By Anietie Ekong.

Reading through the article by Aniekeme Finbarr, a Personal Assistant on Media to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, one is left wondering whether he means well for the Governor or is an agent provocateur on a mission to destroy the good relationship presently existing between the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.

Looking at it on its face value and for whatever it is worth what Mr Finbarr sought to do is to reply Senator Akpabio that contrary to what the Senator had said, indeed the concerns by the elders, youths, women, leadership and the entire people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is misplaced. It's like telling Senator Akpabio, "shut up sir."
According to media report, Senator Akpabio is quoted to have said “2018 is less than one year to election, all is not well, don’t allow anybody to deceive you that all is well." By countering with this infamous write up that all is well, Mr Finbarr is directly responding to Senator Akpabio. Tellingly, one government sponsored blog puts it succinctly " Udom's aide replies Akpabio: All is well in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District."

Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is one constituency that has stood by the Governor through thick and thin. This is not just because the zone is being led by Senator Akpabio who against all odds supported Mr Emmanuel and stood by him to be his successor. Ever since then Senator Akpabio and indeed the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District have stood by and supported the Governor. Even political analyst believe that Ikot Ekpene is one zone that the Governor is almost guaranteed a block vote. Through the youths and elders the zone have pledged to support the Governor in his second term bid.

Coming at a time that there has been some form of rapprochement among the elders and the areas of concern being addressed, Mr Finbarr's article is at best provocative and indeed a serious threat to the peace building effort. If unchecked, it has the potential of further alienating the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District from the administration of Mr Udom Emmanuel.

Some form of excitement comes with writing an article for public consumption especially writing on issues of public interest. But it is the taming of such exuberance especially when one is a spokesperson of the government that defines maturity. By stoking the fire and outrightly insulting Senator Akpabio, the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Aniekeme Finbarr exhibited none of such.

One of the issues of concern was the seeming abandonment of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene. On January 13, 2017, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Special Duties Mr Akan Okon along with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Mrs Valerie Obot had led journalists on a two hours eight minutes (according to media reports) tour of the fully furnished hotel complex. The Commissioner threw the doors of the hotel open for every doubting Thomas to see that what needed to be done was dotting of the i's and crossing of the t's for the hotel to be functional and indeed promised that by year end the hotel will be operational. At a meeting with Senator Akpabio with youths of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District on new year day the youths expressed concern that the hotel was still not functional as promised by the government, a concern the Senator accepted to address with the Governor. This is what Mr Finbarr is asking Senator Akpabio to shut up. Mr Finbarr may do well to post pictures on the state of the roads in the Senatorial District which he listed as being under construction, a concern the people told Senator Akpabio that nothing much seems to be happening in the zone, a vote basket of the Governor.

In another meeting the elders of the Senatorial District had with their leader they equally expressed concerns that the Uyo - Ikot Ekpene road was yet to receive the attention of the state government. It is a known fact that his predecessor, Obong Victor Attah never supported Chief Akpabio to succeed him. But the ways of God are not the ways of man. As God would have it, Chief Akpabio succeeded Obong Attah. Remarkably, one of the most beautiful roads (dualized and complete with the most modern street lights) ever done in Akwa Ibom State by the Akpabio administration leads to Obong Attah's house. Even if Senator Akpabio did not support Mr Emmanuel the uncompleted section of the Ikot Ekpene road is in Akwa Ibom State and the people demanded to know from Senator Akpabio when the road would receive the attention of the state government just like other roads in the state. And I think the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District stakeholders who met with Governor Emmanuel on January 4, 2018 were quite satisfied with his explanations and efforts. But not so with an overzealous media aide who wants to stoke fire against his boss by insulting the leader of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and inciting the people against the Governor.

Many other issues were raised and the Governor promised to address them. This is as it should be. Senator Akpabio has said several times that his people will support Mr. Udom Emmanuel not only to succeed but in his bid for a second term. He has championed several motions at different fora to adopt the Governor for a second term even as recent as the meeting with the youths of the Senatorial District on new year day.

Writing a highly inflammatory article by a media aide to the Governor to spite and diminish the Senate Minority Leader is most unfortunate and most unhelpful even to the government that he defends.

Mr Ekong is the Special Assistant on Media to the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Akpabio.