Pdp Flags-off E-registration In Mkpat Enin, Akwa Ibom State
Even though the 2023 general election is still about 14 months ahead, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Mkpat Enin local government area in Akwa Ibom State have flagged off the electronic registration of its members in a verification and revalidation exercise in preparation for the election.
With 120 polling units and 14 wards, which is the highest number of wards in Akwa Ibom state according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mkpat Enin is considered a stronghold of the PDP having voted marginally for the party at all levels in the last general election.
According to INEC, at the 2019 general election held in Mkpat Enin, PDP polled 18,056, 31,465, and 17,911 at the governorship, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly elections respectively while their closest rivals from the opposition, All Progressives Congress, APC polled 4,769, 11,026, and 4,755 respectively.
The PDP Chapter Chairman, Mkpat Enin, Mr. Anietie Sunday said that the flag-off of the e-registration held yesterday at the party office in Mkpat Enin was to reinforce the flag-off exercise performed by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel at Ibom Hall Ground in October.
He enjoined party members to take advantage of the e-registration exercise which puts an end to the rigorous procedure posed by the analog method stating that with the e-registration, party members can be verified from any part of the world through a central database.
The Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Governor on Power and Managing Director of Ibom Power Company, Engr. Meyen Etukudo who spoke on how the rural community will be carried along said the party had trained people across the 14 wards to go around the 87 villages in Mkpat Enin to register members.
He said, ‘These people are working hard to ensure that their wards or villages do not lag behind in the registration process. They are working seriously to ensure that everyone including teachers, farmers and even pastors are not left behind in the registration’.
Akwa Ibom State’s Commissioner for Works and fire service, Prof. Eno Ibanga who completed his registration and enrolment at the flag-off lauded the initiative of the e-registration. He said the e-registration is not limited by location since it can be done using smartphones.
Meanwhile, the leader of the e-registration team has disclosed that as at the flag-off ceremony, 7,000 party members had been registered. He said with the official flag-off of the e-registration, the team has gained momentum and hopes to register over 150,000 members in the coming days.
Other stakeholders who attended the flag-off ceremony were the Chairman of Mkpat Enin LGA, Anieokpon Ekpo, Member representing Mkpat Enin at the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Victor Ekwere, and a former Commissioner for environment and petroleum resources, Ekong Sampson.