… assures of victory at the polls, purposeful leadership
By Monday Usoroh
UYO— Labour Party House of Representatives hopeful for Uyo/ Ibesikpo Asutan/Nsit Atai/Uruan Federal Constituency; Mr Ikakke Bassey, on Tuesday took a major step towards the 2027 general elections with the inauguration of a 25-man Central Campaign Team, unveiling what he described as a deliberate “coalition of inclusion” to wrestle the seat and redefine representation in the area.
The team, christened ‘Démmé Political Movement 4 Ikakke Bassey’, was inaugurated at a well-attended event at the State Headquarters of the Labour Party, #40, Akwa Efak, off Udoudoma Avenue, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The word ‘Démmé’ as Mr. Ikakke noted, means “wake up” in Ibibio, a charge he said must reflect in the commitment, strategy and grassroots mobilization of the campaign council.
Speaking during the inauguration, National Assembly hopeful stressed that the composition of the team marks a departure from the usual practice of restricting campaign structures to party loyalists and indigenes of the four local government areas that make up the federal constituency.
“When you look at this team, you will realize that it’s a Coalition of people from different political parties, ethnic groups, states and local government areas outside Uyo federal constituency. This is intentional and novel,” he declared.
“This is the first time in the history of our federal constituency that a National Assembly candidate who is vying to represent just four LGAs of Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai and Uruan, would consider bringing in people from other states and Constituencies into his campaign team. This is the first time. This is how it ought to be. And we’re going to replicate this across board. If you see our opponents trying expand it this time to reach out to you, just know that they are copying us. They are not sincere. They just want to deceive you so that they would dump you after using you as usual.”
Uyo Federal Constituency comprises the state capital; Uyo, and the neighboring LGAs of Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai and Uruan. It is one of the most politically competitive seats in Akwa Ibom, with a diverse population that includes Ibibio, Annang, Oron, Obolo, and significant non-indigenous communities of Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and others who live and do business in the state capital.
Ikakke argued that the decision to open the campaign structure beyond traditional boundaries was driven by the reality of how federal resources are allocated.
“This is deliberate…”, Ikakke emphasized, continuing “…because you know what: as long as you reside within Uyo federal constituency, you are supposed to be a partaker of whatever is allocated to the constituency. Whether you are Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Annang, Oron, Obolo, etc, or a member of any other political parties, or religion, you are captured amongst the demographic data with which resources and constituency funds are allocated to this constituency”.
He accused past and present representatives of monopolizing constituency benefits.
“Unfortunately, our representatives have been cheating you by allocating all the huge resources just for themselves and children alone. So, I am coming out to change the status quo. Everyone must benefit from my legislative engagements and oversights, including empowerment programmes, jobs, skills, projects and so forth.”
The Labour Party candidate, who is positioning himself as an alternative voice ahead of the 2027 polls, expressed confidence that the coalition approach would translate to electoral victory.
“I can assure you, we’re going to win and together we shall, for the first time, deliver to the people a purposeful and people-centric representation,” Ikakke assured the crowd, drawing applause from supporters.
Some attendees at the event, while speaking to our Correspondent noted that the ‘Démmé’ model could reshape campaign strategy in Akwa Ibom, where elections are often contested along party, clan and ethnic lines.
They opined that by recruiting members from outside the constituency and across party lines, Ikakke appears to be betting on a broader base of goodwill and volunteer energy, a tactic that mirrors the Labour Party’s surprise showing in the 2023 elections driven by youth and cross-demographic support.
The 25-man Central Campaign Team is expected to coordinate mobilization, media, youth engagement, women outreach and policy articulation for the campaign. Members drawn from professional bodies, civil society, student groups and the informal sector were present at the inauguration.
In his acceptance speech, the Director-General of the Démmé Political Movement 4 Ikakke Bassey, Mr. Anthony Carl Ekong, thanked the candidate for the confidence reposed in him and other members.
He described the appointment as both an honor and a responsibility, pledging that the team would not disappoint.
“I thank our Principal, Ikakke Bassey, for this trust. We will hit the ground running immediately,” Ekong said.
He continued: “To my colleagues on this team, the task ahead is clear. We must gear up for victory. We must take the message of purposeful leadership to every street, village and market in Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai and Uruan. The people are waiting for change, and we will deliver it.”
Ekong added that the campaign would prioritize town hall engagements, data-driven voter outreach, and a manifesto focused on job creation, skills acquisition, education support, healthcare access and oversight of federal projects in the constituency.
The inauguration comes early in the 2027 election cycle, signaling that aspirants are already consolidating structures.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, promising that it’s set to conduct a free and fair elections next year, parties are quietly building momentum, and Labour Party stakeholders in Akwa Ibom say they are targeting more legislative seats to build on the party’s national profile.
At the event were the State Chairman of the Labour Party; Mrs Freena Akpanusong, Labour Party’s State Political Leader; Obong Uduakobong Udoh, Ph.D, State Secretary; Elder Unwana Isaiah, State Publicity Secretary; Comrade Ime Silas.
Others were State Woman Leader; Comrade Nkoyo Walter, State Youth Leader; Pastor Uwem Udoh, and other Party leaders including Obong Ita George, Mr. Solomon Ekong, and a host of others.
As the ‘Démmé’ movement begins work, Ikakke’s message was simple: representation must be inclusive, accountable, and felt by all residents, not just a privileged few.
“We are waking up a sleeping constituency,” he said. “And as we wake up, we work.”
The campaign team is expected to roll out its full structure including LGA, Ward and Unit Coordinators in the coming weeks.
