The ongoing All Progressive Congress (APC) membership registration and revalidation which started on August 4, 2025 is recording a very poor turnout in all 329 INEC recognized wards in Akwa Ibom State.
The APC State Chairman Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, set the ball rolling by releasing materials to Ward Chairmen for the registration and revalidation on Monday at the party secretariat in Uyo.
In all 329 Wards, registrants were metropolitan party elites who all went to their respective wards to register as new members of the party or as earlier APC members.
While Governor Umo Eno went to his Ibiakpan Obotim Ward II in Nsit Ubium, where he received registration number 001of the party in his ward.
in other local government areas, only some former APC members turned out at the first call while other People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members in all LGA at the grassroot stay put and still contemplating whether they should join APC or not.
Etinan LGA suffered this same fate as the local government council chairman Hon Uko Umoh said he is going to use the service of town criers to mobilize people to go and register as APC members.
Uko Umoh and the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Uko Udom SAN has to lobby Etinan people to join APC as according to him, the more we join the party the more the projects from the Federal Government in Etinan.
Noticing the poor attendance of intending APC members in all the wards the council chairman said:
“Ward Chairman this responsibility falls on your shoulders. Engage the services of town criers in all the nine villages of the ward. Let our number prove our size as the biggest ward in the local government with the highest number of registered members.
“The higher the number of registered members, the greater our chances to benefit from government projects”
Also speaking the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, SAN, thanked the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for bringing projects to northern Iman Ward 2 and he further said:
“The government brought electricity project to Ikot Isong, Model Primary School, Ibom paint limited and a computer centre here at community secondary school, Asuna.
“When we register more, we will have more projects” he assured.
In Abak, the Commissioner for Information Honourable Aniekan Umanah announced that cash will be shared to anyone coming for the registration.
Trying to lobby intending registrants Hon. Umanah said:
“I’m happy to partake in this exercise mandated by Governor Umo Eno who has judiciously used resources available from Abuja to drive critical projects and programs in Akwa Ibom State.
“I urge you to remain committed to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the ARISE Agenda. Together, in unity, lets all be agents of truth, progress and national growth.
“The Governor mandated us to make all of you happy today, so we’ve provided money for your transportation and entertainment”, Umanah said.
In Ukanafun the Local Government Council Chairman is preaching the gospel of unity, reconciliation and together as majority of of indigenes are still loyal late Udo Ekpenyong structure of PDP and his successor Elder Aniekan Akpan the incumbent State Chairman of PDP.
The Apathy in membership and revalidation is much more felt in Ukanafun as the Council Chairman Uyo Ukpanah who is the Interim Political Leader is trying bring all the factions in the LGA together. Speaking to registrants he said:
“I have brought peace through the leadership and wisdom of Governor Umo Eno,”
He emphasized that the success of the revalidation exercise depends on collective effort and transparency, stressing that no member, old or new should be excluded or victimized.
“We must carry everyone along. This is not the time for factions or personal interests. Governor Umo Eno made a wise move by aligning fully with the people. As interim Political Leader, I will ensure unity and work towards the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and our Governor,” he stated.
While commending the collaboration so far, Hon. Ukpanah cautioned against disobedience to state directives, citing a recent incident involving the Chairman of Ward 1.
He berated the ward chairman for issuing a notice on Sunday, August 3, and appointing a stakeholder without proper consultation, contrary to the Governors instruction and established party protocols.
“Such unilateral actions will not be tolerated. Ward 1 remains the only ward where we’ve experienced disruptions against the Governors clear directive. That must not repeat,” he warned.
