before the release of the list have made it, others especially councillorship aspirants who were denied the party ticket in the last local government election but were promised either supervisor or special adviser, have had their names missing, thus, the apprehension raised in parts of the State.

It would be recalled that the release of the list and subsequent plan to inaugurate the members of the local government executive council, came five months after the council chairmen and councilors were sworn-into office.

It was also gathered that five months after their inauguration, elected councilors are yet to receive their entitlements while council chairmen who collect the monthly allocation, simply pocket whatever remain for them after joint account, as the councilors are said to be incapacitated in the discharge of their over sight functions due to non-mobilization by the executive.

A source told The Sensor that councilors in some local government areas are yet to have plenary as provisions are not made for them. The source noted that there is serious grumbling between the council chairmen and councilors as the chairmen runs the councils as sole administrators, thus, creating tension in the local councils.

But in a renewed tension as a result of the secrecy in the appointment and non-release of the supervisors, some of the aspirants who spoke with our correspondent accused the State Governor of unnecessarily creating the tension, saying that some of them may be forced to abandon the party for another party that would accommodate their interest.

A former aspirant from Onna told our correspondent in confidence that if the governor failed to accommodate his interest by giving him the supervisor slot as promised before he was forced to withdraw from the race, he will have no option than to dump the party and wait for the elders in 2019. He, however, urged the elders in the area to do the right thing and allow justice to prevail especially for the aspirants that put in so much money to contest the election before he was made to withdraw.

Another aspirant from Uyo local government area who simply gave his name as Edet, described the action of the elders and leaders of the party in Uyo as an unfortunate, noting that as a loyal party man, he accepted to doing his ambition because the elders promised to accommodate him in the supervisor slot.

He added that despite attempt by opposition party in the State to lure him into their fold, he has resisted it and vowed to follow the dictates of his hearts.

“I have been made several offers by the opposition party in the State but as a loyal party member, I have maintained my stand. However, if the party (PDP) failed to keep to their promise, I will have no option than to follow the dictates of my heart and move on.”

Meanwhile, those that have made the list as supervisors and special advisers as announced on radio, will be sworn-into office today.   

Source: The Sensor Newspaper