PRESS RELEASE

IBOM DEEP SEAPORT AND THE TANTRUMS OF ETHNIC CHAUVINISTS.


Akwa Ibom in the last 72hrs has been enmeshed in wild ethnic altercation arising from uncultured and ill-mannered statements and several articles with ethnocentric content, streaked with biases, inciting intent on social media, emanating from some ethnic dogmatists from Oro Nation of Akwa Ibom State, Engr. Nkpubre Okon Nkpubre and others who poured invectives on the office of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State in an attempt to discredit the status of Ibom Deep seaport as explained by Governor Emmanuel in that media chat.

Nkpubre and his coteries, in their unintelligible version of ethnic defense swerved from a supposed issue based argument and went so low to insulting, maligning and castigating the Governor for stating inter alia that Oron people should be held responsible if Ibom Deep Seaport is not actualized before the exit of his tenure as Governor in 2023.

In as much as we are not holding brief for the State Government, it is however noteworthy as those who hold the office of the Governor in high esteem, that no one is against a genuine agitation for the well-being of his or her people or the development of his region, but resorting to parochialism and harangue on the Governor while making these agitations, speaks explicitly of the concealed aims and motives -which is to incite the Oronians against the Governor.

Everyone is aware that the shifting of Ibom Deep Seaport to Uyenge still in Mbo Local Government of Oro Nation wasn’t the decision of the Governor but the recommendation made by a Technical Committee of witted personalities in the Marine Sector. These personalities, professionally inclined in this sector, having assessed the plethora of encumbrances that might hinder the easy ride to fruition of the Seaport made professional suggestions which included the port movement to another part of Oro Nation. It is therefore absurd that some selfish individuals have, because of politics and hatred, erased Mbo from Oro Nation, and rather than confront the technical team with some superior technical arguments, the resort to attacking the Governor whose only duty was to approve the recommendations of the committee after an unreserved satisfactory brief.

The Nkpubres have forgotten that from the inception of democratic dispensations, it is an unarguable fact that only the administration of His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel has visited Oro across every stratum of the economy, from the education, agricultural, health sectors, even in road infrastructural network, and has left visible imprints in the sands of Oro Nation- such a man deserves commendation and not trash-talking. The Udom Emmanuel’s administration in his magnanimity has awarded more contracts to Oron sons than any other government in his own way of promoting local content. If in doubt, ask Bishop Etim Ante, President of Oro Union, who is also a beneficiary of the Governor’s kind gesture.

If they cannot praise Governor Emmanuel for remodeling and re-equipping Oron General Hospital, Iquita, they should applaud him for the Uya Oro - Oron Beach Expressway he rescued from gully erosion. He should be applauded for Murtala Mohammed Way, Mainland Avenue, Customs Road, Post Office Road, Apostolic Road, and several other roads which he reinvented.

Nkpubre (whatever that means) and his cronies have shredded away the remains of their personae. They have proven that instead of encouraging their kindred to be open to development, they prefer to rather twist facts and chase away the development off their areas. Their likes belong to a class of ingrates who complain about the one thing the Governor have not done for them, instead of being thankful for the thousands of things he has done for them.

These polemics on the Governor by these chauvinists, who portray themselves as true lovers of Oro Nation, when in actual sense are the real enemies, is highly provocative, an affront on our people who hold the Governor in very high esteem and is capable of disuniting the tie of friendship and brotherhood that is existing between our people and the people of the Oro Nation.

We will not fail to remind Nkpubre and his allies that Governor Udom Emmanuel road on the back of 996, 001 Akwa Ibomites to the Hiltop Mansion in 2015, in 2019, Akwa Ibom people overwhelmingly voted for his reelection, it wasn’t in anyway Oron’s mandate, it was Akwa Ibom people’s mandate, so the same obligation the Governor owes Oro people, he owes Eket, ONNA, Uyo people same. Oro should kill that entitlement mentality; they should know that one who wants to occupy the office of the Governor must respect that office. No one desecrates the office of the Governor and still wishes to claim it.

Ibom Deep Seaport is for Akwa Ibom people, and the largeness, overwhelming benefits and impact of the project should kill all sentiments from all ethnic jingoists. It is obvious that anyone who pitches his tent against the actualization of this project in any guise, is the true enemy of his people. Nkpubre Okon Nkpubre and his co ethnic jingoists are to be held responsible should the project fail.



Jerry Edoho
Chairman


Mfon Bassey
Secretary General

Edet Edet
Publicity Secretary


For Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals


28/09/2021