A petition from “Concerned PDP Members” seeking the disqualification of Pastor Umo Eno and stopping him from participating in the primary election has been sent to the screening committee.
The petition dated April 27, 2022, titled, “Fragrant Breach of Section 84 (12) and (13) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Section 182(1)(G) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended by Pastor Umo Bassey Eno: A call for his disqualification” was signed by James Benson Ekpo and Kufre Shilling Paul, and was addressed to the Chairman Screening Committee.
The petition read in parts; “We respectfully write to you on the above-mentioned subject matter to bring to your notice the fact that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno one of the aspirant for the office of Governor in Akwa Ibom State in the forthcoming Primary election of your great party (PDP) is still a serving Director of Ibom Fadama Microfinance Bank an institution incorporated by the Akwa Ibom State Government to access funds from the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for Agricultural purposes”.
“Sir, as we write Pastor Umo Bassey Eno is still an active Director of the said Ibom Fadama Microfinance Bank. Records available shows that he has refused to resign within 30 days as required by law before contesting in the Party’s Governorship Primary election”.
“It is our humble request that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno should be disqualified from participating in the primary election of the Party to avoid our Party being sanctioned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when this information gets to the Commission”.
A certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of Ibom Fadama Microfinance Bank obtained on April 26, 2022, has Umo Bassey Eno, Glory Emmanuel Edet, Oscar John Isobara, Imoabasi Jacob and Imabong Micheal Etok as Directors.
The petitioners asked the PDP Governorship Screening Committee not to clear Eno for the primary so that the party will not loose the 2023 election in the State.
A party chieftain, Chief J. Nkpubre said this is one of the many petitions and incriminating evidence that may jeopardise the chances of PDP in Akwa Ibom if Eno is given the ticket to run as the flag bearer in 2023. He called on the party not to allow itself to be boxed into a corner at the dying minute but to simply disqualify Eno and save the party in the state.
Nkpubre called on Emmanuel to have a rethink over his support for Eno and to avoid repeating Obong Attah’s mistake which made the former Governor not to produce a successor.