₦airaland Forum

AKSG

The Akwa Ibom State Government is deeply saddened by the news of the demise of Miss Iniobong Umoren, who is said to have been abducted, raped, assaulted and eventually murdered by Uduak Frank Akpan. This news which was conveyed by the Police is heart wrenching and most disturbing considering the age of the persons involved.

The Governor, while thanking the police for the arrest and interrogation of the suspect, has communicated to the Police hierarchy in the state, his desire for the full administration of justice to the culprit and all persons involved in this crime. This is the least that will be acceptable.

We condemn in totality the gruesome acts that led to the loss of the life of an innocent young woman, whose sincere desire was to earn a decent living. Our state must remain a safe location for all peace loving and law abiding citizens at all times.

We commiserate with the deceased family on this very painful loss and pray God to comfort them.

Signed:

Comrade Ini Ememobong
Honourable Commissioner for Information & Strategy
Akwa Ibom State
03052021

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has renewed calls of social responsibility of the citizenry as panacea for nation building expressing optimism that Nigeria despite its trying times can recover from its challenges.

He said the task of building the country should not be left for Government alone, hence the need for all to collectively join in the duty to rescue the country from its present condition.

Governor Emmanuel made the call on Friday, in Abak, during the burial of late Deaconess Mercy John Umanah, mother of Hon. Aniekan Umanah, Member Representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Dr. Uwemedimoh Umanah, Special Assistant to the Governor on Projects Monitoring.

The Governor noted that despite the trying moments in the country, all hope should not be lost as God will turn things around, adding that all citizens should wake up to their responsibilities.

“I want to encourage Nigerians that all hope is not lost, we shouldn’t lose hope in our country, it’s a trying moment.

"As a nation we have made mistakes here and there in the past years, but I know God has interest in Nigeria and at the end of the day it's God’s definite council that will stand.

While noting that everyone has a role to play, in the Nigeria project, Mr Emmanuel pointed out that, for development to thrive in the country everyone should protect government facilities, and preserve infrastructure of government.

“It is only in Africa that as government you fix a transformer that every common person can benefit from, but some people will go and vandalize that transformer.

"It is only in Africa especially in Nigeria that you fix electric cable between Abak to Ika Local Government when you wake up all the electric cables are gone. That’s not government to be blamed, we also have to blame ourselves and our communities, that we also contribute to the problems that we are going through.


The governor in his condolence message to the bereaved family prayed God to grant the John Umanah's family the fortitude to bear the loss."

"We are here in deepest sympathy, there is no best time of losing a loved one so it is always sad and unfortunate at anytime that you lose a loved one especially a caring mother".

Governor Emmanuel acknowledged the services of late Madam Mercy Umanah who served as a senior nursing officer at various health facilities in the country.

He acknowledged some of his administration's interventions at the Mercy Hospital, venue of the funeral ceremony, and said his government would further equip the Mercy Hospital as a memorial for the contributions of Deaconess Mercy Umanah to the state health sector.

"I know we promised to revamp ten hospitals to reflect one per federal constituency, but I won't mind if we do more than that number", he said.

He further hinted that the the ongoing remodeling of nearby Ikot Ekpene General Hospital will come with a well equipped training facility to serve as training base for nurses.

Delivering a condolence message, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu described Late Deaconess Mercy Umanah as an astute medical practitioner who affected the lives of persons she came across and contributed significantly to the nursing profession.

Gbajabiamila, acknowledged the sacrifices made by Deaconess Umanah pointing out that her tutelage has raised prominent children including a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, adding that she will be greatly missed by family and entire nursing profession.

Speaking on behalf of the bereaved family, Member Representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, son of the deceased, in a vote of thanks thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for supporting them pay the last respect to their mother, and thanked Members of the House of Representatives who attended the event, praying God to reward their labour of love.

In his homily, the General Superintendent of Qua Iboe Church Nigeria, Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga who spoke on the parable of talents, culled his text from Matt: 14- 27, urged Christians to invest their resources in productive ventures that will create wealth and value chain in the society.

The clergy described the deceased as an illustrious woman who invested her lifetime in humanitarian services and work in the vineyard of God, calling on believers to make their life count on earth.


Media Unit
Govt House,Uyo
01/05/21

Amidst fears and worries across the country over shortfall in the federation allocation in April, workers in Akwa Ibom State have smiled to the bank following receipts of their April salaries.

The Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration has also started payment of over 40 years backlog of retirement benefits of retired and deceased primary school teachers.

It was gathered that while other states in Nigeria have started retrenchment and downsizing of their workforce, others have outrightly reversed the minimum wage from N30,000 to N18,000, rendering several families helpless and hopeless.

One of such states is Kaduna, where Governor Nasir El-Rufai had announced few days ago that he was not a magician and as such had no way he could cater for a bulky civil service.

His government also announced that it was reverting to the N18,000 minimum wage regime for civil servant in Kaduna.

This has not augured well for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) which has resolved to declare an industrial action nationwide if the Kaduna State government goes ahead with its plans to sack civil servants and revert to the 18,000 naira minimum wage.

Recently, the Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was quoted in the media as saying his state will be unable to pay the new minimum wage in March Diri to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

This explains the excitement that has greeted the news of prompt salary payments in Akwa Ibom despite the furore in other parts of the country.

Head of the Civil Service, Akwa Ibom State, Elder Effiong Essien told newsmen on Thursday that the state government further approved the payment of entitlements to 5,296 retired primary school teachers, 1,838 next of kin in the state from 1976 to 2000 which will be paid on batches.

"The payment of this entitlements commenced on Monday, we are hoping to clear the backlogs of the gratuities from 1976 to date. Those who successfully scaled through the verification exercise have received their payment.

"Currently, we have paid 97 next of kin, 67 living retired primary school teachers and 11 volunarables whose both physical and health condition was very pitiable. This payment will be done in batches till we successfully carry out the payment to all beneficiaries", he assured.

The Head of Civil Service commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for being passionate and resolute in his leadership role, and described him as a workers' friendly Governor who pays premium attention to the welfare of the workers.

"God bless our dear Governor," Etop Jimmy, a civil servant told our reporter, as he confirmed alert of his April salary.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has urged other leaders to take a cue from the strides of Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, and bring developmental projects to their people.


Governor Emmanuel spoke while at Delta state Thursday, as special guest, to inaugurate some projects executed by the Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

The projects included the Agbarho/Orherhe Road, the Dualised Emote Road, Oleh and the Emore Grammar School,Oleh.


"If you check Nigeria today, the only people inaugurating projects are PDP states.

"Let each state bring out what they have done and you will be proud of what PDP governors have done in their respective states.

"I know people will say we receive so much because we are oil-producing states, but have you asked how much money we spend on constructing roads in the South-South?

"This is the real dividend of democracy because what you put on ground for the common man and everybody to enjoy is the real dividend of democracy.

"If people will have time to come and document all we have done in the region they will be amazed with what we have done even with the inflation and foreign exchange challenges.

"And, I believe that the entire community and the Isoko nation will support PDP because we stand for the economic development of the nation," he said.

Mr Emmanuel commended Dr. Okowa for his outstanding accomplishments in road, education and human capital development, remarking that only governors of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-controlled states were executing projects across the country.

"Governance is all about continuity and I must commend you because your predecessor conceived this project and you came and brought it to fruition

"When you give the people education you have exposed them to the entire world and I must commend Governor Okowa for his vision in completing this project.

"All we have inaugurated today and many more that are yet to be inaugurated is a pointer to the fact that only PDP governors are working and am proud to say that when others will say there is a casting down, we will say there is a lifting up.

"What I am seeing here today at the Emore Grammar School Oleh, is something worth emulation, good space management, easy to manage, excellent facilities with good rendition and I hope that the teachers will bring out the best out of the students so that they can compete anywhere they find themselves," Udom stressed.


Media Unit
Govt House,Uyo
29/04/21

3) Dr. Patrick Umoh also shamelessly exposed himself further when he said "I was present at the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District Collation Centre, Ikot Ekpene where the collation of results was done. The facts were clear that Sen. Akpabio had emerged the winner of the elections. He had won overwhelmingly in Essien Udim Local Government Area where he comes from with about 61,329 votes to emerge the overall winner of the Senatorial elections." On the contrary, INEC and court records show that the total accredited voters from Card Reader report and on voters register was only 19,324. Dr Umoh and his principal Godswill Akpabio have no legal proof of how they came about the extra 40,676 unaccredited voters.Rather than allow the people to vote, Akpabio used thugs and compromised security personnel to cart away election result sheets of his Essien Udim LGA and allocated the bogus figures of votes to himself with no evidence of card reader accreditation and manual thicking on the Voters register (Watch attached video of press conference by Foreign Election Observers). On the claim of manufactured and allocated bogus 61,329 votes that Akpabio gave to himself, the following is the judgment and verdict of the Tribunal and Appeal Court on this shameless election rigger ; "To succeed on this allegation of malpractice , that the result or score which accrue to the appellant [Akpabio] were unjustifiably adjusted to his disadvantage, he must first prove that the votes (61,339) were valid votes. He needed to go back to the basis to lead evidence of witnesses, evidence of polling agents.No such evidence of accreditation of voters at polling units was led. This is the foundation of his case. Without the accreditation of voters, there cannot be any valid election let alone votes cast at that election. Therefore, in the absence of voters register, evidence of accreditation, collation, it cannot be said that the due process of election has been complete in Essien Udim hence the figures ascribed to the appellant[Akpabio] is questioned. The appellant did not lead evidence to the effect that the scores (61,330) relied upon as his score were valid votes or scores secured after the observance of due electoral process. Unless the appellant[Akpabio] succeeded in leading cogent evidence to his entittlement to the scores (61,330) ascribed to him, his assertion or claim that scored by him were manipulated, tampered with, altered or unlawfully adjusted by the 3rd respondent [INEC] in favour of the 1st respondent[Chris Ekpeyoung] were spurious claims" . The Appeal Court went further to vindicate the position of INEC that election in Akpabio's LGA was marred by violence and no legitimate votes could emanate from such constituency (see video) when the court said "Evidence of INEC official at the election indicate that there were unpredicted acts of violence, thuggery, intimidation, hijacking of election materials on the day of the election took.." Despite this damning verdict of the final Appeal court on this matter, having failed woefully to prove those criminal allegations, Akpabio and his propangandist, Patrick Umoh are still spreading lies on social media to Nigerians after the conviction of their compromised professor who is now serving three years jail terms.

4) Mr. Patrick Umoh further distorted the facts on record when he wrote that; "the electoral umpires, led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner –Mike Igini in conspiracy with others and in total disregard to the provisions of the Electoral Act, brazenly hijacked the entire process to the Headquarters of INEC in Uyo, another Senatorial District, kept it for three days, mutilated the result, and arbitrarily cancelled the outcomes in the various polling units across the Senatorial District with reckless abandon; without recourse to the provisions of the law and the tenets of democracy" Contrary to Umoh's misleading claim; The fact which all concerned stakeholders witnessed was that INEC had prepared all the legal requirements to announce the results at the Senatorial zone, but Akpabio and his thugs threatened violence and prevented INEC officials from going to announce the result. The heavily compromised commissioner of police according to report then said he could not guarantee security if the results were announced at the senatorial headquarter. Akpabio challenged the outcomes using all the available legal options open to him but failed, he lost both at the Tribunal and the Appeal court where he sought to use his Essien Udim alone to up-turn the election results of nine (9) LGAs where he was defeated. Further emerging facts revealed that INEC under Commissioner Mike Igini turned down all of Akpabio's offer of billions of naira to steal the election for him. Akpabio then went to the Tribunal with offer of billions but lost. He then went to the Appeal court with offers of billion, he was not only given a daming verdict by oughtright rejection of his bogus votes (61,339) the court cancelled the entire election conducted at Essien Udim LGA and ordered a re-run on the 25th of January, 2020, he lost the election in his polling unit, Wards and indeed the entire LGA (see video of corpers kidnapped at his residence during the re-run election). Despite Dr Umoh's delusional claim of Akpabio's popularity, today, in Akwa lbom state, Akpabio does not have electoral influence over any Councillors, LGA Chairman not even in his Essien Udim LGA nor does he control any state constituency legislators, House of Representative, Senate nor the state government. If a man claims that he is an influential leader and he looks back and find out that nobody is following, then of course he is taking a lone walk. Akpabio is currently taking a lone walk and nobody is following him.

Akpabio's ascendence to political power was rooted on election rigging using compromised INEC officials Security system, it was not based on genuine graasroot support of the people of Akwa lbom state derived from one person-one-vote. Akpabio's hitherto acclaimed political influence were like crops that were planted on a hill top, that will be harvested by the wind. That is what has happened when INEC in Akwa lbom before the 2019 election relocated all the polling units from private homes where Akpabio and his thugs hitherto used to rig elections.

5) Dr Umoh also distorted the issue of conviction of Prof. Peter Ogban in his contiunuing failed efforts to mislead the public when he wrote that "The recent happenings leading to the conviction of Prof. Ogban is another hard stroke on our democracy. The convicted Prof. Ogban was sued by Sen. Akpabio as the 4th Respondent at the Tribunal and at the Court of Appeal respectively." By this statement, Akpabio's propangandist tried to give the impression to the public that he was the first to sue convicted Prof. Peter Ogban over electoral fraud whereas Akpabio and his coordinator of lies merely played to the gallery by adding the name of Prof.Peter Ogban and the INEC Rec as Respondents when they knew that the electoral Act provided under section 137 that it will not be necessary to sue Presiding officers, Returning officers and Electoral officers but INEC as a Respondent.

Akpabio is only distancing himself from a failed accomplice, having compromised Professor Peter Ogban but failed to meet his election rigging goal. Nigerians are not surprised because there is saying by our Anang speaking people of Akpabio's tribe that "When the bush is on fire, grasshoppers do not have the luxury of time to bid each other goodbye". At the tribunal and Appeal court, Akpabio did not raise any issue against Prof. Peter Ogban as being claimed now after the man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment.

6) Another shameful and ridiculous statement made by Patrick Umoh was that "It is even shocking to note that INEC having held the position at the Tribunal that the election was free and fair, did a volte-face on such settled fact/ position which they held in justifying an election which was marred by irregularities and proceeded to prosecute their own Returning Officer as the culprit for electoral fraud." This statement reaffairms the lack of integrity of Patrick Umoh. The whole world knows that it was Akpabio that went to the tribunal to challenge INEC's rejection of the bogus allocation of 61,339 votes to himself from his own Essien Udim LGA, while claiming that the election was free and fair. INEC never at any time submitted that election in Essien Udim was free and fair. INEC maintained that consistency with the prosecution of Prof. Ogban who has been convicted and now in prison. Mr. Patrick Umoh and his principal in one breadth said they were the first to sue Prof Ogban for electoral fraud and in another breadth reffered to him as a "victim" after ruining his career on the quest of Senator Akpabio's failed ambition, while Akpabio sits in the comfort of his home enjoying federal patronage despite his failed crimes.

7) On the issue of beneficiary of this fraud by the University don, Mr. Patrick Umoh and his master Akpabio cannot fool Nigerians as to who was the intended beneficiary of Professor Peter Ogban fraudulent and criminal disingenius efforts to give eight thousand votes (8,000) deducted from Sen. Chris Ekpeyoung to Akpabio. Who in Akwa lbom or in the entire country does Patrick Umoh thinks he hopes to mislead by saying "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the beneficiary of the electoral fraud which took place across Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District. It was the Candidate of the PDP who was announced as the winner of the bizarre Senatorial election. It is commonsensical to note that the outcome of the electoral manipulation was in favour of the PDP" How can Akpabio who is clearly indicted by the conviction of a professor who tries to steal election for him claim shamelessly that he has been "vindicated" ? Clearly, Patrick Umoh and Akpabio are under the influence of high dosage of tramadol.

The concluding paragrapghs of Mr.Patrick Umoh's write up showed clearly that despite been a lawyer, he doesn't know the difference between libel and statement of facts that can be proven in court otherwise he would have refrained from publishing libelous statements against a man of proven integrity like Commissioner Mike lgini when he wrote thus "It is of grave concern to members of the public that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State - Mike Igini who is deemed to have been an accessory after the fact has not been prosecuted. Here is a man who personally drove to the Senatorial District Collation Center in Ikot Ekpene to illegally cart away the result of a concluded election to his office in another senatorial District, superintended over the cancellation of the result and awarded the manipulated result to a preferred party in total disregard to the extant provisions of our Electoral Laws." Can this be proven in court of law that the REC personally drove himself to Essien Udim to commit these criminal acts ? When the police at the time stated that they could not guarantee the security of the REC and his staff owing to violence and threats of violence by Akpabio and his hired thugs? This outrageous and very libellous statement reminds the Akwa-Ibom League of Professionals, and indeed should remind all Nigerians of how Commissioner Mike Igini's own people of Edo state made similar outrageous defamatory statement against him in the build up to the Governorship election last year that they saw him "drive personally" to have a meeting with Gov. Obaseki at 3am on how to rig the Edo election whereas the man was in Lagos where he addressed the press. But shortly after a five billion (N5 billion) suit was instituted, these same accussers went to the social media to publish a written apology, begging Commissioner Mike Igini for forgiveness.

A paragraph of the long apology by one Mayaki is worth quoting here "As a christian, l strive daily to have a conscience and avoid offence towards God and towards men and l am willing to apologise to whosoever l may have offended during the period of my assignment as the Chairman, Media Campaign Council of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the september 19th 2020 Governorship election in Edo state. l released a statement without cross-checking and interrogating my source who thought he could advance my political interest with fake news and thinking propanganda could land us a win, this has proved wrong..l was misled and raised allegation against one of the highly respected and reputable resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission. l tender my profound apology to Mr. Mike Igini" lts hoped that should the nonsense Rec decides to go to court, Dr Umoh will not end up similarly eating humble pie if his libel is tested under Court scrutiny ?

The likes of Commissioner Mike Igini are not many at the moment, that is why the league of Akwa Ibom Professionals will defend this rare and exceptional electoral umpire that risked his life to ensure that our people voted in the 2019 election. By his unwavering committment to credible election, he gave meaning and purpose to our people that the ballot remains the best means of the expression of the will of the people in a democracy. The people of Akwa lbom and Nigerians would recall the leaked audio conversation (see attached audio and take a listen) of how a Governorship candidate and a serving senator planned to bomb the Commissioner's official vehicle to get rid of him as well as several LGAs that were marked for destruction during the election. Our people will forever remember REC Mike Igini and pray to God to give this country more of his type and pedigree for the service of our beleagard country.

Why is it that Mr Patrick Umoh and Akpabio both of whom are pathological liars blowing hot and cold over the conviction of professor Peter Ogban who they compromised to steal a whopping eight thousand (8,000) votes ? Even a Ph.D holder, as he claims, throughout the write up he circulated in the social media, he exhibited so much lexical lunacy, he doesn't even know the spelling of putrefing which he wrote as "petrifing"

Finally, we urge the Nigerian people to join the League of Akwa Ibom Professionals to call on Mr. President and those around him to ask Godswill Akpabio to resign or sack him from the government given the shame that a professor he contracted to steal a senatorial election for him has been convicted to three (3) years jail term has brought upon this administration.


Source: LEAGUE OF AKWA IBOM PROFESSIONALS

According to the saying of elders in lbibio "An over-paid chief priest will always dance naked before the gods" That is how best the Ieague of Akwa lbom Professionals can describe Akpabio's legal team coordinator Mr. Patrick Umoh who has a reputation for propanganda, lying and lacking in integrity. He is Godswill Akpabio's hireling used throughout the periods leading to the 2019 election and in particular during the period of the election petition tribunal sitting in Akwa lbom state.

Throughout that period, He issued reckless press statements in the social media and used some compromised mainstream print media to mislead the public that Akpabio's legal team was denied access to court ordered inspection of election materials, even when the facts available to the public were that they had held a meeting with INEC's Legal department and a schedule for inspection exercise had been agreed upon .

The latter information was made public by INEC officials in a statement in Uyo, as we could recall then in 2019, wherein they urged members of the public to ignore Akpabio's legal team's smear campaign against INEC and the person of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mike Igini, who God Almighty used to give the people of Akwa lbom state the opportunity to see ballot papers and thereby made it possible for the people to vote for the first time since 1999.

The league of Akwa lbom professionals and many people of our state are conversant with Goodswill Akpabio, his hypocrisy,manipulations and Electoral roguery all of which failed owing to the tenacity of INEC officials under the supervision of Mr Igini to conduct free and fair elections.

The league equally knows Dr Patrick Umoh as an unsuccessful practicing lawyer largely lacking in integrity who works for Akpabio and frequently used by him to misinform and confuse the public over matters bordering elections which in 2919 proved to be the liberation election for the people. Mr. Patrick Umoh was reported to have tried to bribe the INEC head of Operations to compromise election documents in the legal department office which led to the Commissioner directive that the staff of INEC in whose office the attempt was made to proceed on compulsory casual leave in order to safeguard the integrity of election documents during the tribunal sitting. Mr. Patrick Umoh has no integrity.

Firstly, Akpabio was denied his usual modus operandi of using polling units (25) located at homes and premises of his associates and himself because they were relocated by INEC to public accessible locations.

Secondly, He tried unsuccessfully to redeploy the Rec, Mike Igini from Akwa lbom in order to obtain illegally result sheets and other sensitive election documents from pliant INEC officials, in 2019.

Thirdly, on the eve of the election Akpabio led thugs and compromised security personnel to kidnap INEC poll officials and election materials, he was tracked down and the Rec was reported to have rebuked him and he begged that he will release them which he did and that was why election was allowed to go the next day in Essien Udim.

Fourthly, Akpabio did everything within his influence to control the entire security apparatus except DSS and the Army giving orders to high ranking police officials like AIG kimo as if he were the Commander in Chief and causing those who resisted to be redeployed. He instigated the redeployment of several security officials including seven police Commissioners. Still he failed only because INEC in Akwa Ibom refused to yield to Electoral corruption but insisted on allowing the people to vote and that their votes must be counted.

Having failed in his corrupt electoral endeavours at the polls, he embarked upon a voyage of mischievous Court processes and media misrepresentations, distortion and obfuscation of facts. Previously, these aspect of his fraudulent modus operandi were successful because he ruined the electoral ecosystem with compromised election INEC officials, and thereaffer feed the Court and the media with distorted facts and figures. Unfortunately he had no such figures and a corrupt Rec in 2019 unlike previous years to rely on this time, hence he desperately sought the few he could get like Prof Ogban and he was caught trying to steal the election for Akpabio and has now ended in prison.

Despite all these notorious facts in the public domain, a jesters like one Dr Patrick Umoh in a parody replete with lies, inconsistencies and libellous distortions of fact, wrote and circulated a publication titled "Inconsistencies of Electoral Umpire:A sad commentary on Nigeria's Democracy". The offensive and outright lies contained in the said publication is the reason why Akwa lbom league of professionals as stakeholders once again wish to debunk and to expose further Akpabio and his coordinator of misinformation and lies telling Mr. Patrick Umoh.

1) Mr. Patrick Umoh consistent with his reputation began by distorting the dates the Election he narrated was conducted as "February 23, 2021, for the Presidential/ National Assembly elections across Nigeria. Whereas it is on the public record that Sen. Godswill Akpabio contested the National Assembly elections for the North-West Senatorial District." on the 23th February 2019. This is the kind of misinformation Akpabio uses Dr. Patrick Umoh to unleash on the people of Akwa lbom since 2019.

2) Dr. Patrick Umoh in the said publication in respect of Akpabio claimed that "The indices were clear that he was to emerge the winner of the elections, having been the most popular candidate amongst those fielded by the different political parties for the elections" Which "indices" is Patrick Umoh reffering to ? The hired mouthpiece is entitled to his delusional opinion about his principal, but not entitled to his facts that are sacred because the facts on INEC and Court records show that his Principal, Akpabio lost in nine (9) LGAs out of the ten (10) that constitute the North-West Senatorial district and tried unsuccessfully to use unparalelled violence in his Essien Udim LGA to smuggle in 61,734 votes to up-turn the entire results in the nine LGAs, where he trailed behind his opponent, Sen. Christ Ekpeyoung by 30,000 votes. Now Nigerians will appreciate Commissioner Mike Igini's interview a week ago when he said that no politician can successfully steal electoral victory under his supervision. The "popular electoral indices" Dr Umoh referred to were Akpabio's corrupt efforts to buy or steal unsuccessfully a senatorial seat through failed accomplices like Prof. Ogban. The league of professionals urge members of the public to read the full text of that interview published in Vanguard Newspaper on Saturday 25th March 2021, as well as The Daily Sun Newspaper published also in March 2021 and several other national newspapers.

Now permit me to begin by stating unequivocally here that both Eedris and Keyamo were comrades in the same struggles. Festus was once an activist for good governance but today he is in the worst Government ever in the history of Nigeria and he's lost his voice. Eedris was an advocate for good governance but today he's struggling to be part of the worst Government ever in the history of Nigeria and out of frustration from being carried along he's no vocally critical against the said Government.

In the yore days of Keyamo's activism he was sent behind bars and eedris made sure to lament over it in his all time hit single Nigeria Jaga Jaga.
But those years are long gone today and those activists have long retired of their activism like the saying goes, if you can't beat them, join them.

Now Keyamo became a minister in the temple of oppression and corruption called Federal Government of Nigeria and Eedris approached him severally through correpondence and physical meeting soliciting to be taken aboard and eventually begging for "alms" from his fellow comrade who failed him, refused him and denied him. In his frustration Eedris went back to the studios to release another version of Nigeria Jaga Jaga and this time made sure to sign out by stating that the same Keyamo he lamented for in the fist edition 17 years ago was now feasting with the oppressors.

In reaction nay retaliation Festus Keyamo SAN released evidence of his chat with Eedris where the song activist was begging him for money and for political favours.

Both men have blundered greatly, in morality, but one of them has blundered in law. Sadly, it is the one who should know better. Festus Keyamo.

By releasing the said chats the Senior Advocate of Nigeria has violated the fundamental right to privacy of his friend and comrade as guaranteed by section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It reads:

"The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected."

The implication of this provision is that the chat between Eedris and Keyamo is protected as private correspondence between the two from being exposed. It is a join ownership. One cannot make public of it without the direct or indirect consent of the other. The only exception to this is where one of the owners denies the existence of such chat (correspondence) at that point Keyamo would have been duty bound to reveal it to prove its existence.
Releasing the said chat in reaction or retaliation to a fair and public comment made about him by his fellow comrade or acquaintance to embarrass him is less than petty.

In fact, the protection of our privacy as regards correspondence and telephone conversation is so serious that even the media houses and individuals themselves who have shared it on the media are all respectively liable! Hence, the very reason, I cannot accompany this write up with them.

The smart thing for Keyamo would have been to dismiss the Eedris' revived activism by accusing him of blackmail or even calling him a frustrated beggar. Eedris being a proud and arrogant short fuse with short memory as well would have denied being a beggar. Boom! To prove that he's a beggar who has importuned the life out of Keyamo arrives the chats!!!

In this case Eedris merely accused Keyamo of abandoning his former anti corruption stance to become a principal member of a corrupt regime. Every Nigerian who was around during Keyamo's days of crusade against bad governance would have wondered how Eedris managed to release a redo of Nigeria Jaga Jaga without mentioning the man who was behind jail in the first release and now part of those sending activists and innocent Nigerians to jail and early grave today.

Alas, Eedris doesn't need to be a desperado to sue Festus Keyamo for an enforcement of his fundamental rights to privacy when the courts reopen. Come to think of it, how is Festus Keyamo SAN able to sleep at night knowing that the courts he use to run to for the sake of his live and that of other Nigerians has been shutdown for weeks now at the instance of the misgovernance of a Government he's now eating fat from?

I write as Comrade Ewa Okpo Edmund II
Street Lawyer, Arbitrator & Literati
08061579995 arrest me if you like!

PASTOR ADEBOYE WORSHIPS AT AKWA IBOM GOVT HOUSE

... PRAYS FOR SUCCESSOR WHO WILL SUSTAIN GOV EMMANUEL'S LEGACIES

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church Worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adeboye popularly known as Daddy G. O, Sunday, worshipped at The Government House’ Latter House Chapel, where he prayed for the continuous peace and development of the State.

Fresh from ministering in a special Sunday Service which was attended by a mammoth crowd of believers as part of his weekend activities in the Akwa Ibom State Capital, Pastor Adeboye, worshipped at the Government House Chapel.

The General Overseer, had a day earlier, been welcomed to the State by the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

In his prayer, Pastor Adeboye asked God to continue to bless the State.

"Let it be well with this State and all those who wish her well too.”

Pastor Adeboye also prayed God to grant the Governor and the State, “a good successor who will continue with the good works the Governor has been doing; who will not disrupt those good works.”

He prayed for a divine revelation on who that person will be.

“ I pray that God should show through Divine revelations to your son who the successor will be.”

The Sevice which had as Guest Minister Pastor Agu Irukwu had as theme” God is doing a new thing,” taken from Isaiah 43:10-19, and was attended by top government officials.

PHOTO NEWS

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, earlier today hosted the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and some top government functionaries, in a worship service at The Latter House Chapel, Government House, Uyo.

Media Unit
Govt House, Uyo.
25/04/21

SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE - EMEMOBONG CHARGES FED GOVT ON MULTI-SECTORAL STRATEGY


The Federal Government has been charged to underake a strategic multi-sectoral approach for security and good governance for Nigerians.

Critical areas of focus include; food sufficiency for the teeming Nigerians, qualitative education in public institutions, youth inclusiveness in national building, enduring infrastructure, non-political interference on issues of federal character representation in appointments, women involvement in politics and righting the wrongs in the political history of Nigeria, among others.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong gave the recipe Thursday 22nd in Uyo, while receiving participants of the Executive Intelligence Management course (EIMC) 14, Syndicate 2, from the National Institute of Security Studies, Abuja, on a courtesy call, as part of their study tour of the state.

Noting that security, is a feeling and revolves around the people, Comrade Ini Ememobong said, Nigerians at all levels, especially the poor in the rural commodities must be provided with sufficient food and essential ammenities to give them a feeling of care, love and security from government without which, they will tend to be antagonistic towards government and the rich amongst them.

"Government should be able to provide qualitative education, with modification in curriculum to capture the current trends and ICT needs in public institutions across the nation where majority of Nigerian youths study, in order to give them hope and trust in the government", the Information helmsman emphasized.

"Youths must be given sufficient reasons to trust the government and must be carried along in all national development processes. When youths who form over 60 percent of the population are left without hope, due to unemployment and poor services, then security challenges will set in", Comrade Ememobong added.

In addition, "the Federal government should not subject national building and security to political interference but should allow federal character to be reflected in appointments, especially in the formation of the national security council", Comrade Ini Ememobong stated.

Recalling that, political wrongs done to some sections and regions of Nigeria which elicited the Civil War are yet to be corrected or apologies tendered, the State Spokesman maintained that, these are some critical challenges to the security of the nation and urged the Federal government to Strategically look into these multi- sectoral issues to be able to effectively attain the desired heights in security and good governance to the Nigerian nation.

The Information Commissioner who lauded the theme of the study tour - "Governance, Security and Sustainable Development in Africa - Nexus, Challenges, Prospects"; which he said was apt, saluted the courage of all the participants and by extension all security operatives for signing to the obligation of laying down their lives for the safety of lives of Nigerians and even those of other countries in Africa, with the position of Nigeria as the giant of Africa, the big brother of other African countries.

On Security in Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Ememobong said, in addition to logistic supports to security agencies, Governor Udom Emmanuel also constituted the Boundary Youth Committees, which gave an opportunity for communities to interface with security agencies on security issues as well as create an office on security matters, all geared at stemming insecurity, earning Akwa Ibom the position of the most peaceful state in Nigeria.

This model, according to the Information Boss, is also adopted by the Ministry of Information, where all Federal government agencies including security apparatuses in the State, are brought together under the State Strategic Information Committee to share information on security matters, geared at boosting security and stemming challenges in the sector.

He expressed appreciation to the team for acknowledging the strides of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led government such as: Ibomair, Kings Flour mill, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing company, good network of roads and the cleanliness of the state, among others, stating that, all these achievements are not mere coincidence but concerted efforts and strategic investments by Governor Udom Emmanuel who runs an investment-oriented governance, based on his years of experience in the banking and business world, where he climbed to the apex of the banking industry as an Executive Director in one of the high brow banks in Nigeria.

The State Information helmsman said, such strategic investments like those of Ibomair, the 21-storey Dakkada Tower which is completely ICT compliant, the Flour mill, Syringe factory, the Ibom 3000 project and the $1.4billion Fertilizer and Ammonia plant underway in Ikot Abasi, are all sustainable development projects and programmes, which are providing jobs, creating wealth, alleviating poverty as well as accruing revenue to the state and has the capacity to last beyond the present administration and even the third generations of Akwa Ibom.

"These projects are not run as appendages of the Civil Service but through PPP arrangements. The government has no hand in their day-to-day operations. They are run purely as business and limited liabilty companies. So sustainability is assured" Comrade Ini Ememobong, said.

The team leader and Syndicate Supervisor, Mr. Emmanuel Esomonu, fsi had said, the group was on tour of the state to broaden their views on the security perspective of the state, as part of the requirements for their 10 months course towards the award of Fellow Security Institute (fsi) of the Nigeria Institute of Security Studies, if found worthy in learning and in character.

Also speaking, the Directing Staff of the study tour, Mrs. Nka Obi-Bisong, fsi, disclosed that, the team is made up of 16 participants of Syndicate 2 of the Executive Intelligence Management Course and Faculty members which form part of class of 66 participants of the EIMC 14.

She said, participants are drawn from 21 Agencies in Nigeria as well as 3 ECOWAS countries of Gambia, Ghana and Liberia and stated that findings during the tour will be documented and made available to the state and federal government to aid in good governance.

Highlight of the event witnessed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Inyang Jameson and Directors in the Ministry were the presentation of publications of the Ministry and souvenir items to the visiting team by the Commissioner, Comrade Ini Ememobong as well as the presentation of a plaque from the Institute to the Commissioner by the team lead.


Press Unit
Office of the Hon. Commissioner
Ministry of Information & Strategy
Akwa Ibom State

Beautiful places to behold if you visit Akwa Ibom state

The Akwa Ibom State Government has just released a travel advisory to guide potential visitors to the South-south state which prides itself as one of the most peaceful in the country.

The travel guide, published by the state’s Ministry of Information and Strategy, is to be distributed free to passengers flying the Akwa Ibom state-owned airline, Ibom Air and other visitors to the state.

Among the places of interest in the publication is a historical bridge called the ‘Bridge of No Return’, where Nigerians sold into slavery from the 16th to the 19th century were taken through and loaded into ships, and from there transported via the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

“Nigeria’s best-kept secret is her treasure – a land of promise, Akwa Ibom State,” the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, wrote in the travelogue.

“This piece of God’s own real estate is carefully hidden at the bottom of the map of the country, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and providing a strategic gateway to the country from any part of the world.

“The land is very fertile and is rich with humongous natural resources. The people remain the best resource of the land, they are industrious, intelligent and remarkably hospitable.

“The state is the safest place in the country, defined by beautiful scenery all through the stretch of the geographic boundaries.

“This is a state that has always earned a prime spot in history; the colonialists landed here, the amalgamation decree was signed here, Christianity found an entry route through here, the first community-organized scholarship scheme was birthed here and so much more.

Mr Ememobong said “history has always been made here” in Akwa Ibom.

Akwa Ibom State Government has received a team from the Agricultural Desk of OCP Africa signalling practical commencement of collaborations .

The visiting OCP Africa team led Mr. Caleb Usoh was treated to a cocktail with the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel represented by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem.

The team is expected to hold technical sessions featuring presentation of the achievements of the Governor in the agricultural sector, activities of OCP Africa in Agriculture, inspection of some public and private agricultural projects, plantations and farms in the State.


In the State Government's delegation at the cocktail were the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet, Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, who also doubles as the Executive Director, Directorate of Agricultural Investments, AKICORP, Chairman, Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Prof. Edet Udoh, Chairman, Technical Committee on Foreign Direct Investment, Mr. Gabriel Ukpeh.

Others included the Vice Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Prof. Umoren Umoren and Dr. Edna Akpan, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor on Marketing and Brand Management , Mr. Ime Uwah, and Special Assistant to the Governor, on Entrepreneurial Development, Mrs. Meflyn Anwana.


Governor Emmanuel had recently expressed optimism that the commencement of the $1.4b fertilizer plant project in Akwa Ibom State by OCP Africa, will have a positive impact on agricultural products as well as create a viable economic chain in the state.

The Governor was of the opinion that people in the state, especially farmers, stand to benefit a lot from the project, as OCP Africa will ensure necessary education for farmers on fertilizer needs and best practices.

He said the project will berth a huge investment in agriculture, partnering with farmers, distributors and stakeholders to foster a thriving agriculture system.

For transparency, accountability and open participation in budgeting processes, Akwa Ibom State Government has been ranked one of the best performing states in the 2020 sub-National Budget Transparency Survey.

The survey conducted by the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) to ascertain the level of budget performance by states of the federation revealed that Akwa Ibom and four other states topped the budget performance index for the year, 2020.

The Nigerian States Budget Transparency Survey Report also revealed that Akwa Ibom and some other Nigerian States have significantly improved budget transparency and participation, and has improved the robustness of the procurement process.

The survey report made available to the public by the Executive Director, CIRDDOC Nigeria, Ral Nwankwao-Obioha, indicates that "Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Kaduna, and Ondo states each scored above 60 percent, meaning they provided significant budget information, spaces for public participation throughout the budget process, and information on procurement".

"Only Oyo and Zamfara states provided almost no budget information, had non-existent spaces for public consultation, and opaque procurement processes".

In her address, the Executive Director of CIRDDOC Nigeria, Ral Nwankwo-Obioha (Mrs.) said the objective of the report is to compare the degree of budget transparency across states, promote international best practices with regards to budgeting and budget process in the States and to inspire and encourage the spirit of competitiveness’ amid states towards promoting budget transparency and government accountability.

“The support and promotion of accountable government is the responsibility of all. While the state governments are saddled with the responsibility of budget development, the citizens, Legislators, Auditor-Generals, Accountant Generals, Civil Society Organisations and the media have significant roles to play in ensuring that the must-haves are included in the budget as well as determine budget execution, Nwankwo-Obioha said.

She reiterated that playing major role in the accountability ecosystem means that all and sundry have access to the budget information. She also said that all citizens should have access to information on how state governments plan revenue, incur debt and spend public resources essential in the financial programmes of the state.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Otive Igbuzor, said that the budget is perhaps the most important instrument for the development of any modern state apart from the constitution.

“The focus on budget has assumed greater prominence in recent years with increasing democratization civil society participation and the desire to respond to the development challenge of poverty and inequality, Dr. Igbuzor said.

He reiterated that budget has been described as the most important document for the development of any country.

“It is the most powerful way that a government can meet the needs and priorities of the citizens. The budget process is crucial to good development outcomes.

“Corruption in any country starts from the budgetary process. In very corrupt countries, the budget is done in secret.

“Releases are done without the knowledge of citizens and procurement Information is not made available to citizens and corruption is guarded and protected. This is why civil society organisations are advocating for an open budget system, Dr. Igbuzor said.

He emphasized that budget is regarded as open if citizens have access to the key budget documents; have high level of involvement in the budgetary process and have access to procurement information Democracy will be meaningless if the citizens do not participate in how government raise and spend money.

“This is why the tool (Open Budget Survey Tracker) developed by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) is a very useful instrument. It surveys the availability of eight key budget documents to members of the public pre-budget statement, executive budget proposal, enacted budget, citizens’ budget, in-year report, mid-year review year-end report and audit report.

“The Pre-budget statement is meant to disclose the parameters of the budget proposal including macro-economic assumptions. The enacted budget is the budget that has been passed into law by the legislature. The Citizens’ budget is a simplified version of the budget proposal that the average citizen can understand and relate with the in-year report is a monthly or quarterly report of budget implementation.


He reiterated that the efficacy of the budget determines the success of governments in meeting societal needs.

“There is a process of making budget which should be open transparent and participatory in order to bring about development.

Unfortunately, despite the enormous resources in Nigeria, the country and its people are poor partly because of corruption, secrecy in the budget process and poor public finance management. This is why open budget is a necessity for development in Nigeria.

“Anyone interested in the development of Nigeria must join the movement for Open Budget in Nigeria, he concluded.

With an average score of 42 out of 100, Nigerian states provided some information on the budget and procurement processes with limited spaces for public participation.

Twelve states significantly increased their scores by 20 points or higher while 18 states have improved their scores by at least one point.

These improvements were mainly due to the timely online publication of budget documents and the enactment of procurement laws meant to better guide the procurement process.

Only a few states regressed since 2018, with Delta and Lagos state scores decreasing by 21 and 22 points, respectively. These states did not publish budget documents online and closed spaces for public participation.

With a score of 90, Jigawa performed best on the Index, as they did in 2018.

The majority of states scored between 20 and 60, meaning they provided minimal to some information on the budget, few spaces for public participation, and limited information on the procurement process.

Only Oyo and Zamfara states provided almost no budget information, had non-existent spaces for public consultation, and opaque procurement processes.

CIRDDOC developed the Nigerian States Budget Transparency Survey (SNBTS) to analyze how transparent, open, and participatory budget and procurement processes are in Nigerian states.

All 36 states are evaluated to see how much budget information is provided, spaces and mechanisms for public participation throughout the budget process, and how robust and transparent the procurement process is in the states.

Remarks were made by the representative of FCDO Nigeria, Sam Waldock, Head of the Governance Team; Worldbank, Nigeria Governors’ Forum among others.

Xiaomi1:
Sorry, who is he?

Ubong King (22 August, 1972 – 26 December, 2020) was a business consultant, security expert and motivational speaker. King was the president of the Ubong King Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation targeted at training young people towards leadership. Mr. Ubong Thompson King was the President of The Ubong King Foundation and convener of the biggest youth empowerment conference in Africa, Thinkation. Prior to his foray into full-time youth development and mentorship, Ubong King distinguished himself in the area of corporate performance, visionary leadership, global competitiveness, innovation and social responsibility as the Chief Executive Officer, Protection Plus Securities Limited.

Dr. Ubong King mandated upon himself the mission to contribute significantly to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1- ‘No Poverty’, and Goal 4- 'Quality Education' which is evident in all his ventures, initiatives and conversations.

He was a frequent speaker at various seminars, conferences and workshops in Nigeria and across Africa as a result of his passion for youth development and the economic liberation of Africa as a continent.

A highly respected and personable executive and business mentor who has established a reputation in the Nigerian Security Industry for solid performance and sound judgment, he was a recipient of the 2016 African Child Prize for ‘Integrity Security Intelligence’ by the African Child Foundation and one of the few recipients of the Star Award in Maritime Security by Crime reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN). He was a former Chairman of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), Lagos Chapter.

He had several certifications and was an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School where he graduated from the Executive Management Program (MSMP 47) and was elected class president and a serving member of the Governing Council of the school. He also attended the Brazilian business experience course in Brazil and an Executive Master’s Program in Business Administration from the Metropolitan School of Business and Management. He was a Fellow of the Institute for Government, Research, Leadership, technology where he was schooled in Corporate Conference and Strategic Management. He was a member of the Nigeria-German Business Association. He actively participated in the Poland-Africa Business forum.

He was a former chairman of The American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) International Chapter 206, Lagos Nigeria

Ubong King:
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Mr. Udom Emmanuel has condoled Amb. Unyime-Ivy King on the demise of her husband, Dr. Ubong King. He made this known while speaking at the funeral service of the late Ubong King held on Friday, April 16, 2021 in Lagos.

Governor Emmanuel, who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Com. Ini Ememobong, in his condolence message addressed to the widow, Amb. (Mrs) Unyime-Ivy King conveyed the condolences of the Government and State to the family.

“The passing of this illustrious son of Akwa Ibom is deeply painful and we share your pain at this moment of your bereavement. However, painful and emotionally wrenching as this sad loss represents, I want you to be consoled by the fact that in his rather short life, your late husband lived a life of deep impact and his humanitarian and altruist pursuits will stand out as shining example of a man who in the words of John Quincy Adam’s, inspired us to “dream more, learn more and become more”, the Governor said.

The funeral service was preceded by a service of songs on Thursday, April 15, 2021, and conducted by House on the Rock Church. In his homily, the metropolitan and Co-Pastor of All House on the Rock Churches, Rev. Paul Adefarasin charged the family and friends of the Late Ubong King not to mourn, as the deceased merely transited his base. He praised the benevolent disposition of the deceased while alive and assured the family of the support of the Church and friends of the deceased.

Ubon Marcus,
Press Unit,
Office of the Hon. Commissioner,
Ministry of Information & Strategy,
Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom State government is inching closer to the actualization of the Ibom Deep Seaport project following the approval of a committee to interface with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Committee for implementation of the project.


The State Executive Council approved the setting up of the joint committee to ensure a smooth take-off of the project, following the report presented to the Council by the Chairman Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport Actualisation and Development, Mrs. Mfon Usoro.


The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, while briefing Government House correspondents after the State Executive Council meeting on Monday evening, said all steps towards the actualization of the deep seaport project was on track.


The Joint Project Committee by the NPA is to serve as a one-stop-shop for all matters concerning the seaport between the Federal and State governments, while the State-instituted Committee will interface with local stakeholders to ensure smooth take-off of the seaport project.


The report on the Ibom Deep Seaport implementation presented by the chairman of the Technical Committee had informed the Council that the Nigeria Ports Authority had set up a Joint Project Committee for the Deep Seaport and also said that every step to be taken on that project was on track.


"To further push the project, Council has set up a committee to interface with local stakeholders for a smooth takeoff of that project”, the Commissioner explained.


Speaking further on resolutions reached at the meeting, the Information boss said the Council undertook a review of quarterly performance reports of Ministries, Departments and Agencies and called for increased efforts towards the Completion Agenda.


The Commissioner also disclosed that for better alignment of job functions, the Governor in Council directed that the Directorate of Solid Minerals be moved from the Ministry of Transports to the Ministry of Environment.


Receiving a scorecard of the first 120 days of the state owned hospitality outfit under the current management, the Icon Group, the council expressed satisfaction with the work done so far and challenged the new managers to improve upon the reports.


The Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency was also mandated to double their efforts for the benefit of the state and the citizenry, as the Chairman, Professor Edet Udoh, presented the Committee’s report to the Executive Council.


Media Unit
Govt House, Uyo
13/04/21

The Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Research and Documentation, Mr Essien Ndueso has called on Akwa Ibom stakeholders at various levels to quit fighting over 2023 gubernatorial ambitions but rather channel such strength towards developing the state through their positions.

Speaking during a live programme titled "Akwa Ibom Calling" on AKBC TV, the aide to the governor said it was rather too early to see media reports of APC leaders bickering over who should be the party leader and possibly select the party's candidates in the next elections.

" It is disappointing fighting on who should take over, and who should be the leader of APC in the state.

“Nobody will ask you about your influence if you can't bring a federal institution, project and opportunities to the State.

" Ministers, Board members, representing us at the national level should make heys while the sun shines and bring developmental projects into the state rather than fight for leadership positions during stakeholders meetings."

He recalled that Governor Emmanuel during the Commissiong of Uyo Local Government administrative building said that people should worry less and allow God choose who will succeed him in the next two years.

Ndueso said it was rather sad that only in Akwa Ibom state, are negative stories sponsored by a opposition leaders to de-market the state, to score cheap political points.

"Check through the media, nowhere would you see a predecessor, engaging his successor in a sponsored media launch, aimed at discrediting his accomplishments in the state."

"Elssewhere, everyone collaborates to bring developments, and when the time for politics come, they return to their respective parties. In Akwa Ibom, you have people payrolled by some attention seeking opposition elements, to constantly insult the incumbent Governor and all his achievements, and this is very saddening"

He further explained that Governor Emmanuel is concerned about quality education and providing adequate facilities which is the reason the state government has prohibited the use of school environment for social and religious activities during weekdays.

Ndueso maintained that Governor Emmanuel in his wisdom recently directed that new facilities and renovations be put in place in schools across the state.

"We tend to overlook excesses, classes are for students to learn but some people convert it to church, traditional marriages venues and burials grounds , meeting places during school hours which can affect the students psychologically."

"Beyond that they could destroy facilities which government is currently putting in place."

Mr Ndueso expressed displeasure at the reported skirmishes in some parts of the state, stating that Governor Emmanuel has stated clearly his zero tolerance for insecurity and wants peace sustained in the state.

He lauded Governor Emmanuel for his deliberate and consistent efforts in construction of roads especially in the hinter lands of the state so as to connect to modern roads.

He recounted that this time last year, Akwa Ibom had her first 5 index cases of Covid-19 pandemic but was able to contain the virus spread because of adequate health care facilities put on place through the vision of the Governor of the state.

"People made projections that Akwa Ibom people will be wiped because we started with 5 cases while others had one. However, our state was prepared for medical emergency not epic center as people from other states craved to be in Akwa Ibom because of the quality medical facilities.

Akwa Ibom State Governor , His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel, today, played host to Gambia's High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Mohamadou Musa Njie on a courtesy visit at the Governor's Office, Uyo.

Governor Emmanuel and the Gambian envoy engaged in bilateral talks, during which the Governor proposed regional flight operations by the state owned Airline, Ibom Air, to the republic of Gambia and other West African countries later in the year.


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Media Unit
Government House
05/04/21

Queen Zara

A former Governor from Akwa Ibom State and current minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been nominated for the position of a party ward chairman in Essien Udim Local Government Area.


Uwem Bernard, a member of the ward caretaker committee and former council officer in Essien Udim disclosed this to newsmen over the weekend. Bernard said that their decision to have Senator Akpabio head the party at the ward level is as the result of the ongoing leadership tussle in Akwa Ibom APC.


Uwem Bernard stated that they don't want what happened to the former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshomole to happen to Senator Akpabio. 
"It is good to lead from home. Akpabio, ever since he lobbied and got appointed into the Federal Executive Council, had been operating from home and we don't feel his impact, that's why we handed over the party at the ward level to him so that he may come back home. Besides that we don't want what happened to the former National chairman of the party to happen to him" Bernard maintained.

Erstwhile chairman of APC National Youth Caucus, Akwa Ibom Chapter, Otuekong Iniobong John has said that he received the sum of N100,000 (Hundred Thousand Naira) from Senator Godswill Akpabio through his Media Aide, Anietie Ekong to blackmail Rev Richard Peters, an aide to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. 

John made the disclosure today while with friends at a Beer parlor located at Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

Narrating how he was asked to attack Rev Richard Peters, he said that a WhatsApp group was created by Etim Etim with the mandate to coordinate Media activities for Senator Godswill Akpabio which includes blackmailing and defaming his opponents.


Iniobong John who has been at the fore of criticising the Udom-Emmanuel led government while projecting that of the former administration also mentioned that he was doing all of that to create enmity between both parties.

"There is no such information like the one I mentioned indicting Rev. Peters. Its not true that the National Secretary of the APC,Senator John James Akpanudoedehe,Obong Umana Okon Umana and other APC chieftains standing against the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio are working for Gov Udom Emmanuel and PDP. Its a mere ploy to jam heads together. I'm doing my job. That's what I'm being paid for", he said while drinking his beer.

Efforts to reinvent tourism in Akwa Ibom state by Governor Udom Emmanuel's administration has continued to win national admiration, with the state emerging the Nigerian Top Tourist State 2020.

At an event organised at the Abuja Jabamah by the Wonders of Nigeria Expo last weekend, Akwa Ibom State emerged winners from among selected states that have invested in tourism in the receding year.

Governor Emmanuel's investment in business and leisure development in the state has yielded impacts with the establishment of nationally celebrated Ibom Airline, the completion of the 22 Storey Dakkada Towers, the completion of the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel,the restructuring of the Ibom Icon Hotels, and the revamp in secondary and quaternary health care delivery systems in the state.

It could also be noted that the institution of events such as the Christmas village and other sociocultural activities, as well as restoration of peace and security in the hitherto volatile state which have led to the establishment of several industries, have all boosted the tourism drive of Akwa Ibom state. Today, most seminars and conferences across the nation are held in Uyo, the beautiful and serene Capital City of the State.

Receiving the award on behalf of the State Government, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Orman Esin thanked the organizers for the recognition.

He restated the resolve of the Governor Emmanuel led administration to partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure robust developments in the Tourism sector, to attract more investments in the sector.

He dedicated the Award to the State Governor for his painstaking efforts towards the development of Tourism in the State.

Abuja Jabamah is a leading annual tourism expo aimed at promoting tourism and empowering Traveling in Nigeria.

Media Unit
Govt House,Uyo
30/03/21

Amidst apprehension over the dwindling fortunes in the economy and the concerns raised over the shortfall in the oil revenue for the month, workers and retirees in Akwa Ibom State have started receiving their March 2021 salaries and pensions.

Governor Udom Emmanuel defied every known economic postulation by paying the salaries and pensions of all categories of workers in the state, despite fears of uncertainty in the air for weeks.

Our investigations reveal that the financial ingenuity of the Governor was brought to bear as workers in the state smiled to the bank with alerts on their phones, as Government kept its part of the bargain in rewarding them for their efforts.

Concerns had been raised on the shortage of revenue accruable to the state following the impact of the December Force Marjorie on Exxon Mobil, fuelling speculations that the state may owe salaries for the month of March 2021.

Some cynics projected that with the revenue fall, it might be impossible for the state Government to keep its pact with workers for the next two months, but through prudence and efficiency in management, Governor Emmanuel has been able to pay the workers and retirees their entitlements.

Akwa Ibom was one of the first states to embrace the current 30,000 naira minimum wage regime in December 2019, and has not owed the salaries of workers since the advent of the Udom Emmanuel administration in 2015.

"A gecko that abandons its tail in times of trouble will not hesitate to surrender its mother for a sacrifice. That is why no animal goes on an expedition with a gecko"

Akpabio has not only disowned Professor Peter Ogban, he surrendered the man for a public sacrifice by slamming more charges against him publicly, thereby painting a public picture of him as a bigger criminal than the court could see. This is the tragedy of Akpabio allies. There can be no heavier weight of a divine judgment that should accompany this than Divine justice that Akpabio alluded to in his litany of lies titled "Akpabio breaks his silence on jailed Professor Peter Ogban" .In reality Below is the true accounts of Akpabio's saga :



1). Akpabio lost the senate election because he is not used to elections where ballots are properly cast but usually writes election results in his home and hotels. That however was not possible under Commissioner Mike lgini who before the 2019 election relocated over 23 Polling Units across the entire 31 LGAs, previously located in homes and premises where Akpabio and followers rigged out the APC Candidate, Mohamadu Buhari in both the 2011 and the 2015 general elections by allocating zero votes to him. 
2). He lost his senatorial election and rushed to the Federal High Court in far away Abuja to procure an order to compel lNEC to issue him a Certificate of Return for the election he did not win. 
3). He lost at the Federal High Court.
4). He went to the Tribunal and lost.

5). He went to the Appeal Court and lost. Contrary to his misleading social media lies, it was only his own LGA that the Appeal court ordered a rerun but upheld results of other 9 LGAs where he lost.
6). He was rebuked in the judgment by the Appeal court at page 21 and 28 while accepting the evidence of poll officials thus "...Evidence of INEC officials at the election indicate that there were unprecedented acts of violence and considering the large scale malpractices in the conduct of the elections at Essien Udim LGA as attested to by RW 17 and; other witnesses called by the Respondents (INEC) which the trial Tribunal agrees with by reason of the unsubstantiated claims of the appellants and thus corroborating these acts of unparalleled thuggery, intimidation, ballot box snatching, abduction etc in Essien Udim LGA on the day of the election, l am inclined to order the nullification of election held in that LGA.


l so order" Akpabio as the Appellant as you have read above made "unsubstantiated cliams" and he lost. That was the kind of terror that Akpabio, using thugs coordinated by compromised security personnel, unleashed on his own LGA of Essien Udim, where he tried to smuggle in over 61,329 bogus votes that he manufactured to upturn the results of the other 9 LGAs where he was trailing hopelessly behind his opponent Senator Chris Ekpenyong who was the actual victim of his fraud, if he had succeeded, contrary to his claim that he was a victim. Akpabio is an incurable liar.
7). There was no evidence of accreditation on both the Voters Register, Card Readers and no polling unit results form EC8A to support these manufactured votes and were hence rejected.

. The Appeal Court affirmed the rejection of the invidious votes by lNEC with commendation and ordered a rerun only in Akpabio's LGA. It affirmed the results of the remaining 9 LGAs where Akpabio lost . Essien Udim was the only LGA of the 31 LGAs of Akwa Ibom State where a rerun was ordered because of Akpabio's deployment of violence during the 2019 general elections. 
9) On his alleged over-voting at Obot Akara , his opponent's LGA that he lied about in his social media publication, there was no over-voting but rather Akpabio having lost in that LGA like other 9 LGAs, he wanted INEC to cancel the election result but was rejected. At the Appeal court here is what the justices of the full panel of the court told Akpabio (Appellant) at page 16 of the judgment "Where over-voting and other forms of electoral malpractices is alleged, it can only be proved by calling units agents to testify and tender relevant documents. Rather than prove his case as the law requires the appellant through witnesses i.e PW 15 and PW16 resorted to the unorthodox manner of relying on information gained from sourece other than their own personal knowledge.

This is clearly hearsay evidence and this is not admissible evidence which the court can rely on to come to the conclusion that there was over-voting in Obot Akara local Government" As reminder, Nigerians would recall that on the eve of the election, all commercial buses hired by INEC parked at its Obot Akara office were set ablaze Akpabio's thuggs to frustrate the conduct of election there but INEC re-mobilized and still delivered election materials to polling units and Akpabio still lost. 

10) On the advisory given by the court on the provision of section 27 of the electoral Act on the place of annoucement of election result, Nigerians like members of the League of Professionals would remeber that Akpabio having lost the election made it impossible for the annoucement of the official result at lkot Ekpene senatorial headquarters having declared himself unilaterarily as the winner of election he lost.
The police commissioner then was reported to have said he could not quarantee security there and that was why lNEC was reported to carry out the annoucement and declaration at its state Head Office in Uyo. Did the court cancel the election because it was declared in Uyo INEC office ? How did that affect the outcome of the election. Is it not a common practice since 2007 where because of insecurity, Governorship election Tribunals that were meant to sit in states moved to far away in Abuja ?  
11). On the rerun of the 25th of January 2020, contrary to their misleading claim in the social media, Akpabio participated in the election using NDDC money and the records are with the National Assembly. Again Akpabio lost at his LGA, his Polling Unit, Ward and the entire LGA despite deploying massive violence on the day of the rerun as captured below by a news medium based on the report of Security Agencies:

"79 thugs arrested at Akpabio's Home with 25 kidnapped NYSC members- POLICE
"A total of 25 NYSC members serving as electoral Adhoc officers were rescued from the residence of Senator Godswill Akpabio's brother during the just concluded rerun elections
A report of the rerun elections, signed by the state police public relations officer, Nnudam Frederick, indicated that 79 suspected thugs were arrested at the site of the crime. 
The police maintained that, "acting on a distress call that INEC Supervisors and Ad-hoc staff, security agents attached to Ward 10, Unit 6 were abducted and the electoral materials seized and diverted to a premises at Ukana Ikot Ntuen in Essien Udim Local Government Area, later identified as the residence of one Ibanga Akpabio, the DCP in-charge of Operations, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, DCP Auwal Musa Muhammed swung into action and rescued twenty-five (25) corps members and twenty-one (21) security personnel. 

"All the electoral materials (were) recovered and seventy-nine (79) suspects arrested at the aforementioned residence"
The police spokes person assured that, "Investigation is in progress and further development will be communicated promptly." 
He confirmed that despite the skirmish recorded, the election was generally peaceful with Senator Godswill Akpabio scoring 83,820 votes thereby losing to Senator Chris Ekpenyong who scored 134,717 votes to emerge as the Senator for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District".
 
It will interest Nigerians to know that Akpabio ensured that those 79 suspects that KIDNAPPED lNEC staff during the 25th 2020 rerun election that the Nigerian police issued a Statement on, were released within24 hours of arrest and up till today, the police is still conducting investigation on the matter. 

Arraignment, conviction and imprisonment of Professor Ogban
1) How can Akpabio claim that the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban is a vindication for him ? Akpabio did not sue Professor Ogban contrary to his lies on social media but it was INEC that ensured the arraignment of Professor Ogban for committing serious electoral offences.
2) Professor Peter Ogban fradulently added 5,000 votes to Akpabio and had been jailed. How is Akpabio vindicated ?
3). The Convict, Professor Peter Ogban, who was compromised by Akpabio was appointed by INEC as the Collation/Returning Officer for the Akwa lbom North West Senatorial election of 2019

4). The Akpabio-compromised convict Professor fraudulently deducted already collated whopping 5,000 votes from Senator Chris Ekpenyong's votes and added same to that of Akpabio without altering the total votes cast. How ? 
5). Whereas Akpabio scored 10, 534 votes and Senator Chris Ekpenyong scored 25,123 votes, this compromised Professor who is now in prison simply dropped the zero(0) from Akpabio's 10,534 and added five in front of one to make it 15,534 with the fraction of the original figures for both candidates unchanged so that it would not be noticed. He deftly reduced the votes of Chris Ekpenyong by the same 5,000 for Akpabio. Fortunately for Election Integrity there is no perfect crime. The Professor was caught by the lNEC Operation Tracking and Vetting System. 
6). At the trial he told the Court that he was solely responsible for the Collation and never mentioned the name of any person that connived with him contrary to Akpabio's lies in his response circulated in the social media. Professor Ogban worked very hard to steal victory for Akpabio and ended up in prison for the next 3 years. How has that vindicted AKPABIO ?   
7). Two of his colleagues from the same University who acted as Collation Officers of the two LGAs that delivered the results to him, testified to the original results that they delivered to him in forms EC 8C 

While under the fire of Cross examination to explain the discrepancies of original results figures, he surprisingly told the Court that he wrote the figures on his Returning result sheet on the basis of the sound of the figures pronounced by his colleagues and Not based on the written result sheets delivered to him. The court room was thrown into laughter ! 
9) But when this Professor, now a prisoner, was asked if the vowel sound of 10,574 votes of Akpabio pronounced by his colleagues to him could be the same sound of 15,123 votes of Chris Ekpeyoung, he admitted they are not the same and his lawyer closed his case and the court adjourned for judgement. 
10) Last Thursday 25th March, the judgment day. After he was convicted, he became sorrowful and pleaded for forgiveness and mercy but the law had to speak and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment with additional fine of N100,000. 
In all, Godswill Akpabio was the mastermind of all the electoral violence and the sole intended beneficiary of the manipulations but he failed woefully and in the process ruined the career of a University Don, Professor Peter Ogban who is now in prison and will be there for next 3 years of his life in a correctional facility. How is that a vindiction of AKPABIO ?

How then is Akpabio vindicated by the imprisonment of the man he paid to falsify election results for him and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment? Is Akpabio on high dosage of Tramadol to indulge in such delusion?
Similarly, another University don compromised by this same Akpabio, Professor lgnatius Uduk, is still on trial on similar and more serious electoral offences in another State High Court in Uyo.
Typical of Akpabio as an evil man, he has now disowned and abandoned Professor Peter Ogban. He is now accusing the same man he compromised to steal election for him and was nabbed, tried, convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment of manipulating election results. He has lied against Professor Ogban that he sued him whereas Akpabio has no litigation action against the professor who is now in prison. Professor Ogban, was thoroughly used and dumped. That is Akpabio for you! 

AKPABIO'S SYLLABUS OF CORRUPTION, MANIPULATIONS, SHAMELESSNESS AND EMBARRASSMENT TO FEDDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA: WHY PRESIDENT BUHARI SHOULD SACK HIM NOW ! 

If there is anyone who has brought the greatest embarrassment and shame to the government of President Mohhamadu Buhari, that person is Godswill Akpabio. If there is one person whose attempted electoral banditary led to the conviction of a professor who will spend 3 years in prison, that person is Godswill Akpabio. If there is anyone in this government who on various video clips on record that abused President Buhari and used the most coustic adjectives to describe and abuse this sitting president before he won election in 2015, that person is Akpabio. If there is one minister who has attracted the most negative controversies that tended to shred the anti-corruption image of this government, that person is Akpabio. If there is one minister who has accused and tarred the entire image of members of the National Assembly as corrupt to the embarrassment of all Nigerians, that person is Akpabio.
If there is one minister who has misled the federal Government to subvert an Act of the National Assembly that established an Ageny called NDDC to develop his own Niger-Delta Region, that person is Akpabio and the list is endless. Therefore, if there is one minister that should be sacked from this government urgently, that person is Godswill Akpabio. We are, therefore calling on the President Buhari without further delay to sack Akpabio now to save this government of whatever that is left of its reputation and image.
The conviction of professor Peter Ogban who is now in prison for 3 years is a huge indictment of Akpabio and his continued stay as a minister a big moral baggage to the government of President Buhari. Now is the time for AKPABIO to be sacked from this government. Akpabio is a dangerous man who will do and say anything to get what he wants but cares little for those he will damage in the process including the president. Akpabio's propensity for corruption and manipulation is innate and embedded in his DNA, Akpabio is like a Donkey that cannot get rid of its large ears merely by shaking its head vigorously.

Click to watch the video here
https://www.facebook.com/essiendu/videos/3147504035273920/

                                                        BY
LEAGUE OF AKWA IBOM PROFESSIONALS
IKOT EKPENE SENATORIAL DISTRICT .
AKWA IBOM STATE

andyblinks05:
nobi dsame akwa ibom wey dey Commission project evry week?

It's that same Akwa Ibom and so?

Priscilla Christopher

The Village of Ikot Ntuk in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been described as the darkest spot of the State by passers-by and indigenes whose living condition, wellbeing and security has remained perpetually deplorable for 228 years.

The Community which is about 45 poles away from the Local Government Headquarters in Ikot Ibritam, and one of the acclaimed 5 urban villages in the area with the second largest vote basket, has no trace of an urban facility; not even an electric pole. Worse is that it has no water source, except a pond which serves the entire community of over 5,000 people and a pipe-borne water of thirty years which never satisfies the people.

Even more, Ikot Ntuk has no graded road, no Hospital/Health Post/Pharmacy/Chemist and has no market. The only seemingly urban structure in the Village is a desk-less dilapidated Primary School located in front of a forest, without Perimeter fencing, windows and doors, uncemented floors and broken ceilings.
Accessible through Ekparakwa junction to Urua Anwa, the community is a 10 minutes drive from the left of the Urua Anwa junction.

Surprisingly, the Local Government is home to Rt. Hon. (Sir) Udo Keiran Akpan, Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Commissioner for Education, Hon. Idongesit Etiebet; Sen. Itak Ekarika; Chairman, Akwa Ibom Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Akpan Ikim; Hon. Sampson Idiong, Hon. Paul Udofia, Mr. Okoko, Iboro Udom, Wife of the Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Mrs. Ime Ephraim Inyang and Her Excellency, Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel, whose paternal home is just a stone throw from Ikot Ntuk.

Moving around the community to the site of the pond, reporters met a dry pond another shocking experience was that it had dried off thus, making the villagers struggle hard to fetch from the only surviving pipe-borne water in the community.

Fielding questions from journalists, the Village Chief of Ikot Ntuk, Chief Michael Ukwok affirmed in vernacular that the ugly sights in the community were real.
“Without the missionaries, we would be dead for lack of water by now; we go to Ikot Ibritam to fetch water when our sources run dry completely and that is about an hour distance from here”.
The Village Chief explained that Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had given them 3 pipe-borne water in 1992, two of which had gone bad overtime.
“The one you see the villagers struggling to fetch from is the last one and we spend up to N80,000 yearly to repair it because as people press the lever everyday, the chain gets weak and eventually breaks. While we wait to have the N80,000 by taxing ourselves, we fetch from that dry pond you saw and pray for the rainy season to come quickly; otherwise, we go to the stream at Ikot Ibritam to fetch water ”, he narrated.

Speaking on the unhygienic water from the pond, the Chief expressed that they had gotten accustomed to the dirty water.
“When we fall sick, we travel down to Ikot Ibritam to buy drugs or Ikot Okoro for medical checkup but in many cases, a lot of people die before getting to the Hospital due to the distance and the deplorable condition of the road. Three people died on this road last year on their way to the hospital”, he recalled.

While lamenting the long years of neglect and deprivation of basic amenities, a former Youth President of the community, Nsese Michael Ukwok informed that Ikot Ntuk is the second largest vote basket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oruk Anam.
“This Village is ward 2 in Oruk Anam. Since independence, till 1999, this village has never done something less in terms of vote. We are more than 5,000 in number. Our population is vast such that another Unit will soon be created from us, only that it has not been approved. If you go to the voters’ register in the state you will see the number of votes this village produces during election. We have always supported the government even to the point of our people dying during election but they abandon us afterwards. The water from the pond you saw has caused so many deaths due to the long trip one has to embark on to access health facilities in Ikot Ibritam and other distant communities deplorable”, he decried.

Describing Ikot Ntuk as the darkest spot in the scrambled continent of the world, a citizen journalist, Udimekong Joshua observed that no infant, adult or aged person has ever set eyes on electricity in the Village.
“We don’t even have poles to start with. We don’t have water yet, we contribute a lot to the development of the State in terms of voting. It is sad that the huge amount of vote which we produce, does not equate with the dividends of democracy here. We deserve even more than 5 water projects in this community because we are more than 5,000. Our urgent need in this community is Water, Electricity, Roads and a Pharmacy at least. Hospitals would be a secondary need”, he maintained.

When asked if the Village has made any attempt to reach out to the government for help, the Village Chief recalled that they had sought the assistance of a former Councilor in the area who told them to stop pestering him.
“The Present Councilor is Mr. Idongesit Udoketor. The former Councilor told us not to bother him again, that we were not the ones who sat him as Councilor”, the Chief said in vernacular.
“I had also written to the SA on Power, Engr. Imeyen and he told me that the letter has been received by the Governor. He also sent his men to come and do an electrical survey of the area but that was the last we heard of it”, he added.

Also mentioning conscious efforts made to reach for help, Joshua recalled that they had succeeded in reaching out to persons and organizations with little or no response.
“Severally, we have approached organizations and individuals for help on borehole drilling but only Hon. Bernard Sampson Idiong heeded the call by giving us a borehole which we cannot maintain due to the malfunctioned generator. Since the ongoing road construction in Ikot Ibritam to this place is taking a snail-pace, we need a hospital. If government in the space of 33 years cannot give us a hospital, let them give us a standard pharmacy, at least”, he pleaded.

“We need rehabilitation of our Primary school. We need the government to come to our aid; Sir. Udo Keiran constructed a classroom block for us, without which our children would have been sitting under the mango tree. The grownups trek long distances to go to Secondary School at Ikot Ibritam, Ikot Afanga or Ukanafun because we have none”.
“We don’t even have a market. The distance from here to Urua Anwa and Urua Ufok Ibok in Ikot Ibritam is not something one can talk about. What we have is just an evening market without stalls where people sit on the ground to sell their wares, we need help”, he cried.

“Come 2023, we will not be fooled anymore. We won’t listen to their lies and we won’t bend backward for any Party or Politician”, the former youth leader maintained.

They are 300 in number and they have become the first set of people that will undergo oil and gas training on Akwa Ibom soil.

All 300 trainees are sponsored by the Akwa Ibom State government through Ibom 3000 Project ahead of an expected manpower boom in oil and gas.

In retrospect, oil and gas trainees used to be train outside of Akwa Ibom State until the leadership of Mr. Udom Emmanueltrainok the renovation and finishing of the oil and gas academy built and Commissioned by Mkpat Enin local government area in 2015. The facility had not been put to use until Wednesday when the pioneer oil and gas trainees under the Ibom 3000 arrived Nya diong.

The trainees were accompanied by the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Prince Ukpong Akpabio who spent several hours to making sure that all trainees properly settled i

All logistics have been made by the government for the trainees who will spend about two months at Nya Diong.

Bthe being able to facilitate major training in the oil and gas right on Akwa Ibom State is indisputably a milestone and it's a moment of history to be proud of.

Congratulations to all trainees, congratulations to Akwa Ibom State. This is a big win. This is a farewell to beyond-the-shore oil and gas training.

Press Unit
Office of the Commissioner
Ministry of Trade & Investment

...EXPANDS CULTIVATION OF ONIONS, STAPLE FOOD ITEMS

Governor Udom Emmanuel has said that 7,000 Akwa Ibom youths are to be trained in semi skilled labour to handle various industrial operations at the proposed $1.4 Billion Fertilizer and Ammonia plant to be sited in the state.

He said at the full operations of the Fertilizer and Ammonia Plant, the 7,000 semi-skilled labour are to create human capacity building opportunities, and appealed to the youths to get set to embrace the opportunity.

Governor Emmanuel made this known on Monday, at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, shortly on arrival from official engagements outside the country.

"It is not only fertilizer plant, it’s fertilizer and Ammonia that is coming in so many other projects will be coming in relating to that and so many other things, I like us to be given a little bit of time, but I think what is very urgent is for us to go back and see the human capacity that is on ground.

"This is the time the youths must be willing to go on training to be useful so that people from others places will not come and occupy these opportunities.

"A lot of construction works will be going on in some of these projects, we need close to 7,000 semi-skilled labour and to train 7,000 will cost us some time, money and other resources, so I think what is very urgent now is that human capacity development. It's not for me to keep analysing the projects as you can see the projects are at an advanced stage”.

The governor hinted that another project will soon be unveiled in the state saying, “while we are celebrating this one, I think something much bigger is coming that we just concluded on Friday, so I believe once we unfold that we all will be happy”

Meanwhile the Governor who used the opportunity to inspect the Green House facilities at the precinct of the airport, again pledged to support local farmers boost the production of crops that will feed the citizenry in the state.

The Governor while inspecting the onions plantation, tomatoes and pepper farms, expressed satisfaction with the State Ministry of Agriculture for successfully cultivation of onions which he said is not very common within the region, and noted that the cultivation of onions in the state will put an end to dependence of external supply to the state market.

“I am more excited with the onions plantation, I think this is the same thing people thought is rocket science because we didn’t even try, we thought probably this could not be done and look at it now within three to four months we are harvesting onions it is perfect, it’s really excellent.

"I only inspected the tomatoes and the pepper farm to actually assess the level of harvest and be sure that as it is being harvested the nursery is in tune to replant.

"Within the week I am going to inspect rice, cassava, all staple foods, so we will use this end of the first quarter to look at providing inputs for local farmers this planting season”.

Governor Emmanuel revealed that the state took advantage of the cut in supply of onions into the state which necessitated the Ministry of Agriculture to swing into onions cultivation, saying, “I keep saying that our target before we leave office in May 2023 is to at least produce 80% of what we eat in our locality.

"So we got challenged last year when they said there is no onions in the market, we said let’s try planting onions inside the Green house, and another outside atleast you have seen the result.

"We have given an order to clear more hectares and plant more, so I am sure by June we should harvest a lot of onions, pepper and other vegetables so that we can feed the people”, he assured.

The governor used the medium to commend farmers rearing aquatic animals to meet the demands in the state and beyond and encouraged all Akwa Ibom people to own farms.

In an interview with Government House Correspondents, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for embarking on the inspection at the Onions plantation and Green House Farm, describing him as an Agric-friendly governor whose vision in Agriculture has given the state food sufficiency.

“The governor who has inspected the farm is happy and has directed us to do more, like the onions when we heard about the crisis in transporting onions into our state, the onions we cultivated in our Green House helped us, in Akwa Ibom did not feel the impact because we were fully prepared”.

Dr. Edet however stated that the state has trained farmers on cultivation of various crops and vegetables especially onions to meet demands, saying next year onions planting will cut across all parts of the state.


MEDIA UNIT
GOVT HOUSE,UYO
16/03/21

Oladipo Adebayo

Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Solomon Enang has called on the Elders of Niger Delta to help him as his job is on the verge of vanishing due to heavy bribery pressure by Senator Akpabio.

According to Senator Enang, he is being threatened with a sack following a mild disagreement he had with Senator Godswill Akpabio over who should take credit for the newly commissioned headquarters of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. 
Angered by Ita Enang's comments, Senator Akpabio is alleged to have lodged a whopping sum of 2 billion naira to a very powerful figure within the Presidency. The money according to a reliable source is to perfect the sack of Senator Ita Enang. 

Ita Enang who was physically worried over the plot disclosed it to some selected eggheads in the Media who he invited for his strategic governorship consultation planning recently. 

He (Ita Enang) said that he was given a lifeline to withdraw the statement and disclaim same, an offer that he has personally undertaken. 

Senator Ita Enang further called on the stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom State and Niger Delta to come to his rescue as Senator Godswill Akpabio is doing everything to hatch him out of the Villa.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has come under severe criticisms over a mild stir he caused during the burial of Late Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok in Uyo.

The Minister who arrived the Ibom Hall Ground during the ceremony, more than an hour after the commencement of the event, attempted to display his usual popularity stunt by driving in a convoy right into the center of the arena.

His arrival during the sermon at the service, and insistence to drive right to the center of the arena was unwelcomed, as the security details from the Air force prevailed on him to alight from the car and humbly get to a nearby empty seat.

A senior University lecturer and an Elder of the United Evangelical Church, Dr Uwem Ekpo, who spoke to our reporter said that the former Governor fundamentally flouted the physical, sacred and spiritual principles of that occasion.

Dr. Ekpo said he was surprised Chief Akpabio failed to honour the memory of the dead senior officer, by attending the occasion late and insisting on driving ostentatiously to the VIP stand during a sacred event as homily.

“I think this is a psychological condition associated with low self esteem, and that is why Senator Akpabio has forgotten that he is no longer the Governor of the state.

This is really unfortunate.
“He dishonoured God, he dishonoured the dead and he also showed disrespect to the senior government officials who were already seated.

Others who took to the social media, wondered why a Governor who left office six years ago could still rely on the same antics of throwing money at the crowd and buying popularity after arriving late.

“This is how he used to keep everyone waiting when he was Governor, and would arrive late only to stage dramas by throwing money,” an angry observer posted on a social media platform facebook.

Since leaving office in 2015, Akpabio has frequently caused such hiccups when he would arrive state functions when the incumbent Governor and other dignitaries had already gone far in proceedings.

On one of such functions, a federal lawmaker Hon. Pat Ifon went on FACEBOOK to lampoon him for such abnormal attitude, saying, “would Akpabio have tolerated this if he was still Governor?”

More pictures of the event