LG Elections: Ndoma Egba, Speaker Ayambem Battle Over Ikom Chairmanship Ticket As Ojogu Set To Emerge
By Missang AKPET
Ikom local government has always maintained a sense of brotherhood and togetherness especially when it comes to power sharing.
The system has always displayed a good sense of equity and fairness as regards politics regardless of the party or platform.
This has made it possible for all the 11 wards that make up Ikom LGA, to have a feel of chairmanship seat except Akparabong, which have never had neither an elected chairman or an appointed caretaker chairperson.
But considering the present political calculation in Ikom, the possibility of Akparabong ward clinching the council seat seems far-off as Akparabong holds the Ikom 1 House of Assembly seat in the person of Hon. Samuel Neji Abang as well as the present Commissionership slot allocated to Ikom LGA in the person of Prince Eka Williams (Commissioner for Power).
Giving this, stakeholders are gravitating to Olulumo and Ofutop 1 wards who are the only wards asides from Akparabong that are yet to produce elected chairmen but have both produced appointed caretaker chairmen in the person's of Barr. Ajan Odey (Olulumo) and Dr. Alice Ekwu (Ofutop 1).
As it stands now, although Olulumo ward has been agitating for the chairmanship slot in the two leading political parties (APC/PDP), rumours have it that the APC are planning to micro-zone the slot to Ofutop 1 amid clash of interest from different quarters.
An APC stalwart in Ikom, who spoke with our correspondent revealed that even when key political offices are occupied by Akparabong sons, the caucus leader of the party in Ikom and former leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, who is also from Akparabong, is insisting that the chairmanship be zoned to Akparabong while the speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, who is from Nde ward, is spearheading micro-zoning the chairmanship to Ofutop 1 ward.
Anyambem is said to be rooting for a former Councillor Hon. Ndifon Ekok Ojogu as his preferred choice for Ikom Chairmanship ticket.
Some stakeholders argued that considering the good job Anyambem is doing at House and his die-hard support for HE Governor Bassey Otu, his candidate might likely clinch it.
