Fire Razes Ex-A’Ibom PDP Chair’s House, Kills Wife, Sister-In-Law

The multi million naira mansion of the immediate past chairman of Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa ibom state late Obong Udo Ekpeyong was on wee hours of Christmas day consumed by mysterious inferno which claimed the lives of the wife Mrs Elizabeth Udo Ekpeyong and her sister Ms ofonime Frank.

Late Udo Ekpeyong who emerged the chairman of PDP in Akwa ibom state in 2018 suddenly died in office in 2021 after a brief illness at the peak of COVID 19 menace in a specialist hospital in Uyo.

An eye witness told our Correspondent that the cause of the inferno which started at the wee hours of Christmas day could not be established yet but the wife of the late politician and her sister who were in the building were trapped and all efforts to rescue them failed.

Reacting to the sad incident, the transition chairman of Ukanafun Local government area of the state where Udo Ekpeyong hailed from has declared seven days mourning period for all indigenes of the area from 26th December to 1st January 2024.

According to a press statement made available to our Correspondent in Uyo on Tuesday morning endorsed by Hon. Udeme Idiong Secretary, Transition Committee Ukanafun Local Government, it called for the pulling out of the council contingent from the ongoing Christmas festival in Uyo to mourn their deceased.

The statement highlighted, “Sequel to the tragic fire incident that occurred at the residence of our Late State Party Chairman, Obong Udo Ekpenyong on late hours of 24th December 2023 which claimed the lives of his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Udo Ekpenyong and her sister, Ms Ofonime Frank, the Chairman, Transition Committee, Ukanafun Local Government Area, Hon. (Elder) Godwin Ekpe JP has declared a 7 days mourning period for all indigenes of Ukanafun Local Government from Tuesday 26th of December, 2023 to Monday 1st January, 2024.”

It further averred “He has also in collaboration with the Stakeholders of the Local Government and approval of the State Government approved a withdrawal of Ukanafun’s contingent and performance in the ongoing Christmas unplugged activity earlier scheduled to hold on the 28th of December, 2023”.

“While sympathizing with the family of the deceased, we pray for the repose of the departed souls”.