PRESS STATEMENT BY ASSOCIATION OF EKET SENATORIAL DISTRICT MEDIA PROFESSIONALS ON THAT VITUPEROUS OUTBURST BY MR EPHRAIM INYANGEYEN: A CALL FOR CAUTION

In line with our avowed commitment to the peace, unity and progress of our beloved state, we hereby wish to sound a note of advice to politicians and their hirelings to refrain from senseless outbursts that could be inflammatory and capable of breaching the peace currently enjoyed in the State. Of particular note is the current video circulated by a former Customs officer, Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, where he launches spurious allegations against Governor Udom Emmanuel, for the delay in completion of certain roads currently being executed in the State. Ephraim specifically urges blames to be directed to the Governor and the Accountant General of the State, claiming that as Commissioner for Works, he had no hand in financial transactions involving contracts.

This is the most irrational and senseless comment a serving public officer could make against his boss, given the fact that before he was appointed a Commissioner in the State Executive Council, this same man had no known reasonable address in the State capital. Suffice it to say that while he held sway as Commissioner for works, the State saw the worst performance of a public officer in that position. Most roads in his care were either fraudulently poor standard or out rightly abandoned.
With Ephraim as Commissioner for Works, poor handling of compensations and alleged under valuing of properties, hampered the good intentions of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s government in infrastructural expansion. Several court cases and traditional injunctions were the order of the day. It was few months after Ephraim was eased out of the Ministry of Works that major roads started getting serious attention from the new Commissioner. Roads in Oruk Anam, Etinan, Uyo-Ikot Ekpene, Eket, Onna and Oron that appeared impossible, are now nearing completion, and nobody hears any further hue of compensations brouhaha.

Ephraim Inyang's vituperative outburst against the Governor and Government of Akwa Ibom State on video is a public embarrassment. By this show of shame, he has exhibited to the whole world that he was never fit and competent to occupy any sensitive position in government, in line with the Individual Responsibility Principle in a presidential system, which implies that a minister (or cabinet member, in this case) appointed by the president (or Governor in this case) is individually held responsible for any decision made or taken in his department or ministry.

No one wants to stop Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen from attempting to contest for whatever position he seeks, despite his area not being favoured by the zoning arrangements, but in going against the tide, he should not rock the boat and spew wild allegations against the man who picked him up and gave him appointment. In refusing to contest for the Senate seat in Eket Senatorial District Governor Emmanuel chose to behave like Elisha who rejected the gifts from Naaman, while Ephraim , in Gehazi’s style is now trying to covet the very same position his boss had earlier rejected.

If a serving Government Official could open his Mouth this Wide, What he can say when he is no longer in power, can only be imagined. Without sounding judgemental, we are left to ponder on how such an individual who hews betrayal, slander, display of toxicity, arrogance and inciting his people against his brother and benefactor, is in any way fit to hold the mandate of the good people of Eket Senatorial District in the Red Chambers? It is stating the obvious that the people's mandate will be misrepresented and the interest distorted.

We restate our implicit confidence in the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel, and in Senator Dr. Akon Eyakenyi, who have performed creditably well in their respective assignments to our people. We also throw our weight behind the position of Eket Senatorial District Leaders.