A mass exodus may soon hit the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State as unfulfilled promises made to members has caused disaffection in their ranks.

Investigations by Global Pilot reveal that the Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr Nsima Ekere who had since commenced his campaign for the 2019 governorship seat, decided to ease the tension by floating non-existent contracts under the aegis of NDDC.

A close source in the camp of the APC chieftain confided with our reporter that unknown to supporters, all the outstanding contracts in NDDC had already been cleared and fully serviced by the former acting Managing Director, Mrs Ibim Semenatari during her ten months reign.

With the NDDC already enmeshed in fraud allegations following the arrival of Mr Nsima Ekere as MD, there has been no hope of funding for the intervention agency, which has made it impossible for contracts to go to APC supporters as expected.

Last week, the NDDC boss made frantic efforts by advertising contracts for bidding, but our source revealed that none of the contracts had been captured in the 2017 budget proposal currently on the floor of the national assembly.

This has left APC stalwarts with the option of having to wait till 2019 before they start reaping from the NDDC, a situation which none of them can accept.

Meanwhile, following alleged promises by Mr Nsima Ekere that he will offer juicy contracts and political offices to later day defectors from PDP to APC, there has been growing pressure by the older APC chieftains for a rethink.

According to information from a meeting hosted in Port Harcourt last weekend, the NDDC boss was advised to desist from any attempt to gratify the PDP defectors , who came for greener pastures, at the expense of APC loyalties who weathered the storm without any benefit.

Among the aggrieved APC stalwarts include former PDP lawmaker Kufre Etuk, as well as former council chairmen Ekerete Ekpenyong and Michael Etim (McJoe) who have reportedly dared Mr Ekere, saying despite the humiliations and sacrifices, they are yet to be rewarded after ditching PDP for APC in the wake of the 2015 election.

Others who are yet to be compensated include Chief Otu Toyo, Chief Soni Udom and Dr. Emem Wills who allegedly threatened to abandon Mr Ekere’s ambition for preferring to reward Barr. Bassey Dan Abia (Jnr) with an appointment in the NDDC as legal adviser, even when former House of Reps member is yet to show the added value he was bringing to the APC.

It is not yet clear if Mr Ekere will be able to douse the tension with his proposed alleged non realizable contracts, but a source at the camp of the aggrieved elders indicated that they have promised to attend no further meeting until Ekere personally shows them respect and recognition with mouth watering job offers.