Esit Eket APC in Disarray over Leadership Tussle

Esit Eket APC in Disarray over Leadership Tussle

By Assam Abia

There is an uneasy calm in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State as internal tensions rock the All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter.

What was once celebrated as a stronghold of loyalty and grassroots resilience has now become the epicenter of a fierce leadership struggle threatening to fracture the party’s foundation ahead of future political contests.

In an open letter dated February 14, 2026, and addressed to the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governor Umo Bassey Eno, concerned aboriginal members of the APC in Esit Eket raised alarm over what they described as a systematic dismantling of party structures painstakingly built over the years.

The petitioners, writing under the banner of “Esit Eket Concern Aboriginal Members,” expressed deep pain and a sense of injustice over unfolding events within the party. According to them, individuals who reportedly joined the APC barely six months ago have suddenly emerged as the architects of a sweeping takeover of the local structure, displacing long-standing ward chairmen, statutory officers, and chapter executives who weathered the party’s most difficult seasons.

At the heart of the controversy is the composition of a newly constituted Congress Committee in Esit Eket. Party loyalists allege that four out of five members of the committee are recent entrants into the APC, raising concerns about fairness, internal democracy, and respect for party veterans.

“These are individuals who met a functioning party structure on the ground,” the petition states, arguing that the new power brokers neither contributed financially nor otherwise to the sustenance of the party during its formative and challenging years.

The aggrieved members questioned how those who did not partake in the struggles of the past now preside over the displacement of those who kept the party alive.

The petition further references a pre-Congress list allegedly submitted to state authorities, which reportedly reflects the wholesale removal of ward chairmen, statutory officers, chapter leaders, and other foundational members of the party in Esit Eket. This development, they argue, signals more than mere restructuring, it suggests erasure.

While acknowledging the Governor’s defection to the APC alongside political associates, the petitioners maintain that they welcomed the new entrants in good faith and in the spirit of unity. However, they insist that integration must not translate into total displacement.

“Was the party structure sold? Is loyalty now a liability?” the petition asks pointedly, reflecting the depth of frustration among grassroots members.

They also questioned the urgency behind the sweeping changes, wondering why any intended reorganization could not wait until the 2029 Congress cycle. To them, the rapid overhaul appears less like routine party evolution and more like a calculated purge of established loyalists.

Despite the heated tone of their grievances, the petitioners were careful to emphasize that they are not enemies of progress nor opposed to unity. Rather, they argue that unity must not be built on injustice and that inclusion should not mean the erasure of those who laid the foundation.

The morale of loyal party faithful in Esit Eket, they warned, has sunk to its lowest ebb. Silence from party leaders at this critical juncture, they cautioned, may be interpreted as endorsement of the ongoing displacement.

As tensions simmer, political observers say the situation in Esit Eket underscores the broader challenges that often accompany mass defections and political realignments within Nigeria’s party system. Whether party leadership at the state and national levels will intervene decisively remains to be seen.
For now, the once tightly-knit APC structure in Esit Eket stands at a crossroads, torn between old guards seeking recognition for years of loyalty and new entrants asserting influence in a rapidly shifting political landscape.

Asuk aka Tv 📺📹.