Former Minister, Senator John Udoedehe’s romance with the progressive forces in Akwa Ibom State may end anytime soon, no thanks to his beef with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo
Several months after he lost the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Umana Okon Umana, the former Minister of State of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator John Udoedehe, is allegedly set to join the Peoples Democratic Party, an authoritative source has disclosed.
For some time now, the former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for Akwa Ibom State in the 2011 elections, have been engaged in talks with PDP leaders to fine-tune modalities for his defection.
The discussions, it was learnt, involved the immediate former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, his successor, Udom Emmanuel, Udoedehe and few other PDP leaders in the state.
The outcome of the APC governorship primary which was won by Umana, sources say, was a huge blow for Udoedehe, who had assumed that the governorship ticket was his for the taking.
For him, Umana’s emergence was simply unacceptable. And he never hid his displeasure. From that moment, the former minister allegedly vowed to work against Umana and the party.
Indeed, the former minister walked his talk. Days before President Muhammadu Buhari, then the APC presidential candidate visited Akwa Ibom for his campaign, Udoedehe had allegedly instructed his supporters to stay away from the rally.
Failed reconciliation move
Determined to forge a united front against the PDP in the last elections, the national leadership of the APC raised a high powered panel headed by the party’s former National Vice Chairman (North-East), Engr. Babachir David Lawal, now the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) to reconcile Udoedehe with APC leaders in the state.
For several days, the committee met with relevant stakeholders to discuss the way forward. At the end of it all, the committee made some recommendations, which included the nomination of Udoedehe as the ministerial nominee from the state in the event that APC wins the Presidency; freedom to nominate five persons from five local governments as commissioners if the party wins the governorship seat and nomination of five persons as chairmen of five local government areas of his choice.
The former minister was subsequently invited by the committee to peruse the recommendations and make his inputs. But to the shock of everyone present, Udoedehe allegedly tore the paper given to him and stormed out of the venue.
Subsequent events
Predictably, the PDP took full advantage of the crisis within the APC ranks.
Sources disclosed that the party reached out to the aggrieved APC chieftain during which some undisclosed agreements were sealed between the two parties.
The relationship between Udoedehe and APC leaders in the state grew worse, with the former allegedly using every opportunity to vent his spleen on the party and the governorship candidate.
In one instance, Udoedehe, while featuring on a programme at a private radio station based in the state, allegedly cast aspersions on APC leaders, accusing them of betrayal and receiving bribe from Umana in order to deprive him of the governorship ticket.
At another instance, he was accused of showing total disrespect to party rules and regulations by allegedly asking some unnamed officials of the party, suspended for anti-party activities, to defy the party’s directive.
His deal with PDP
The state PDP is said to be excited about Udoedehe’s alleged impending move to the party, it was learnt.
Though the date for his defection has not been finalised, sources say that the exercise would have taken place before now, but for some loose ends yet to be tied up properly.
Interestingly, some of the offers being dangled before the former lawmaker are similar to the ones proposed by the APC reconciliation committee, a few of which include his nomination of a few loyalists as commissioners and local government chairmen.
APC’s position
The APC seems not bothered about Udoedehe’s alleged romance with the PDP.
Speaking with The Nation recently, the party’s spokesman in the state, Ita Awak, carpeted Udoedehe for his conduct after the governorship primary, adding that the party was aware of the former minister’s plan to defect to PDP.
He said: “Udoedehe’s defection to PDP is not a threat to APC’s popularity in the state. His defection would be good riddance to bad rubbish.”
Shedding more light on what triggered off the crisis, Awak, a former Commissioner for Information in Arch. Victor Attah-led administration, added, “Udoedehe revealed his anti-democratic nature after he lost the governorship ticket to Umana Okon Umana by threatening to pull down the whole house.
“The party leadership, both at the state and federal levels, intervened by appealing to him to sheathe his sword. But rather than toe the party line, Udoedehe resorted to attacking our leaders by casting aspersions on their persons. It is important to put it on record that Udoedehe lost to Umana in a free, fair and credible primary.
“He was not only the aspirant who lost to Umana; there were three others. But he was the only one that the party leadership reached out to and offered some concessions. For months, he has been fraternising with the PDP, but we are not bothered. As a matter of fact, his defection to the PDP is just a matter of time,” he said.
