REVEALED: WHY SEN.AKPABIO, FMR NDDC AG MD CLASHED


It has been revealed why the immediate past acting managing director of the NDDC, Dr. (Mrs) Enyia Akwagaga Leleguma, fell out with Senator Godswill Akpabio soon after the former governor of Akwa Ibom State assumed duties as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the supervising minister for the NDDC.
A top aide to Dr (Mrs) Leleguma said she and Akpabio parted ways when she refused to carry out a directive of the minister to pay over N30 billion for contracts which were not executed and were not meant to be executed.
The aide who wishes to be anonymous said the trouble arose from contract deals hatched between Senator Akpabio and a former acting managing director of the commission, Professor Nelson Brambaifa, just before Brambaifa’s tenure in the commission came to an end.
According to the story, Senator Akpabio and Professor Brambaifa agreed to issue and backdate letters of award for contracts worth about N30 billion for “emergency work and the desilting of the waterways” in the region. The source said the stated purpose in the contract letters was just for the record whereas the truth was that the entire contract deals were a big scam with neither a plan nor an intention to award and execute any contract for the benefit of the Niger Delta people.
Before the contract scam was executed, Professor Brambaifa was sacked and directed to hand over to the most senior director in the commission, who happened to be Dr. (Mrs) Enyia Akwagaga Leleguma.
After the exit of Brambaifa, the minister worked with the director of EPC in the commission, Engineer Sese, to issue certificates of completion of work for the phony contracts. With the certificates of completion of work in hand, the minister asked Professor Brambaifa’s successor, who was by now the new acting managing director, Dr (Mrs) Enyia Akwagaga Leleguma, to pay for the phony contracts.
The lady allegedly declined to pay, and raised queries about the regularity of the contract awards and doubt over the claims of work done.
From then on the relationship between the minister and the Dr (Mrs) Leleguma became sour and the two were barely on speaking terms.
Our source said Akpabio would call the woman on phone and shout at her over flimsy issues. On one occasion, according to the source, the lady broke down and wept all night in her hotel room in Abuja when the minister called to shout at her, accusing her of having been in Abuja for three days from her base in Port Harcourt without getting in touch with him as her supervising minister, whereas she had gone to meet with the Secretary to Government of the Federation and the Deputy Senate President, arguing that both officials were not those she was reporting to.
The aide said another point of friction between the minister and Dr (Mrs) Leleguma was the question of who should be paid among genuine contractors who had valid outstanding claims for contracts duly verified as having been executed. According to the story, only contractors approved by Akpabio were paid during the acting managing director’s tenure, and she dared not pay a contractor outside the minister’s list, irrespective of proof of work done.
The minister also reportedly did not want the acting managing director to interact with other government officials in Abuja. The minister was said to flare up any time the lady did so in line of duty.
When the minister assumed duty, he reportedly invited Dr (Mrs) Leleguma to his house where he introduced his business partner called Engineer Abu to the lady, claiming that Abu, who is a director in Rodnab Construction, had capacity to do contracts for the commission and that he was the one who built his Asokoro home. Incidentally, Abu is the contractor handling the new NDDC headquarters. Both Engineer Abu and one Ibanga Akpabio, said to be the minister’s younger brother, are the ones running the NDDC for the minister.
The aide said the relationship between the minister and the acting managing director was so tense that the lady came down with high blood pressure while her appointment lasted.

Dailynews.com.ng

Thank you Udom Inoyo for investing in the future of Akwa Ibom State


The INOYO FOUNDATION, a foremost education-support and human capacity building Initiative of Mr. Udom Inoyo, on Friday 8th November 2019, held the 12th edition of it's TEACHERS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE at Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort, Uyo. The event attracted varied attendees including captains of industries, members of the academia, members of the clergy, the business community, politicians, Government officials, leaders of thought, distinguished members and students from public secondary schools across Akwa Ibom State. For over a decade, INOYO TORO FOUNDATION has contributed in building a solid future for Akwa Ibom State.

RERUN: AKPABIO SEEKS REDEPLOYMENT OF IGINI, DSS DIRECTOR AS CONDITION TO CONTEST

…MOUNTS PRESSURE ON NSA, ABBA KYARI TO MANIPULATE PROCESSES



Dayo Akinola, Political Editor, Abuja



The renewed battle for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Seat at the National Assembly is already assuming an interesting dimension with the Minister of Niger Delta and candidate of the APC in the 2019 Senatorial election Chief Godswill Akpabio stepping out early to “gather weapons” for the contest which is billed to take place in less than 90 days from today.

Impeccable intelligence reaching our Political desk from sources within Aso Rock reveals that Chief Akpabio has already reeled out conditions which must the Presidency must use their fiat to meet if he must contest the elections.

Our source hinted that top on the list of the conditions placed before the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari who allegedly “gifted” Akpabio the ministerial slot, is that the Presidency must immediately give express order for the redeployment of the Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC Mr Mike Igini from Akwa ibom State to somewhere else.

In addition to the redeployment of Mr Igini, the Niger Delta Minister is also asking for the immediate redeployment of the present Director of Department of State Services, DSS as well as the current Commissioner for Police in Akwa Ibom State.

Our source within the Aso Rock further disclosed that Chief Akpabio will also be banking on the powers and manipulative influences of Mr Kyari to direct the route which the forthcoming rerun will take so as ensure he emerges victorious in the election.

It was further gathered that should the move to transfer the Akwa Ibom State INEC REC, Mr Igini fail, the fall back plan Mr Akpabio is proposing is for the REC to be buffeted with RECs who are most likely to be sympathetic to the cause of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

“That rerun election in Akwa Ibom which we gathered, is taking place in just Akpabio’s Local Government will be a combination of a thing of ego and a determinant of Akpabio’s political future. If he fails, he will fall flat. In that election, he will be trying to prove that he is widely loved as he claims and then if he resigns to contest, that would be the only option left. So that explains why he is trying to get all the powerful support he can get from here” our Aso Rock source hinted.

It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal Sitting in Calabar last week called for a rerun in Essien Udim Local Government Area – the hometown of Chief Akpabio while upholding the outcome of the election in the other 9 local government won by Senator Chris Ekpenyong.

Akpabio will be going to the rerun with a deficit of 38,056 votes which he needs to upturn Senator Ekpenyong’s victory.

Akwa Ibom INEC Public Affairs Officer Don Etukudo in a press release had said the judgement by the court of Appeal had affirmed INEC’s position that widespread violence and irregularities had marred the elections in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

UNITED AKWA IBOM COALITION

Motto: Unity and Prosperity

31 Udo Akpan Ekong Street, Shelter Afrique Estate Uyo,


Musikilu Mojeed’s Insult On Akwa Ibom People

Our attention and that of the entire Akwa Ibom people has been drawn to the shockingly unprofessional statements made by Musikilu Mojeed, the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times against the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State during an event organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council in Uyo recently.

At the event, Mr. Mojeed said “The Akwa Ibom Government is notorious for operating in secrecy. Its budgets and annual accounts are hardly public while its contract-award processes remain unclear.” This assertion is not only unfounded and clearly ill-informed but also a brazen at denigrating the integrity of Akwa Ibomites. The statement is evidently tainted with deeply rooted malice. Ordinarily, we would have ignored Mr. Mojeed and classify his vile statement to be the ranting of a man seeking for cheap attention through the back door. However, because he is supposed to be a respected voice in the society and his political inclination has beclouded his sense of professionalism, we have chosen to set the facts straight.

It borders on dementia that Mr. Mojeed has failed to note the fact that in the last four and half years, Akwa Ibom has been one of a handful of states in Nigeria that publishes audited annual financial statements. The transparency, accountability and integrity visibly displayed by the state government over this period has seen the Governor being decorated with an Integrity and National Service award in the banquet hall of Aso Rock Villa. This recognition is even more significant when you consider that the current Akwa Ibom Government and the Government of Nigeria at the Centre are on the opposite sides of the political divide. It speaks volumes about the transparency and integrity of the current Akwa Ibom State Government.

It might also interest our dear brother and friend, Mr. Mojeed to note that today, Akwa Ibom state is home to over a dozen investor driven private sector industrial endeavors. The presence and continuous in flocks of foreign investors to the state is another pointer to the humongous respect the state government has earned since 2015. To underscore this fact, within this period, the National Bureau of Statistics has twice rated the state as the second highest destination for Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria. Considering the seemingly dodgy perception of our national brand in the international arena, it is remarkable that the armada of foreign investors have chosen to trust Akwa Ibom State and not Mr. Musikilu Mojeed’s home state. It would be interesting if Mojeed could also beam his fabled search light on his home state where payment of workers salaries has for ages been as occasional as an annual Christmas gift.

The glaringly futile and infantile attempt by Mr. Mojeed to incite media against the government and People of Akwa ibom state is highly regrettable especially when he chooses to pretend to forget the meaning of the word secrecy when he talked about budgets and annual accounts of Akwa Ibom State being hardly in the public domain. It would be interesting know if Mr. Mojeed has ever visited www.akwaibomstate.gov.ng in search of the state budgets and account statements. A thorough breed and unbiased professional would have done so before allowing himself to be infected by an incurable diarrhea of the mouth.

Mr. Mojeed also ranted about his imaginary “ widespread poverty and dilapidated school and hospital infrastructure”; but what Mojeed has turned a blind eye to deliberately is the fact that today within a travel time of one hour from anywhere in Akwa Ibom State, residents and citizens have access to atleast one world-class healthcare facility. Mojeed has also blatantly and mischievously turned a blind eye to the fact the Akwa Ibom state Government recently became the first state in Nigeria to organize an education summit as one of the steps to finding lasting solution to challenges in the educational section in the state. Mojeed has also failed to put into context the fact that the challenges of the educational sector has been a national epidemic since independence and not only isolated to Akwa Ibom. It would make an interesting read if Mojeed could x-ray the educational sector and state of economic development in his home state for public consumption like he is advocating for Akwa Ibom State. If and when that happens, will his professionalism and objectivity will no longer be called to question.

Untill then, Akwa Ibomites demand and unreserved apology from Musikilu Mojeed, the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times for his malicious statement that impugns the character of Akwa Ibomites at home and in the diaspora.

This is politics taken to far; this is one insult taken too far. This is an affront on the Intergrity of Akwa Ibomites.

Signed
Calistus Oduduabasi
President General

04.11.2019

APPEAL COURT JUDGEMENT ON AKWA IBOM NORTH EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT CANNOT BE ARRESTED
(being text of the press briefing by Comrade Ini Ememobong, State Publicity Secretary Peoples Democratic Party Akwa Ibom State)

Recent events at the Court of Appeal have attracted the attention of the People’s Democratic Party in Akwa ibom state necessitating this press conference. The facts are that the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar over the appeal field by Hon. Bassey Etim, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ukoette and the All Progressives Congress against the judgements of the Election Petition Tribunal delivered in favour of Senator Bassey Albert (Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District) and Honourable Unyime Idem (Ukanafun / Oruk Anam Federal Constituency) respectively were adjourned for judgement on Tuesday 15th October, 2019, upon conclusion hearing and adoption of of briefs. on the said date, the panel arrived the court premises but did not sit. However, The registrar of the court announced in open court that judgment in all the cases on the cause list for that day will no longer be delivered, without any further explanation.

As a party and defendant in these matters, we find this situation very awkward and therefore invite the attention of the international community, the National Judicial Council, Chief Justice of Nigeria, civil society groups to the existing anomaly as regards these cases. It is trite law that after the adoption of briefs by parties and a court adjourns for judgement. On the next adjourned date, it is obligatory for the court to deliver judgement on the matter, except where things arise that make it impossible for the judgement to be delivered. In such exceptional cases, all the parties must be informed of such supervening circumstances. In the instant case, there was no explanation whatsoever and there is till date, no explanation for the inability of the court to deliver judgement on these cases.

We would have ignored the situation or second guessed that there were genuine reasons for the failure to deliver the judgement, but not for the sudden celebration in the camp of the opposition APC, evident majorly on the social media accounts of APC media aides and supporters clamoring that they have caused a change in the panel to sit and hear the appeal and that the new panel is set to deliver judgement in their favour. This event forces a reminiscence of the Chief Godswill Akpabio pre-emptive legal circus where APC media nightsoil men had already informed the world of the existence of a minority judgement earlier in the day before the drama eventually became reality. We hope and pray that this postulation never materializes.

We are therefore very suspicious of this newfound jubilant mood which as conveyed by the opposition APC, is predicated on their report of a new panel by the court of Appeal whose mandate is to deliver judgement in favour of the APC. We need not emphasise that elections in the affected constituencies were won fair and square by Obong Bassey Albert, and Hon. Unyime Idems with APC candidates trailing miserably far behind. The Court of Appeal being a creation of law to protect and uphold the Democratic governance cannot become a vehicle for the subjugation of popular will freely manifested through the ballot.

While our party and our candidates, who have transited into government functionaries are peace loving and law abiding citizens, we advice the various authorities adjudicating on election matters not to mistake our civility and respect for the rule of law, for ignorance or cowardice. We therefore demand that the judgement in the cases of Senator Bassey Albert, Hon. Unyime Idem and all other cases due for judgement be delivered without any further delay. We urge the noble Justices of the Court of Appeal to do justice according to law and deliver justice, conscious that it is a sacred duty, which they took an oath to perform. They must do justice though the heavens fall (in our experience, we've noticed that the heavens have never fallen when justice is done). They should shun those who threaten them with victimization and lure them with speedy elevation to the apex bench. They should be circumspect of political turncoats and opportunists masquerading as statesmen and federal agents, who promise them favours that can rob the judiciary of its nobility. The Justices must remember their sacred roles as ministers in the temple of justice and avoid the shame that their compromise can bring to their name and the noble profession. They must realize that what money cannot do, more money will not do. Integrity cannot be bought with money, no matter the amount.

We recall that it has become traditional for the APC in Akwa Ibom to ignorantly think that a change of panel will automatically guarantee their victory in court, just like they thought that "federal might" and "walking stick" contractors will help them win at the polls. Acting under this evil veil, they blackmailed the National and State Houses of Assembly Tribunal in the state and in one instance got a change of panel, yet, nothing fruitful came out of the process for them, as judgments were serially delivered in favour of PDP candidates, according to law. They wrote several petitions trying to force the Governorship Election Petirion Tribunal to relocate to Abuja but the tribunal Chairman and members informed the authorities that Akwa Ibom was the most peaceful and hospitable state in the federation, a fact they reiterated in open court after their well considered judgement on the petition.

As a party and Respondents in the referred suits, we consider a change of panel outrightly unnecessary there being no justification for such change. While we are not afraid of any panel change since law is near certain and varies not with the skin colour, religion, tribe or surname of the Judge,we are however concerned with the level of indulgence granted the APC and the legality of such an action. We live in a country of law and generally subscribe to the supremacy of law. We would therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the President of the Court of Appeal to be guided by the law in the discharge of the functions of his office, without partisan considerations, especially with the obvious prevailing circumstances.

In a related development, our attention has also been attracted by various articles, online and in the the traditional media suggesting that the Governor and the party has adopted, endorsed, encouraged or prefers an aspirant in the build up the the 2023 Governorship elections. We wish to state for the records that as a party, the discussion of 2023 is still very unripe and immature at this moment, as the second term of Governor Udom Emmanuel is yet to reach even a year. We urge those trying to stimulate the commencement of the 2023 cycle to instead collaborate with the current administration in the attainment of it’s completion agenda, which holds life touching and land-defining interventions for us as a state. We appeal to our party faithfuls to ignore those peddling these devious rumors of endorsements and strategic support for any alleged aspirant to any office and continue steadfastly in their support for His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel.

Signed:

Comrade Ini Ememobong
State Publicity Secretary
Peoples Democratic Party
Akwa Ibom State
17102019

AFAHA-OBONG, OUR BROKEN JERUSALEM
(SEASON FOUR)

~Itoro Udotim

"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Jews, Muslims and Christians pass daily through the gates of Jerusalem's Old City, on their way to and from prayers or simply to go about their everyday business in one of the most politically sensitive spots on earth"

The English translation of Jerusalem is home of the Lord, the courage to love and be united transcended generations. Afaha-Obong is considered here as a Jerusalem not because she has many religions, or perhaps religious believers, but simply because she is a mother that can never segregate anyone irrespective of their tribe, religion, ethnic nationality or political reasoning. Her canopy covers everyone who comes in contact with her.

Afaha-Obong clan remains the most populated political district in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, recognised for gallantry, fair democratic practice, upholding of our moral values and agriculture.

Generations have come and gone but Afaha-Obong is still considered as the mother of all other "AFAHAs" globally and the pride of Annang Land without arguments. Suffice it to say that love and unity has kept her as one sovereign indivisible entity and every generation has tried it best to make her the Afaha-Obong every other clan will contest to be like, but tears exudes uncontrollably from my eyes each time it occurs to me that fundamentally we are the cause of our unfinished problems, no wonder Nelson Mandela lamented that;
"Freedom is not by breaking of chains, but by love and respect we have for one another despite the colour of our skin". It saddens!

This present generation of Afaha-Obong believes solely in pull him down syndrome, smile with each other in the open but mercilessly planting machinators against the elevation of one another and voluntarily destroying one another's reputation in the secret, actions which narrowly serve as negative crucible entropies without considering the hazardable effects on posterity.

Observations in the character and behavior of our people in last few years has compelled me in my silent contemplations over the grandeur of life to wonder whether the Lord has left the home.

Some charlatan youths build their foundations on lies, blackmail, character assassination, and mobile gossiping just to be accentuated for crumbs in order to earn a living, they are arduously yearning for the establishment of taliban militia groups to blame the elders for their brain stagnancy.

It is so illusional to expect Afaha-Obong to become America overnight, when you are only seeking political opportunities to fight or revenge your presumed enemies with every arsenal available to you, thereby subjecting Afaha-Obong clan to a total ridicule, when you were supposed to be a vanguard for the redemption and total emancipation of Afaha-Obong and her children, instead you are happily lifting up trophies of hatred without conscience, dragging the name of God into hypocrisy forgetting that, it is boldly written in the holy book that; "God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sow so shall he also reap".

If the Jews, Christians, Muslims and many more can pray in Jerusalem with love, respect and unity, what makes it so difficult for selves acclaimed elephants to conjoin for the progress of Afaha-Obong irrespective of political party affiliations rather than delving into a monumental war with one another and even recruit other innocent citizens into your evil plots to pull another down without doubt(s) creating life-time animosities for families on issues that will never follow you to your tombstones.

"And I ask what will this present generation of Afaha-Obong be remembered for?"

OUR BROKEN JERUSALEM NEEDS YOU AND I TO SURVIVE, NO STRANGER CAN!

SHE IS ALL WE HAVE!!

REVEALED: EKERE WILL APPEAL GUBER TRIBUNAL RULING IF...

More than three weeks after the APC candidate for the 2019 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere lost to Governor Udom Emmanuel in the Governorship election tribunal, the former NDDC Managing Director is yet to lodge an appeal at the Appeal Court.

According to a member of Ekere’s legal team who confided in this reporter after their meeting with his principal, the reason for the delay is because Nsima Ekere is allegedly in a high level lobbying with Alhaji Mohammed Bulkachuwa who is a senator from the APC to persuade his wife Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, the Appeal Courts President to give the APC a friendly panel of judges that will readily grant judgment in his favour.

Nsima Ekere is quoted to have said that he is trying to see how he can lobby Senator Bulkachuwa to come to terms with him.

The legal luminary explained that Nsima Ekere has not been able to meet up with the bargain, as the price is too exorbitant, and he has been fighting tooth and nail to see how to beg the man to give them a reasonable amount.

"Ekere wants to strike a deal first, to be sure that he does not waste his money any longer, given his first experience with the thugs on fake army uniform in the now infamous 'walking stick, and Hilux van episode, during the 2019 Governorship election in Akwa Ibom State."

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mr. Udom Emmanuel winner of the 2019 Governorship election which was adjudged by both local and international observers who monitored the election in Akwa Ibom Sate as free, fair and credible.

The Governorship elections tribunal also confirmed the victory after a judicious scrutiny of the ballot papers and other electoral materials presented by INEC, following a petition by the APC candidate, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

It is not yet clear on what decision has been reached by the former deputy Governor, especially as Senator Godswill Akpabio who is said to be at the vanguard of the negotiations, has already registered his appeal against the victory of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

THE NOISELESS REVOLUTION IN AKWA IBOM STATE

Aniekeme Finbarr

Without the usual defeaning razzmatazz and media hyperboles that politicians employ to massage their egos, there is a gentleman in the southern part of Nigeria that is delivering results in quantum measures to and for his people.

His name is Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom State. In the last four years, he has set the oil rich state on a pedestal that will take many of its contemporaries time and craft to beat. From aviation to sports, health and critical infrastructure, the stories of growth and development are reverberating across the land.

For a leader who threads where others dread, Governor Udom Emmanuel has broken many records: Akwa Ibom is the first State in the whole of Nigeria and indeed Africa to have a commercial airline business. Ibom Air struts the Nigerian skies today standing as a testament to visionary leadership and an acute determination to prove that what was once thought to be impossible can be made possible. The airline has proven the cynics wrong and showed the world that a viable commercial airline can be achieved. In 100 days, it flew it's 50,000th passenger and announced its new plans to cover the busy Abuja - Lagos route with its newest 'birds' in the sky.

That is not all, he has revived the industrial sector of the state that had gone to limbo since creation in 1987 with 16 new industries and inspired several other entrepreneurial efforts in the state. Two of the latest industries were recently inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who went beyond partisan sentiments to acknowledge the effective style of the Akwa Ibom Governor.

A lot has been achieved in the areas of youth empowerment, small and medium scale enterprises as well as women empowerment schemes, which have seen Akwa Ibom women expand their businesses through the soft loans have been granted them.

It is also apparent that the youths of the state have internalized the dakkada philosophy and today, are applying the works of their hands to earn a living rather than engage in other unwholesome acts. Akwa Ibom accounts for the lowest crime rates in the country.

The health care delivery services in the state have been celebrated nationally. Udom has remodelled hospitals across the three senatorial districts and equipped them with the most modern facilities; some are fully digitalized – from Methodist Hospital in Ituk Mbang, to Ikot Okoro, Etinan, Iquita, Ikono, Eket and others.

The over 1,400 classroom blocks remodeled and the over 600 million Naira WAEC fees that we pay for students and the subventions that paid annually to schools are eloquent testimonies of developments in basic education.

Currently, Akwa Ibom has two clubs in the nation's elite football division and several sports programmes to groom young talents in different sports. From investments in agriculture, to power sector such as the Ekim Sub-Station that was also commissioned by the Vice President which will ensure the realization of our dream of Power-For-All by December, 2021, Gov Udom Emmanuel is building solid infrastructure that can drive development, create jobs and make life very meaningful.

Retired American business executive and chemical engineer, Jack Welch had the story of Akwa Ibom State in mind when he said that "great leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion".

Governor Udom Emmanuel has relentlessly driven the Akwa Ibom project since May 2015 to the admiration of even his harshest critic. His administration has made great strides in virtually all sectors in line with his determination to fulfill his campaign promises.

Nothing excites the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel than the privilege to change the chronicle of the story of the state through its development stages. May 2015 to date can be rightly described as the most interesting period in the state's history, characterized by a blight in the state's resources and defined by the can -do spirit of a leader who believes that whatsoever the mind conceives can be achieved. The past four years and four months have been awe inspiring as Akwa Ibom state can boast of tangible growth and development in all sectors of the economy.

THE NOISELESS REVOLUTION IN AKWA IBOM STATE

Aniekeme Finbarr

Without the usual defeaning razzmatazz and media hyperboles that politicians employ to massage their egos, there is a gentleman in the southern part of Nigeria that is delivering results in quantum measures to and for his people.

His name is Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom State. In the last four years, he has set the oil rich state on a pedestal that will take many of its contemporaries time and craft to beat. From aviation to sports, health and critical infrastructure, the stories of growth and development are reverberating across the land.

For a leader who threads where others dread, Governor Udom Emmanuel has broken many records: Akwa Ibom is the first State in the whole of Nigeria and indeed Africa to have a commercial airline business. Ibom Air struts the Nigerian skies today standing as a testament to visionary leadership and an acute determination to prove that what was once thought to be impossible can be made possible. The airline has proven the cynics wrong and showed the world that a viable commercial airline can be achieved. In 100 days, it flew it's 50,000th passenger and announced its new plans to cover the busy Abuja - Lagos route with its newest 'birds' in the sky.

That is not all, he has revived the industrial sector of the state that had gone to limbo since creation in 1987 with 16 new industries and inspired several other entrepreneurial efforts in the state. Two of the latest industries were recently inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who went beyond partisan sentiments to acknowledge the effective style of the Akwa Ibom Governor.

A lot has been achieved in the areas of youth empowerment, small and medium scale enterprises as well as women empowerment schemes, which have seen Akwa Ibom women expand their businesses through the soft loans have been granted them.

It is also apparent that the youths of the state have internalized the dakkada philosophy and today, are applying the works of their hands to earn a living rather than engage in other unwholesome acts. Akwa Ibom accounts for the lowest crime rates in the country.

The health care delivery services in the state have been celebrated nationally. Udom has remodelled hospitals across the three senatorial districts and equipped them with the most modern facilities; some are fully digitalized – from Methodist Hospital in Ituk Mbang, to Ikot Okoro, Etinan, Iquita, Ikono, Eket and others.

The over 1,400 classroom blocks remodeled and the over 600 million Naira WAEC fees that we pay for students and the subventions that paid annually to schools are eloquent testimonies of developments in basic education.

Currently, Akwa Ibom has two clubs in the nation's elite football division and several sports programmes to groom young talents in different sports. From investments in agriculture, to power sector such as the Ekim Sub-Station that was also commissioned by the Vice President which will ensure the realization of our dream of Power-For-All by December, 2021, Gov Udom Emmanuel is building solid infrastructure that can drive development, create jobs and make life very meaningful.

Retired American business executive and chemical engineer, Jack Welch had the story of Akwa Ibom State in mind when he said that "great leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion".

Governor Udom Emmanuel has relentlessly driven the Akwa Ibom project since May 2015 to the admiration of even his harshest critic. His administration has made great strides in virtually all sectors in line with his determination to fulfill his campaign promises.

Nothing excites the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel than the privilege to change the chronicle of the story of the state through its development stages. May 2015 to date can be rightly described as the most interesting period in the state's history, characterized by a blight in the state's resources and defined by the can -do spirit of a leader who believes that whatsoever the mind conceives can be achieved. The past four years and four months have been awe inspiring as Akwa Ibom state can boast of tangible growth and development in all sectors of the economy.

ECHOES FROM PRELATE MBANG'S ANNIVERSARY PRAYER FOR AKWA IBOM 


By Essien Ndueso 


On Sunday, September 22, 2019, at the thanksgiving service to mark the 32nd anniversary of Akwa Ibom State's creation at Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo, Prelate Emeritus Sunday Mbang was invited as the most senior priest and one of the grandfathers of faith in the country, to offer the benedictory prayers. Among other prayers for the country's peace, the blessings of God upon the president, Vice President and other governors, he made the following proclamations which have generated tantrums, abuses and insults from young people.


"Father we know you are here, that is why we are all happy. Father if we have done any wrong against you, have mercy upon us. 


"With the powers you have given me, I pray, all those who have committed sins AGAINST Akwa Ibom people, AGAINST Akwa Ibom Children, AGAINST Akwa Ibom State, in their lives, in their character, Lord I am asking you today, please forgive them for they did not know what they were doing. 


"But if they continue in their sins, let their sins kill them, in Jesus Mighty Name..."


I have been so surprise with the growing trend where young people take their crass ignorance, clad in political patronage to a pedestal never witnessed in a civilised society, such as ours. These are prayers that clergy men pray, in the church and outside the church. On that day, it was further intensified by the Governor of the state,  His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel, when he echoed the supplication of King David in Psalms 7.9, "Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end..." A prayer point which has been thematic in the state, on the lips of all Christians for the last one year. I have doubts that even those taking offence in the prayer of Dr. Mbang, would not have rather their Pastors prayed for them, that unrepentant conspirators against them should perish in their conspiracy. Do they castigate their Pastors for such prayers? 


Exodus 22:18 backs the renowned Christian General when it says, "suffer not the witch to live", a witch there denoting ardent wicked people who derive pleasure in destroying the lives of others; and this is amplified when Jesus the Lord of life said to his disciple Peter, "he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword"(Matthew 26:52).


In Psalm 143:12 (NRS)  David, a man after God's heart sounds it loud and clear, "In your steadfast love cut off my enemies, and destroy all my adversaries, for I am your servant."


A lot of people from the APC have made allusions to Dr. Mbang's prayer. Some self acclaimed youth leaders and media analysts of the APC have gone haywire on the social media, that the revered man of God was unfair to the APC in his prayers.


In fact, a particular case is that of a certain Iniobong John who signs as APC Youth leader. He shared his response to virtually all government officials, including my humble self, saying, “the so called prayer was the height of hypocrisy and sycophancy”. He even asked “Who did he refer to as evil men that God should punish?” All these alluding to a notion that the APC members where the ones being referred in the said prayers. 


The APC internet warrior also, sadly though, said, "Going by the evil prayer by Prelate Sunday Mbang at the Akwa Ibom state 32nd Anniversary Thanksgiving service yesterday at Ibom Hall, we doubt if he's truly a man of God." This is a comment of a boy asked by the APC to lead all the young people in their party?


Those of us at the Thanksgiving Service at Ibom Hall ground, never heard evil men from the lips of the Prelate Emeritus, neither did we hear reference to anyone present at the venue.


My question to them is, assuming without conceding, that Dr Mbang cursed evil men, when did 'Evil Men' become synonymous with the APC or members of the APC? Did the Clergyman mention particular names of APC members that the congregation and the peace loving people of the state are unaware of?


Furthermore, if by their own admission, the prayer was directly refering to APC leaders, then how come Iniobong and his sponsors ignored the part Prelate Mbang prayed that God should forgive them for they knew not what they did"? 


For all who were there with a plain mind, the prayer for the peace and well being of Akwa Ibom resonated and was appreciated.  "Father give peace to Akwa Ibom State. Any area that there is no peace, let your peace that passeth all understanding be there. Lord we are hearing that there are roadblocks here and there against our state. By the power and the anointing you have given me , I have cancelled all those things that have happened in Jesus name."


Is there anything that the APC is not telling us about the peace of Akwa Ibom State? It is only guilty people that would think that a particular thing someone said is about them?


In the Bible days, several proponents of Baal were killed through the invocation of God’s wrath by Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel. In 2 Kings Chapter 1, when Ahaziah sent men of his army after Elijah, the Prophet invoked fire and it consumed a hundred of them and heaven did not fall.



Even the politicians whose supporters have have twisted the innocent prayers of the Prelate Mbang, are very careful of the Bible portion that says “touch not my anointed and do my Prophet no harm”. Iniobong John and his cohorts should ask those paying them to make these unguarded and disdainful comments, if they would have allowed their children to be associated with such careless and punishable abuses on an octogenarian father of fathers in the faith.


To expose his ignorance even to an all time low, the busy body political errandboy vented further, "No true man of God would ask God to punish someone simply because the person is opposed to  his preferred candidate. The mischievous prayer by Prelate Sunday Mbang should be an embarrassment to every true Christian." 


If Iniobong John and other itinerary APC Facebook ranters can remember their Sunday school lessons very well, they would have recalled how Prophet Elisha is remembered as cursing young children who mocked him, and immediately lions came out and ate up all of them. As a brother, I have been burdened to draw the attention of the publishers of these needless attacks against the man of God, to the bible warning, "My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent"(Proverbs 1.10). And this is because the misfortune of a sinner does not please God.


These politicians hiding at the background  would not find the feet to stand before these men of God to utter such words, especially for a man like Mbang, who is at a stage in life when mundane things and personal aggrandisement do not matter to him. In other climes he would be worshipped as an living Oracle.


At the event, Governor Udom Emmanuel preached peace and stated categorically that wickedness shall come to no effect in the state. And the next thing is for idle minds to jump into the fray that the Governor refused to allow peace to reign. The question now is, who are the wicked people? Is there anywhere in the state that the APC are harbouring evil people in the State? If not, is there anyone or people who attended the event or not that bears the name “wicked man/woman”? If not, why then did they not take cognisance of the Governor's comment earlier, that political parties are mere vehicles to seek political offices, and once elections are over, the party matters less and everyone unites for the progress of the state.


Akwa Ibom State has gone through thick and thin and the place of peace in the state is very sacrosanct. It is therefore important that our prayers collectively be channelled towards uprooting all stubborn traces of evil that attempt to plague our state.


Like Prelate Mbang prayed at the State Banquet held in honour of the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday, September 21, 2019, “Father, you have given us peace in Akwa Ibom State for a long time now, may this peace continue in Jesus Name”.



As for those who are still worried by the tone of the prayer on that fateful day, I would rather borrow a simple response from a big brother, that  IT WAS A FAIR, EVEN IF DANGEROUS PRAYER THAT ONLY THE GUILTY SHOULD FEAR OR GRUMBLE!

AKWA IBOM @32: FULFILLING THE PROMISE

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As our people roll out the drums to celebrate our dear state at 32, we felicitate the Government and people of Akwa Ibom state.

As the party that has provided leadership for the state for 20 unbroken years, since the return of democracy in 1999, we use this opportunity to thank Akwa Ibom people, who have believed in our vision cum manifestos and have continuously voted for the candidates we sponsored. On a day like this, we commend all past Governors of our dear state for their significant contributions to the development of our state. Deserving special commendation are all the gentlemen who led this state under the platform of our party:

HE Arc. Obong Victor Attah and his deputies(HE Chris Ekpenyong and HH Sir Michael Udofia)
In their time, they laid a solid foundation in critical areas of development which has remained an effective launching pad for the succeeding administrations. The battle to earn a befitting corporate status for our state and dignifying recognition for our citizens was commenced by this administration.To their credit are many landmark achievements. Today, we sincerely celebrate them. Obong Attah was nicknamed the Visionary Governor.

HE Chief Godswill Akpabio and his deputies (HE Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, HE Obong Nsima Ekere and HH Noble Lady Valerie Ebe). Their administration witnessed a boom in infrastructure development. This administration sustained the battle for recognition and respect for our state and indigenes. To their credit are definitional infrastructure pieces which continue to serve our people. Chief Akpabio was nicknamed the Uncommon Transformer.

HE Governor Udom Emmanuel and his Deputy HE Mr. Moses Ekpo

They came on the vehicle of Divine Mandate promising to bring peace and prosperity to our state via industrialization. To their credit are many industries dotting our landscape. Through their hands, history has been made with Ibom Air- the first state owned commercial airline in the continent. The battle to get Exxonmobil to relocate(either fully or partly) has received a boost, with the 21 storey smart building under construction (which was recently inspected by the CEO of Exxon). Roads and other infrastructure have received great attention in this administration. The administration has consciously and publicly recognized the supremacy and primacy of God.

Mr. Udom Emmanuel has been nicknamed Mr. Industrialization.

We also celebrate all past and serving Speakers of the State assembly especially those who were covered by our umbrella:, Rt. Hon. Bassey Essien, Rt. Hon. Peter Linus Umoh, Rt. Hon. Ignatius Kevin Edet, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk, Rt. Hon. Sam Ikon, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, Rt. Hon. Barr. Comrade Onofiok Luke and Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey( incumbent).

All past and Serving Chief Judges, Secretaries to the state government, Heads of the Civil Service and other leaders are commended.

We thank Akwa Ibom people for the confidence reposed on us these two decades and promise to continue to create a political environment that engenders growth and development in our state.

Happy birthday Akwa Ibom, To onlyGod be the glory.

Comrade Ini Ememobong
State Publicity Secretary
Peoples Democratic Party
Akwa Ibom state
23092019

HOW VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO DRAGGED SENATOR AKPABIO TO OWN STATE ANNIVERSARY 


It was a tug or war, Saturday night, when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo allegedly lambasted the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio for reneging on his official responsibility as a member of the Federal Executive Council. 


Akpabio who was meant to be a member of the Vice President's entourage to the anniversary of the State's creation, went conspicuously missing, allowing only Senator Ita Enang to be seen at the commissioning sites that afternoon.


At a meeting later Saturday evening at the residence of the APC Governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere, Osinbajo is said to have lampooned Akpabio for showing him disrespect, and shunning the state commissioning exercise. 


Akpabio, and other APC members last year  despised the state government and organised a parallel Anniversary Thanksgiving service to mark the State's 31st anniversary, where the preacher Bishop Josephine Egar prophesied that God said He will replace Governor Emmanuel with Nsima Ekere in 2019.


But this year, many Akwa Ibom people heaved a sigh of relief when former Senator Godswill Akpabio, ate the humble pie and attended the Thanksgiving Service organised to mark the 32nd anniversary of the state.


It was gathered that Nsima Ekere,  former deputy Governor, shunned the event despite being invited officially, to avoid accepting the sad reality that he has lost the 2019 Governorship elections for which he had sunk in so much money.


At the Commissioning of projects on Saturday by the Vice President, Governor Emmanuel preached that “political party is only a platform to occupy an office. Once election is over, politics drops and we move to governance. 


Commending Senator Ita Enang of the APC for attending the event, the governor said, "Through our Dakadda creed, I have always preached that we should rise above biases, political and otherwise”.


Although it is generally adjudged that the immediate past Governor Akpabio in company of his wife, made his way to the Ibom Hall Ground, as a show of repentance, it has been revealed that he was actually directed by the Vice President to attend the event.


At the event, the Vice President was thereafter approached by the Akpabios to honour the Senator by accompanying them to their country home in Ukana.


Despite series of appeals and manipulations, Osinbajo maintained his stance, and shunned the invitation to the Minister's home for lunch. 



The interdenominational service was the first occasion that three former indigenous Governors of Akwa Ibom State, Idongesit Nkanga, Obong Victor Attah and Chief Godswill Akpabio would sit together in an official state function.


All through Akpabio's era  Attah was never welcomed to events hosted in the state, and even had the misfortune of not being granted access to use the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort(which he built), to celebrate his 70th birthday.


At the occasion, the Vice President preached for the prosperity and wellbeing of the state,  and urged all to turn a new leaf and strengthen their faith in God. 


Praying at the occasion, legendary papal figure, Dr. Sunday Mbang prayed for forgiveness to repentant enemies of the state, while asking God to end the life of anyone seeking to destroy the state.


Governor Emmanuel in his speech at the occasion, said the state chose the theme "For I believe God", in line with the belief that God will keep his promise to flourish the state and deliver it from those seeking its downfall.


Mr Emmanuel said, "For we believe God because David, who Saul wanted to kill, said in Psalms, 'let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end' in our state."



Earlier on Saturday morning, during the monthly Government House Prayers, Governor Emmanuel had dropped a hint that several people from the state attempted to mortgage the interest of the state, when they went to convince the Vice President against attending the anniversary celebration, on the basis that it would enhance the popularity of PDP in the state.

BEING THE TEXT OF THE BROADCAST SPEECH BY
HIS EXCELLENCY, MR. UDOM EMMANUEL, GOVERNOR,
AKWA IBOM STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 32ND
ANNIVERSARY OF THE STATE, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

My dear Akwaibomites

My wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel and I congratulate you all on this auspicious and glorious occasion of the 32nd Anniversary of the creation of our dear State.

At 32, we can beat our chests and proclaim loud and clear that we have come of age! We have experienced the usual motions of growth; rising and falling but as heirs and heiresses to theLand of Promise, we have kept hope alive. Even though our collective essence, and the will to succeed may be challenging, but our desire to be a glorious State furnaced and shaped in faith and ready to appropriate the manifold blessings of the Almighty remains resolute and irrevocable.

The theme of our 32nd Anniversary “For I believe God” speaks loudly and deeply to who we are as a people; our core values, our foundational principles, the character and orientation of our people. We are one State where the people wear their Christian faith like badges of honour and are not ashamed to express such deep fidelity- a State that is named after God Almighty himself, and equally led by a Christ-Centric Leader.

As we celebrate our 32nd Anniversary, let me once again emphatically state here that the fundamentals of our growth are rock-solid. The tail wind of our development is blowing enchantingly and assuredly behind our back, guiding the navigational aids of our collective flight to becoming truly the Land of Promise. To this, we give thanks to the ONLY GOD whose mercies and blessings have never departed from this State and will never depart, because we believe in God.

Permit me as usual to, pay our eternal gratitude and deep appreciation to all our past leaders who superintended over the affairs of this State at various times and had lent themselves to the great and propelling desire to leave the State better than they met her.

Today, from a State that was essentially a geographical boondock, where Uyo, the Capital City was essentially a glorified village filled with dusty streets, our profile has been so wholesomely raised to a point and place where we are seen today as Nigeria’s Best Kept Secret.

The dusty streets have given way to beautifully manicured boulevards and modern road network. The thatched houses that once dotted the landscape today, have given way to magnificent homes that can rival those found in the exotic zip-codes around the world. We owe these past leaders who helped create a can-do- spirit in our people and lifted us psychologically from being seen fit only for domestic tasks, to being partakers of the Nigerian common patrimony, a debt of gratitude.

Let me again express my deepest appreciation to you my dear Akwa Ibom people for maintaining the peace during the last election cycle. We went to the polls as brothers and sisters who may have desired the same thing through different channels, but as is the universal democratic principle, an immutable value if I may add, a winner must emerge and the loser must accept the will of the people so overwhelmingly expressed and affirmed.

On Thursday, September 19, 2019, the victory that God has given me through you at the March 9, 2019 polls was again unanimously upheld by the Election Petition Tribunal. I thank you from the depth of my heart for your show of support and solidarity after the announcement of the affirmation of my victory by the Tribunal. It was deeply heartening seeing thousands of you my dear people spontaneously marching along major streets of Uyo, thanking God for the victory. I will never take this support for granted and I pledge to you again, to do all I can to deepen this confidence you have shown me.

I urge my brothers and sisters who offered themselves for service at different layers to our people during the just concluded elections to close ranks and join me to develop our State, chart a new course and ensure that the Akwa Ibom story continues to be told in glittering terms.

The poetry of our beautiful and blessed State must be written in enchanting verse and each of us should have a line to contribute to the crafting of the poetry. This is a pan –Akwa Ibom moment, and we must rise to the occasion and show that even though we had an intense electioneering campaign, where passions were inflamed and certain unwholesome rhetoric pushed; the Akwa Ibom spirit remains strong and alluring. Nothing should break the cords of our unity and brotherhood.

My fellow compatriots, a 32 year old man or woman is by every aspect of definition a grown and deeply mature person. At 32, he or she has formed a unique identity, he or she must be on a steady course of personal growth and development; he must have made mistakes and embarked on course correction processes; he or she must have encountered the all-but- certain crises of identity and the attendant reaffirmation of who he or she is. At 32, the individual is ready to conquer the world, secure in the knowledge that those debilitating drawbacks have been addressed and a way forward charted.

Permit me to use this broadcast to challenge us to ask ourselves the following questions: At 32, have we forged and sharpened our distinct identity? Are we ready to defend what defines us as a people in spite of our political affiliations? Are we ready to embark on course -corrections if certain crises of identity may have been detected? Are we united in our pursuit of our common values and desires? Are we ready to defend the Akwa Ibom spirit and hold it aloft as a symbol of our emotional and spiritual connectivity?

My dear compatriots, this broadcast is not the usual broadcast that is tinged with political bromides. This broadcast rather is to engender a new conversation on who we are and why we must defend and protect the core elements that shape our collective identity.

As we mark our 32nd year Anniversary, let us collectively shun all divisive tendencies and tell the world that, in the words of John F. Kennedy, the 35th the President of the United State we can “ resolve to be masters not the victims of history, controlling our destiny without giving way to blind suspicions and emotions.”

On my own part, I will, as I have said severally, continue to be your Servant-Leader. I will continue to lead this State with the fear of God and with the over-arching interest of our people, their growth, peaceful co-existence and development as the guiding principles. I will continue to do all that I can to cement the bond of our unity, knowing full well that, a house that is divided against itself cannot stand.

Let me use this opportunity to appeal to certain elements in our society, especially those in the mass media, to understand the need for circumspection and objectivity in their reportage. Robust criticism is a needed ingredient in any democratic culture and I desire to be criticized constructively. But when such criticism is laden with animosity and deep-seated animus; when such is done not to add value to who we are, or our common values; when such is done to destroy the essential fabric of our unity and further enlarge the manufactured fault lines; when such criticism is done to further the narrow thoughts and interests of certain individuals who may not agree with what we are doing, I think something is fundamentally wrong with such layers of reportage.

Have we ever wondered why the South West for instance with its vibrant media and robust people-government engagements never de-markets the critical layers of their collective essence and identity? How many times have you read in the mass media where the leaders of the other geo-political zones are openly derided, castigated, blackmailed or their zones de-marketed? Does it mean they don’t disagree with their leaders or government policies? They do, but they understand the fact that if they de-market their states or insult their leaders at random, they are essentially defining downwards the core and elemental values of their collective identity.

On this occasion of our 32ndAnniversary, let us begin to respect our common values and even when we disagree with our leaders or among ourselves, such should be done with civility and mutual respect, knowing that what binds us together is more enduring than the temporary impulse of partisan politics. The Akwa Ibom story should be pan-Akwa Ibom in shape and definition, devoid of the colours of partisanship or rancorous impulses.

When we are celebrated as we currently are, as the only State with a fully functional airline, it is not just a PDP achievement, it is an Akwa Ibom achievement. When the 18 industries that we have successfully attracted and established, help create jobs for our teeming youths and the attendant value chain, it is not just a PDP achievement, it is an enduring Akwa Ibom story.

The Flour Mills that was just commissioned by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo a few days ago is for all Akwa Ibom people. The Plywood and Timber Factory that was equally commissioned by the Vice President, will not only be defined as a PDP achievement, neither will the Furniture industry that will benefit from this factory be used mainly by PDP members - it will be an Akwa Ibom success story.

The over 1,700 kilometers of economically viable roads constructed across the three senatorial districts including the much talked about Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road that is almost nearing completion are not made exclusively for use by PDP members, rather it’s an Akwa Ibom success story.

The remodeled hospitals equipped with modern amenities from Etinan, Ikot Okoro, Iquita-Oron, Ituk Mbang, Emmanuel Hospital, Eket among others are not designed as PDP hospitals; rather they are Akwa Ibom success stories in healthcare delivery. The over 1,400 classroom blocks remodeled and the over 600 million Naira WAEC fees that we pay for students and the subventions that we pay annually to schools are not done through political affiliation, but rather, it is an Akwa Ibom success story devoid of political coloration.

From investments in agriculture, to power sector such as the Ekim Sub-Station that was also commissioned by the Vice President which will ensure the realization of our dream of Power-For-All by December, 2021, we are building solid infrastructure so that we can drive our industrialization agenda, create jobs and wealth for our people. This is not just a PDP achievement, it is an inspiring Akwa Ibom success story that we all should feel proud to identify with.

As we celebrate the 32nd years of our existence, l urge you my brothers and sisters to de-emphasize our political affiliations but boldly proclaim the Akwa Ibom story. When we celebrate what is ours, when we don’t describe our leaders in unsanitized fashion, when we celebrate the Akwa Ibom identity, and what binds us as a people, our aspirations, our essence, our values and our identity, we are telling the world that the Akwa Ibom Spirit defies political labels.

This is what the developed world has also done. The United States for instance, have culture wars, the Bible Belt, the Midwest, the Deep South or the East and West Coasts all have geographical differences, but these differences have never been magnified to affect their bonds of brotherhood. When a Republicans disagree based on ideological differences with Democrats, they don’t castigate or pull down the fabric of the society because the Governor may be a Democrat or a Republican. As we celebrate our 32ndanniversary, I urge you my dear compatriots to believe in the Akwa Ibom story, our unity, and our common bond. Let us hold these aloft as symbols of our emotional connectivity and pride.

We have been blessed by the Almighty God with such great natural endowments; we have everything we need to be self-sufficient. We must weave a narrative of love and togetherness. Nobody will respect your values when you don’t respect same; no one will respect what you stand for, when you desecrate same, nobody will tell the Akwa Ibom story when you drape the contours of the State with mud and filth. Akwa Ibom will be what our Founding Fathers envisioned and envisaged if we all rise together as brothers and sisters and defend our common values in the spirit of our Dakkada philosophy.

It was the late Herbert Hoover who said that “America is a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose”. Akwa Abasi Ibom State is a noble enterprise, and its purpose which is steeped in our faith and belief in God will continue to grow, soaring and ready to fulfill the far-reaching purpose of its Founding Fathers. That is what I have dedicated myself to doing continually and with my faith and belief in God, we will not fail.

Let us therefore, collectively resolve to join hands and move our dear State to where God Almighty had pre-destined her to be.
Long live Akwa Abasi Ibom State, long live Nigeria! Happy 32nd Birthday to us!

VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO PREACHES PROSPERITY FOR AKWA IBOM AT 32

It was a pleasant sight at the Ibom Hall ground, Uyo, as several Akwa Ibom people, defying political divides, friends of the state including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and governors of some other states congregated to worship God on the state’s 32nd anniversary.

Preaching at the occasion, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who said the celebration is not about the state as a living being, but the people of the state within and in the diaspora, maintained that “every prayer and blessing we pronounce today, concerning Akwa Ibom State is for you as the people of the State.”

He acknowledged the achievements of Governor Emmanuel witnessed in the last few years and asserted that even more records will be broken in the state in subsequent years.

Taking his text from Deuteronomy 33.25, which says “As your age, so shall your strength be,” Prof. Osinbajo prophesied that for those who believe, their strength shall be renewed with age.

The Vice President maintained that God’s promise which defies human knowledge meant that rather than diminishing with age, belief in God can make His people to grow stronger physically and mentally.

Citing the case of Moses in Deuteronomy Chapter 34, he explained that despite being 120 years at the time of death, Moses was still physically strong, “his eyes were not dim and his natural strength was still as it was when he was a young man.”

“Naturally when someone is older, he bears less fruit and becomes weak. But in your on case, you will remain more fruitful and you won’t be weaker, even in old age”, Osinbajo ministered.

He prayed among other things for multiplication and fruitfulness for Akwa Ibom people, however imploring that they repent of their wrong doings which could hinder God’s blessings.

Governor Udom Emmanuel at the occasion said Akwa Ibom people have lots of reasons to celebrate, maintaining that God’s faithfulness has seen the state grow in leaps and bounds within the past 32 years.

He asserted that the Ibom Airline and other industries brought about in the last couple of years, are indicators that the state is making rapid progress.

“For Akwa Ibom State we believe God and we have every reason to thank God for today. For thirty years, the only State in Africa that you can conveniently fly your own aircraft (Ibom Air), move anywhere you want, why shouldn't you thank God?”

Mr Emmanuel expressed believe that the economic foundation his administration is laying, would provide jobs for the teeming youths.

“For we believe God that our agricultural revolution shall give us food sufficiently; for we believe God that the massive industrialization that we are undertaking shall provide what we want; for we believe God that this state shall be called righteous by all means.

Governor Udom Emmanuel while reflecting on the theme of the celebration, “For I believe God”, expressed belief that that everything God has promised the state will become reality.

The Governor who said that his message on the anniversary of the State will be contained in his broadcast to the state on Monday morning, said however recounted that great men in the Bible who put their trust in God usually succeeded.

“I want to also say, probably, when Paul Apostle made that statement, he must have read a whole lot of history of Saul and David, how Saul went after David and David believed God and it worked out for David. Paul Apostle when he drew inspiration he told his people, 'for I believe God.'

The Governor aligned himself with the prayer of David in Psalm 7, and said he believed God that the wickedness of the wicked shall come to an end in Akwa Ibom State.

While strongly appreciating the Vice President for accepting to come and commission the projects and also invoke God’s blessings on the state,he expressed the hope that all his kind prayers for the state will be answered by God.
Prayers of intercessions were also offered for the Governor, the progress of the state and the leadership of the country led by the Government House Prayer Team leader, Pastor Emmanuel Bassey.

A goodwill message from some Governors of Imo State, Oyo State and Enugu State was presented on their behalf by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

“We are very happy with you our brother Governor Udom Emmanuel, not only because of the great things you are doing here, but because of the family you have created, the family of God’s children”
Ikpeazu told the Governor that nothing can stop him at the pace he is going, and thanked the people of the State for their unflinching support to his administration.

“We are very very happy with you, and we pray that God Almighty will sustain this peace and economic prosperity that have enveloped Akwa Ibom”.

In attendance at the event were, Governor Ayo Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State and Prof. Uche Otuanya the Secretary to the Enugu State Governor who represented the Enugu Governor at the event.

Also in attendance included former Governor and currently Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and his wife Unoma, former Governors Idongesit Nkanga and Victor Attah, wife of the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Nne Clement Isong, SSA to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, all three serving senators from Akwa Ibom, members of the State and National assembly, and other serving and former political office holders.

AKWA IBOM STATE IS MY SECOND HOME - OSINBAJO

…LAUDS GOV EMMANUEL’S INDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDA

The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has lauded the efforts of Governor Udom Emmanuel in industrialization and has declared Akwa Ibom State as his second home.

During the commencement of commissioning of projects with the Flour Mill Factory in Onna as first, Mr. Osinbajo, who was impressed with the pace of growth in the state, congratulated Governor Udom Emmanuel for his governmental strides and described the Flour Mill factory as a product of foresight.

The Vice President who is in the State to inaugurate three landmark projects to mark the 32nd anniversary of the state’s creation, said he was satisfied with Governor Emmanuel for sharing in the vision of rapid transformation in the state.

“I want to commend the Governor for providing world class infrastructure and for attracting investors to this state. Your people are warm and hospitable and that’s why a lot of investors come here. I am from Ogun State, but whenever I think of a second home, I come to Akwa Ibom”.

"I was in this State in the last two years to commission the Syringe factory. That was a very thoughtful and foresighting project and today I am here to commission another even more foresighting projects", Osinbajo said.

While welcoming the Vice President to the Flour Mill, Governor Emmanuel thanked Prof. Osinbajo for rising above biases, a message his administration has preached through the Dakkada creed.

In his words, "I thank you sincerely for choosing to be with us against all odds to commission these projects. Thank you sir for rising above biases, like we recite in our Dakkada creed. We share a common destiny, we share a common understanding that political party is just a platform for you to seek office. Once you are in that office, party drops and governance begins.

The State Chief Executive described the flour mill as a project anchored on development of the State, adding that the new industries are fulfillments of one of his campaign promises.

Mr. Emmanuel promised that "before the end of my administration, eighty percent of food we eat here would be what we produce here. Akwa Ibom State is going forward ever and backward never.

“There are some of us that came into politics, not for selfish interest but for the interest of the downtrodden. That is why, whoever we know on the face of the earth, wherever our a signature is recognized, wherever our email can be read, our duty to go out and bring those people to come and help us develop our place.

He added that the industries now dotting the landscape of the State, is another hope that students of Akwa Ibom State would no more travel to Lagos and Abuja for their educational and research projects.

“Before now, if someone had to write a project in our university, he had to travel to Lagos because he could do so. But now, that has changed, and before we leave office, all research and academic projects will be carried out here.”

The State Chief Executive maintained that he was not deterred by cynics who launch media attacks on his government, maintaining that, “people try to deter us but we are not distracted. When we started Ibom Air, they said it was the money we wanted to take out of the country. And that when they caught us, we were given the airplanes in exchange.

“That Ibom Air was a scam and will never take off. But when the airline took off, even the critics said well, this is a major breakthrough.

The Commissioner for Trade and Investments, Prince Ukpong Akpabio in his opening remarks urged the business community to take advantage of the peace in Akwa Ibom State for investment.

The Vice President subsequently commissioned the Lion Plywood and Timber Factory before proceeding to turn on the Digital Power Sub-Station at Ekim in Mkpat Enin local government area, where he launched the Power for All by December 2021, a scheme that the Governor said will see to the steady provision of electricity power to every household in the State at affordable rate.

The Vice President is on a two day visit to the State, and is expected to preach at the thanksgiving service to mark the state’s 32nd anniversary, holding at Ibom Hall Ground, Uyo.

MONDAY DAN UDO FOUNDATION DONATES THOUSANDS OF EXERCISE BOOKS & SCHOOL BAGS TO PUPILS IN ABAK LGA

... Promise Teachers' Packages Before End of Year !


As pupils of the 43 public schools in Abak local government area return to the classroom from the long vacation, Monday Dan Udo foundation, Thursday, September 19, 2019 donated 7000 exercise books and 2000 school bags to them to support the free and compulsory education of Governor Udom Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom State.

Unveiling the project at Abak local government council hall, the Chairman of the foundation, Mr. Monday Dan Udo who hails from Ikot Imoh in Midim Ward two recalled how exercise books became one of the major challenges to some pupils in his days in primary school and reiterated the commitment of his foundation to ensure that pupils of public schools in Abak do not face such academic challenge forthwith.

Mr Udo said the overall zeal was borne out of love, passion and personal respect for early education and noted that no community can ever witness societal progress without a qualitative education for her citizenry especially at the early stage in life. Speaking further, he said that giving back to the society in that regard is imperative because it serves as a pedestal to pave way for the needy and the less privileged who may have interest in education, but lacks the fundamentals to pursue their goals, visions and dreams. He admonished the pupils to see themselves as the future leaders in all aspects of life, which will fuel their passion.

The Educational Secretary of Abak, Dcns. Nseobong Usoro who was the Chairman of the occasion commended the foundation for the gesture shown pupils and prayed for God's continues blessings and favour on the founder. Dcns. Usoro assured that modalities will be set to ensure that the books and bags are properly used by the pupils.

Dcns. Usoro said many pupils use one exercise book in school because their parents can't afford more and added that such pupils will forever remain grateful to Monday Dan Udo foundation. "I see many pupils in our public schools using just one exercise book to copy notes in all subjects because their parents can't afford them more. Today, let me say that God has answered those pupils prayers through Monday Dan Udo foundation and they are already very thankful to this foundation for this gesture extended to them"- she said.

Unveiling the project, the Chairman of Abak, Barr. Imoh Williams, represented by the leader of Abak legislative council, Hon. Solomon Udeme, commended the chairman of the foundation, Mr. Monday Dan Udo, stating that such gesture was divine and therefore, urged the pupil to study hard so that many of Monday Dan Udo can come out them.

Present at the event were the Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Abak Chapter, Rev. Aniefiok Sampson, Chairman, Association of Primary Schools Heads of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Abak Chapter, Dcns. Nse S. Udom, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Abak Chapter, Dr. Mike Dan Udo, his Etim Ekpo and Ika counterpart Hon. Godwin Dan and Comrade Iboro Nelson, Counselor representing Midim Ward two, Hon. Uduak Etukudo and many others.

Election Tribunal: HE Udom Emmanuel wins Again.

... Tribunal dismisses Nsima Ekere's Petition for wanting in Merit.

Today, September 19, 2019, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital affirmed the victory of His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel and the Peoples Democratic Party at the March 9, 2019 general elections.

The Petitioners, Obong Nsima Ekere and the All Progressives Congress had, on the May 29, 2019 filed a petition challenging the result of the March 9 elections that saw the re-election of His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

The Petitoners approached the tribunal, after several amendments on two grounds, to wit;

a) That the Election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2015 (sic); or
b) That the 1st Respondent, Mr Udom Emmanuel was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

In their Petition, the petitioners prayed for the following reliefs;

1) That it may be determined and declared that the 1st Respondent, Mr Udom Emmanuel did not secure and could not have secured the majority of lawful votes cast at the elections;

2) That it may be determined and declared that the election was void and invalid due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2015 (sic);

3) That it may be determined and declared that the election being invalid by reason of non-compliance was null and void;

4) That it be determined and ordered a fresh election for the office of the Governor in Akwa Ibom state, except in Etim Ekpo and Essien Udim where Elections were held in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2015 (sic).

Reading the over 590 paged judgement, the Tribunal first noted that the Petitoners failed to call witnesses in eight ( local government areas out of the twenty one (21) local government areas where they claimed to have won. Consequently, the court discountenanced every documentary evidence "dumped on the court" as regards the petitoners complaints from those Local Governments which included Abak, Eastern Obolo, Ika, Eket, Mbo Mkpat Enin et al. Citing the supreme Court case of Nweke v INEC, the court noted that documentary evidence however daring cannot be thrown on the Tribunal without oral evidence linking the documents to the issues in the case (petition).

The court in her ruling adopted the two issues formulated by the Petitioners for the Determination of the suit. The issues as adopted were:

i) Whether in the light of issues joined, the March 9 Elections were not held in non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2010;

ii) Whether the non-compliance as established in evidence are not substantial to affect the general outcome of the election and thus justify a cancellation of the entire elections

The court then proceeded to appraise the evidence of all parties at the Tribunal and in their considered ruling held, inter alia;

1) That the Petitioners having abandoned their prayers where they claimed ab initio that the first Petitoner, Obong Nsima Ekere was the winner of the elections, all the evidence given in effort to substantiate the said ground is expunged from the considerations of the court in the judgement;

2) That the Petitioners having abandoned their prayers hinged on the ground that there were corrupt practices in the conduct of the elections, all the evidence given in effort to substantiate the said ground was also expunged from the considerations of the court in the judgement;

3) The petitioners failed to follow the laid down rules in frontloading and listing all documents they sought to rely on in proof of their Petition "Consequently the efforts and attempt by the petitoners to sandwich-in documents not pleaded nor listed by the petitoners is condemnable." The court equally noted that the documents were not linked to any parts of the petition and that most of them were mere photocopies of public documents and not the required Certified True Copies of the documents;

4) That the onus is on the Petitioner who alleges irregularities and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 to prove same. That the Petitioner failed woefully in the discharge of such burden;

5) That the Petitoners could neither prove non-compliance nor substantial non-compliance to lead to a cancellation of the elections. For the Petitioner to have complained of non-compliance ans irregularities in elections in 799 polling units and only end up calling 43 was grossly inadequate to satisfy the burden of proving non-compliance and irregularities with the provisions of the Electoral Act which requires a unit by unit prove, by law.

6) The Petitoners made several allegations of a criminal nature in their petition. The law is that in such cases, the allegation must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Unfortunately, the Petitoners in this case could not prove anything, the doubts in their allegations still dangling, we resolve those cases in favour of the respondents.

In the end, the three man panel, unanimously upheld the elections of His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel at the March 9, 2019 elections and dismissed the petition of Obong Nsima Ekere and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

EXPOSED: APC MOVES TO DISRUPT ELECTION TRIBUNAL

.

Members of the Akwa Ibom state All Progressives Congress (APC) have concluded arrangements to mobilize thugs to the venue of the Governorship election petition tribunal at fulga street tomorrow. The tribunal is due to deliver judgement in a petition filed by the APC and their Governorship Candidate challenging the election of the PDP and Governor Udom Emmanuel at the March elections.

Intelligence information made available reveals that the plan is to bring the thugs as a standby force for celebration, if they win or destruction if they lose. This decision was reached at a meeting held between Uyoe Nathaniel,SA Security to the APC Governorship candidate and Stephen Ntukekpo, State Youth Leader of the APC. The plotters are currently hiring buses and recruiting 'men' for the job. The meeting, we learnt was instigated by the APC Governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere.

UMANAH CONDEMNS XENOPHOBIC ATTACK ON NIGERIANS

...Urges FG to find lasting solution to the diplomatic assault

As the raging xenophobic attack against foreign nationale in South Africa continues to dominate global conversations, the member representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Umanah has risen in condemnation of the recurrent dastardly attack on innocent Nigerians and their businesses.

Fielding questions from journalists in Abuja over the sad occurrence, the National Assemblyman who regretted the attack on Nigerians wondered how legitimate foreigners who have contributed immensely to the South African government through taxes, services and innovations could be dealt such cruelty by their hosts.

Extending his condolences to the Nigerian community in South Africa and families that have suffered any form of loss in the wake of the renewed hostilities, Umanah who described the attack as an abuse of the existing diplomatic ties between both nations, made a case for government at all levels to put an end to the needless attacks.

The federal lawmaker in communicating the feeling of the nation conveyed the optimism of members of the 9th National Assembly at considering ways of putting an end to further harassment of Nigerians living and transacting businesses around the world, by strengthening laws governing the nation's foreign policies.

On the response of the Nigerian government to the crisis, he highlighted the need for individuals within and outside government to personally reach out to Nigerians in such troubled areas and assist those who require assistance, while urging President Muhammadu Buhari to work on curbing a repeat of such diplomatic assault on Nigeria.

Promising the readiness of his office to offer needed assistance, he noted with delight that none of his constituent was affected in the attack, going by his personal phone calls and information gathered from reliable Nigerian- Union Liason, while calling on people of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in South Africa to be security conscious while going about their lawful businesses.

PDP EXONERATES PAUL EKPO FROM FRAUD ALLEGATIONS

....cautions against 2023 agitations

The Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday, on August 29, 2019 refuted the speculations peddled by some local tabloids in the state that the state Party Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo misappropriated some monies approved by the state government for the award of contracts to the Local Government Chapter Chairmen of the party.

Speaking at the event of the presentation of cheques to the winners of the 15, 16 and 17 edition of the Umbrella business quest empowerment program, the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Comrade Ini Ememobong condemned the baseless speculations by some local tabloid wherein it was alleged that the state chairman of the party diverted funds which were originally designated as funding for various contracts promised by the state government to the local government chapter chairmen of the party.

Comrade Ememobong, in his response described such speculations as being actuated by bad faith and a crusade targeted at tarnishing the hard earned reputation of integrity gathered through the years by the party Chairman, Obong Ekpo.

Obong Ekpo who presented the cheques to most of the winners of the Business Quest,expressed gratitude over the sustainability of the initiative and emphasized the party's readiness to champion an economic renaissance through the funding of small and medium scale enterprises.

Commenting on the allegation of misappropriation of funds as reported against him, the Chairman stated that he was not surprised and in fact expected more attacks from the source whom he identified as people who have not made peace with their established defeat. He added that he is aware of plans by some persons to make publications, print posters and create scenarios to indicate that he wants to contest for the Governorship position in 2023.

*Just like the unfounded embezzlement allegation, there are also rumours that I have commenced consultations to contest as governor by 2023. This, like other ill motivated stories are indeed ludicrous. The Governor which we supported has just started serving his second term and it would be very irresponsible to commence agitation for 2023*

Recall that the chairman, in April this year had cautioned party faithfuls against a too sudden debacle on the political realities of 2023, stating that all such discussions and deliberation run contrary to the fundamentals of the party and may "...affect the quality of dedication to the execution of the completion agenda of His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel."

NASS TRIBUNAL STUNNED AT EKON'S APATHY TO OWN PETITION

...Ekon seeks frivolous adjournment

...We are ready for the petition - Umanah's Counsel

With barely two weeks to the conclusion of post election matters, the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Uyo Chaired by Justice W. O Akanbi, was on Thursday stunned at the apathy exhibited by S. C. Peters, Counsel to the Petitioner in the case where Emmanuel Ekon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is challenging the victory of Hon. Aniekan Umanah of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded National Assembly elections.

Hearing the case captured EPT/AKS/HR/04/2019, the preparedness of the petitioner's counsel to pursue the case to its finality came under suspicion when he rather than proceed with the adoption of written addresses, earlier agreed by parties, queried the constitution of the panel, where one of the three members was absent.

Wondering why a petitioner would surreptitiously seek to abandon his matter and rather rely on flimsy excuses of quorum, which the law has expressly addressed, counsel to the first respondent, Solomon Umoh (SAN) decried the inanity in the petitioner's decision to frustrate a matter he brought to court, citing as unsatisfactory Peters' conduct and attitude in the case from pretrial.

Umoh in his submission on why the case should continue, informed the court of the essence of time in post election litigation, describing the Petitioner counsel's needless patronage of issues the law has adequately provided for as an attempt at postponing doomsday for his petition, which he referred to as inconsequential and lacking in merit.

Aligning with the position of the first respondent, the second and third respondents, G. A. Umoh, Esq. and M. D. Dan-Gospel respectively held that S. C Peters antics was a signal that his client had a bad case, enlisting the case as one of the rare instances a petitioner would be deliberately frustrating his matter, due to lack of facts.

The petitioner's unpreparedness came to the fore when he sought the court to excuse his client's absence, only for the said client to saunter into the courtroom moments after proceedings had commenced, with his phone ringing; a tactics viewed as premeditated to distract the panel into considerations of contempt charge, rather than hearing the matter.

Hon. Aniekan Umanah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) it would be recalled was declared winner of the February 23, 2019 National Assembly election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over Emmanuel Ekon candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC); bringing an end to Ekon's third term ambition as Member for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Akwa Ibom Guber Tribunal: How President Buhari's Aide, Ita Enang shot at voters to snatch voting materials

...WITNESS EXPLAINS HOW UDOM FLOORED EKERE IN IKOT ABASI

President Muhammadu Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Solomon James Enang shot at, and injured some voters during the Governorship Elections at Ibiono Ibom, Ward 2, Units 11 and 12, with one hospitalized for many months, a witness told the Akwa Ibom state Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal in Uyo, Friday.

The witness, Nicholas Edward Andy who told the tribunal that it was the only reported incident that took place in his local government area, said Senator Enang shot at the voters to enable him cart away INEC materials in those units.

Andy, a PDP agent in the Governorship Elections, testifying as RW 22 was 2nd Witness of the 2nd Respondent, as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP opened its defense.

He intimated the tribunal under cross examination by Assam Assam,SAN counsel to Governor Udom Emmanuel, as local government collation agent, that the earlier witness Dr. Effiong Etuk (PW5) was not the local government area collation agent of APC, as he told the tribunal.

He said rather, "One Barrister Mfon Udeme was the local government agent of APC and he signed the result along with me."

He also faulted the testimony of another earlier witness Okokon David, stating rather that, "it is not true that the elections was characterized by general commotion and thuggery."

Another witness, Barrister Uwem Monday Ekanem who was PDP's first witness had earlier told the court that the candidate of the PDP in the 2019 Governorship election, Mr. Udom Emmanuel won convincingly in Ikot Abasi which is the local government area of the APC Governorship candidate, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

Under cross examination, Barr. Ekanem who was the Local Government Agent for the PDP in Ikot Abasi during the election, said except for the invasion of some polling units by suspected APC thugs, Governor Emmanuel defeated the APC candidate in the election which was conducted by INEC across the 71 Polling units and 40 Voting Points in the area.

The PDP agent disclosed that officials of INEC, security agencies and agents of other political parties, including the APC were physically present at the Local Government Collation Center in Ikot-Abasi where the final results were collated.

He admitted that the APC Collation agent, Arc. Ufot Udoinyang, witnessed the entire process and was there when the PDP candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel was announced as winner of the election.

"My Lord, the elections were free and fair in my local government area(Ikot-Abasi).

"The INEC local government collation officials received the results, and in my presence and that of one Arc Ufot Udoinyang who represented APC, the results were collated''

Barr. Ekanem dismissed the claim by the petitioner, Mr. Nsima Ekere that there was over voting and some irregularities during the election, maintaining that there was no incident of over voting in Ikot-Abasi.

"INEC officials, security officials, agents of the PDP and agents of other political parties including the APC, followed the results to the Local Government Collation Centre in Ikot Abasi.

He had tendered his PVC to affirm his status as a voter. The PVC was objected by counsel to Petitioners, J. S. Okutepa,SAN who says that the Voter's card bears Ekanem, Uwem whereas the witness introduced himself as Uwem Monday Ekanem.

But Tayo Oyetibo, SAN argued that the Voter's card had the face of the witness and his age, which clearly represents the witness.

While debunking a deposition earlier tendered by an APC witness, Osundu Akpan Ukpe (PW 21), he explained that, "after the elections in the units, the results were taken to the ward collation centers and thereafter, the collated results from the wards were taken by INEC officials, escorted by security officials and party agents to the local government collation center".

"To the best of my knowledge, from what I observed, there was no overvoting in my local government".

Mr Ekanem further submitted that there was no incidence of malfunctioning of the card reader in any unit of his local government.

He stated further that in eight Units, results were cancelled because suspected APC thugs invaded and carted away election, maintaining that accreditation was done by card reader.

EXCLUSIVE! Akpabio At It Again, Plots To Blackmail Akwa Ibom Tribunal Chairman, Justice Akanbi, Other Members
…WHY NIGERIANS SHOULD IGNORE HIS SHAMEFUL ANTICS

~Funmi Akinbolu

Exclusive details now at our disposal indicate that the defeated former Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District; Godswill Akpabio is plotting a major offensive against the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Akwa Ibom State.

A source who attended one of his nocturnal meetings held last night, revealed that Akpabio and his ilks have perfected plot to blackmail the Chairman and members of the Election Tribunal overseeing his case against the duly elected Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West, Chris Ekpeyong with unsubstantiated claims that the Tribunal Chairmen, Justice A. W. Akanbi has been financially induced to give favourable ruling to Senator Ekpeyong.

The source said a petition is set to be forwarded to the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, accusing the Tribunal chairman of collecting huge sums of money in dollars for distribution to other members of the tribunal.

The source said; “Akpabio’s case at the Tribunal was dead on arrival as he could not establish how the votes he claims to have won were gotten. Added to this, is the fact that all his witnesses fumbled and embarrassed themselves with laughable and contradictory testimonies.

“Faced with the prospects that his case is weak and legally impossible to surmount, Akpabio has resorted to his usual antics: blackmail and besmirch the character and integrity of the Honourable Chairman of the Tribunal and other members with the ridiculous story that they have collected bribes and other financial inducements.

“Akpabio is said to have concluded plans to report the Tribunal Chairman, Justice A. W. Akanbi to the President of the Court of Appeal, the EFCC and the Attorney General of the Federation all in an attempt to blackmail and tarnish their sterling character of the Tribunal Chairman and other members.”

The source also quoted a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to have complained at the meeting that the party should rather do its self appraisal and move forward instead of chasing shadows.

“Nigerians should tell Akpabio to stop these hideous tendencies. He should allow the Honourable Justices to do their job and allow the judicial process to take its course.

“It is the height of desperation for a man who has been rewarded at different positions of authority and responsibility to constantly invoke the instrument of blackmail to tarnish people’s hard-earned reputation, each time he feels he is not getting his way in a given issue.

“The Tribunal Chairmen and his members are doing their job, their integrity and character should not be attacked by Akpabio and his cohorts. Enough of this desperation”, the quoted the APC chieftain to have said.

MIKE IGINI: WHEN INTEGRITY SUPERSEDES INDUCEMENT

In the last few months, there has been several articles, press statements, social media posts by the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressive Congress(APC), aimed at negatively projecting the Akwa Ibom state resident electoral commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, who from sounds within and outside the state maintained that he conducted a free and fair election in the state, the 2019 elections. The media campaign of calumny against Mike Igini is a clear case of barking up the wrong tree.

According to Zig Ziglar, an American author ” with integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt”.

This line of thought by Zig Ziglar is what defines Mike Igini, whose integrity is not in doubt, as clearly shown in the conduct of the February 23rd and March 9th general elections. The accusation of Igini by APC leaders in the state for colluding with the state Government and the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to rig the 2019 elections in favour of the PDP is frivolous, after their failed attempt to buy him over with monetary inducement, to compromise his integrity ,shift grounds and manipulate the ballot, against the wish of the people.

A bit of history will help in unraveling Mike son of Igini. In cross river state, Irrespective of the political tension that greeted Cross River state from disagreement among members of the PDP, resulting in many factions in the build-up to nomination process in 2011. Despite several malicious publications and physical intimidation, Mike Igini stood his ground, defended his integrity, ensured that the right thing was done. He conducted the polls and left the state with his integrity intact.

The duty of INEC as an electoral umpire is to ensure a symmetrical playing ground for all political parties, showcasing impartiality and neutrality for the sake of posterity. These virtues were exemplified by Mike Igini at all his postings and he did not forget to carry his bags of virtues when he was posted to Akwa Ibom state.

The allegations by the APC against Igini in the hope of destroying his integrity was like a man using a hammer to break Kilimanjaro mountain, in the hope of leveling it.

The allegations that he delivered uncollected PVCs to the state government, selected some people for training with sympathy to PDP, were birth in the failed imagination of APC, because the commission invited all political parties, gave them the list to cross-check and give objection, but no party raised any objection.

The commission stated clearly, that when some PVCS was damaged, it was reproduced and were distributed accordingly. Igini was at some point accused of holding private meetings with some groups in the state by APC, all these allegations were unfounded because he refused to travel to Dubai and other places to attend meetings with some APC leaders on their demands. Those who must come to equity must come with clean hands.

Like Caesar’s wife, the electoral commissioner must be above suspicion. There is nothing wrong in suspecting public officers of compromise, but Mike Igini has maintained his stand and showed that indeed, integrity pays. He stated clearly that he did not come to Akwa Ibom state to count money, but votes. Indeed, the votes of the people were counted. Those who cooked up unsubstantiated allegations to impugn his integrity are those who tried unsuccessfully to induce him.

The elections were conducted and winners emerged, in a democratic setting, if any party is unsatisfied with the outcome of an election, the courts are there for litigations. So the continued attacks on the person and integrity of Mike Igini by leaders of APC in the state is uncalled for.

Just like Douglas Adams said, that to give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. No amount of blackmail from APC in Akwa Ibom state, that will change the fact that Miki Igini is a man, whose integrity subjugates inducement.

APC And The Abuja Connection: When Failure Becomes An Excuse For Foolishness

By Umani Uwemedimo

March 9th 2019 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State is one election that would never escape one's memory in a hurry. Obong Nsima Ekere who was the APC gubernatorial Candidate in Akwa Ibom State, in collaborative efforts with Senator Godswill Akpabio and other of his cohorts had planned to use their Abuja connections to unleash mayhem on the people of Akwa Ibom State during the said election, after it had occurred to them that the Akwa Ibom INEC REC, Barr. Mike Igini is beyond compromise and financial hypnotization.

While their bid to financially hypnotize the INEC REC failed, Nsima Ekere resorted to finding solace in Adams Oshiomole, his National Party Chairman who later spewed out fifteen buses ladened with thugs to Akwa Ibom State for the sole purpose of perpetuating electoral violence for him. To also compliment this mapped out plan, he had also moved to bribe some acclaimed INEC staffs who at the tail end sat at the confine of their homes to produce concocted election results for him. Thus, he clamored incessantly how his mandate was stolen by Gov. Udom Emmanuel with the aide of the INEC REC. This is Foolishness at its peak.

Soon after the gubernatorial election, Nsima Ekere having been defeated across board by his star opponent, Gov. Udom Emmanuel to the world's astonishment, it was reasoned that he, Nsima Ekere would take a bow out of active politics. But his act of challenging the election's outcome which was postulated by political and electoral scholars as the best, most free, peaceful and fair election in the history of the state, has proven that he's yet to ascertain the fact that he has got no business to do with elections and maybe 'politics' in general. In reality, he should be in one of the streets of Lagos doing 419. That's only what befits him as a person.

Nsima Ekere before now had incessantly attributed his failure at the March 9th poll to the Akwa Ibom INEC REC, maintaining that if the authentic results were to be announced, he would win in 26 Local Governments, so he alluded to winning the election with a large margin, claiming his unit agents had the authentic results earlier announced by INEC and pasted in all the units in the state.

Even when the above was postulated by him and his paid media urchins drastically jumped into lampooning the INEC REC Mike Igini on a daily basis prior to it, an abysmal compunction was felt by majority of his supporters and indeed concerned citizens when he approached the Election Tribunal to call for total cancellation of the election in 29 Local Governments where he claimed election was not conducted. He maintained election was conducted in two Local Governments, Etim Ekpo and Essien Udim where he won with a great margin.

Before the pre-trials, they had protested on countless occasions for the governorship Tribunal to be relocated to Abuja. This they believed the Tribunal moving to Abuja would provide them an avenue where they could use their Abuja connections to influence the proceedings.

His petition challenging the election result as announced by INEC was sent to a lifeless realm when witnesses from the APC camp were cross examined by PDP, Governor Emmanuel's and INEC's Lawyers.

Hon. Akanimo Edet who was presented as the Etim Ekpo LGA APC agent added more pains to Nsima's injury when he maintained that there was no election throughout all the polling units in his local government. If this is to be believed, where then did Nsima Ekere manufactured the Etim Ekpo election result where he won with a wide margin?

To further expose the lying tendencies of Nsima Ekere and his APC camp, Hon. Chris Okorie who in the March 9th election was the State House of Assembly Candidate of the APC in Etim Ekpo LGA, when cross examined intimated the Court that election in his local government held peacefully. When he was asked who his local government party agent was, he exclaimed that he did not know who he was and at the processes of and after the election, he never met the same party agent in person, neither did they communicate on phone. He told the Tribunal that he does not know the party that won in his local government. You could now imagine how daft APC members in Akwa Ibom State are. A candidate of a party telling the world these stories. Indeed this shame is an enormous one.

While the APC members in Akwa Ibom State have proven their abysmal degree of daftness to the world, Nsima Ekere's petition was sent to the realm of lifelessness by the same people he hired as witnesses ( the two witnesses above). Nothing could be possibly deduced from their statements in relation to the petition at hand than 'contradiction'. The statements are contradicting to the petition, and here I've sensed a technical knockout against Nsima.

Nsima in his bid to compound more lies to the Tribunal Counsel had presented a strange Ward party agent Abasiono Udomfu, who according to him is a native of Ukanafun local government. When the acclaimed agent was cross examined, it was discovered that he was not the authentic party Ward agent which he confessed to. According to him, he was told to act on instructions but before now, he had told the Tribunal that PDP supporters with their thugs accompanied by security agents were seriously unleashing mayhem on the electorates. APC can never do without lies and deceit: this is the foundation in which the party was built. This too has compounded their woes at the ongoing Tribunal.

Things fell apart for APC, and their hopes got shattered the day Nsima Ekere, their gubernatorial candidate appeared before the Tribunal to also testify. While many believed that would provide a possibility for his petition to see the light of the day, the outcome became so catastrophic that everyone thought it was a dream. " Oga has messed everything for us", this some APC supporters who were sitting behind me murmured.

While he was cross examined, Nsima Ekere boldly told the Tribunal that there was no election in the 31 local government Areas of the State. His lawyers before then were battling the case with the petition he had submitted before the Tribunal whose stand was that election took place in only two Local government Areas, therefore pleading for the cancellation of the election in the remaining 29 local government Areas.

Lead Counsel to the petitioner, J. S. Okutepa, SAN on hearing the statement by Nsima Ekere immediately revolted against him. He bitterly lamented that Nsima Ekere's testimony has automatically altered and thwarted the little efforts he made in order to make the petition witness the light of the day. Nsima Ekere in return apportioned blames on his Lead Counsel, maintaining that Okutepa should have schooled him on what to say before that day. He expressed his hidden dissatisfaction in his Lawyers to an extent that he was begging the Tribunal Chairman to guide him and also offer him some protection. " My Lord, please I need some protection", Nsima Ekere screamed consecutively.

If this was why they had incessantly clamored for the relocation of the Tribunal to Abuja: to help them place an oxygen on a lifeless case, then it's indeed saddening to note that failure could contribute to one's foolishness.

Re: Charles Udo, Invitation to Doomsday.

The Press under Gov Udom Emmanuel and Chief Godswill Akpabio. To live Fat in Slavery and Moderate in Freedom

I write with the above heading not because I intend to reply Mr Edidiong Udobia's trending piece, but necessarily to say that it is the piece referenced above that triggers my interest to make this review which actually ought to have been done long before now.
Yes, I call it a review because reading through Mr Udobia's essay, he compares how the Press faired under Chief Godswill Akpabio and concludes that it is better than the Gov Udom Emmanuel administration merely because money seems to have flowed from government to the Union more then than now. Its a question of what one wants between living fat in slavery and moderate with freedom. I choose the later against the former.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Udoh is the target of the piece.

Why do I need to write this? Two reasons precisely among others. First, it is for the purpose of educating the Press in Akwa Ibom State that as a distintive organ of government popularly refered to as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, we can be independent and not sound like the "System" owe us a special package for which we have to betray ourselves, the masses, partner the government against the governed to get it. That is exactly what most past leaders of NUJ in Akwa Ibom State would want us to think the Union was formed for. Most of these leaders got so much from government by selling out the fourth Estate of the realm to the system. As I check, they left very little for the Press and the Press keep seeing government as owing her and ready to twist the narrative against a "System" she thinks does not favor her and vice versa. We can do better than this

Secondly, I'm writing this piece because NUJ in Akwa Ibom State just got a new leadership led by Mr Amos Etuk. I see Mr Etuk as one who can help rebrand the Press in Akwa Ibom State from a helpless begging institution always at the mercy of government, to a vibrant, prestigious, self reliant watch dog of the society worthy of the special recognition that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had given it. That being the case, I don't expect Mr Etuk to be dragged into an early fight with the Ministry and government it falls under to please a few individuals who have lived all their life and gains from the government and men they hide to fight. That's an idiotic thing to do and a new leader we hope to achieve greater things for the common good of the union must be protected from such a blunder.

On the matter of Mr Charles Udoh's performance as Commissioner for Information under His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel in contrast to Mr Aniekan Umana under Chief Godswill Akpabio, I think that a thoughtful Press should treasure freedom more than the the wads of Naira and Dollars which she gets from the last administration. My position is that where the Press is free to hold opinion and disseminate such opinion, it can make more money, firm and impact the society for the general good. My opinion of the Press under Chief Godswill Akpabio is that she fed fat in slavery and against her selves. While my intention is not to go back to those dark, trying years for the Press, we must remind ourselves that under Chief Akpabio, the Press lost her voice, abdicated her role and became a laughing stock in a State where insecurity, impunity, financial recklessness that had thrown the state into serious debt held sway. As a union, the NUJ remains indicted of the various atrocities the government committed against the Press and I have never been proud to say that I practiced Journalism under the era where starting from Mr Ime Ime Jerome, Mr Esedom, Thomas Thomas, were treated as criminals of war by a civilian government and the Press said nothing because that regime pinned her mouth, tide it to a stake and there, she stood and wag her tale as the regime fed them through their nostril with wads of Dollars, pound and Naira. We had a very compromised and corrupted Press.

I dont expect Governor Udom Emmanuel to lavish money on the Press yet, we can't hold him accountable to the public. It's better he discharges the Objectives and Fundamental Principles of State Policy and both the Press, the Bar, the Medics, the market, the streets forming the sum total of our citizenry will be better for it. It seems to me that that is what the system seeks to do.

I just ended my tenure as President, Independent Newspaper Publishers Association, INPA. I won the position because INPA was formed with the sole mission of replacing NUJ and fighting for Press freedom which the oppressive regime trampled by her incessant arrest, detention and prosecution of Journalists and media owners. It was formed at the inception of Governor Udom Emmanuel government in 2015 anticipating that the governor will be dragonian with the Press as his Predecessors, Chief Godswill Akpabio. To lead the group and set the tempo as a nascent media body, a man who can tell government the truth and not be afraid of losing his next meal at government House was wanted as President of the body. My antecedents as Editor-in-Chief of Global Concord, a medium that had seen it all under Chief Akpabio but will not budge, fetched me the job. I won with popular votes.

Four years down the line, I discovered that there was no much work to be done because the Charles Udoh's Gov Udom Emmanuel government did not fight the Press as we thought. We had very little Government/Press skirmish unlike the past. Our arsenals rusted unused.
Who normally advises government to move against the Press if not Commissioner for Information. Who normally pleads and mediates with government when there are issues between the Press and the government if not the Commissioner for Information.

Truth is that government everywhere and at every time will have interest on every thing. No one should hold grudge over government or any group having and advancing her interest howbeit, legitimately. Observing the heat generated by the speculation of government's interest at the just concluded NUJ election, I had called Mr Amos Etuk not to panic because I knew he was wanted by a cross section of active members of the Union. I knew he was going to win. I reached out to a few media friends around the government and advised to thread with care assuming they had interest in the poll. Mr Amos Etuk, as expected won whether government wanted him or not. To me, that should be an inspiration to the Press of her might and not an occasion to throw darts at the very office they have been lifting Millions of Naira in the past under the same Commissioner. It should not be an occasion to advance the cause of those who rarely have the knowledge of how the media works but wish the Commissioner for Information should be sacked.

Mr Charles Udoh may be quite about the things he has achieved in office as Commissioner for Information. One thing that is clear and cannot be trivialise is the fact that he had not given the government many media wars to fight like his predecessor, Mr Aniekan Umana did. Charles Udoh has not instigated unnecessary Press war by pushing government to go after the Press at every turn. That is Press Freedom respected by government and winning the quite support of, for instance, those of us at INPA who prepared to "fight" but ended up seeing no occasion to do so. Charles Udoh, by his style, has spared government so much money it would have paid media consultants at every points for public image repairs. It is a very quite achievement that I feel any government should be proud of.

I urge the new leadership of the NUJ to go beyond organising Journalists to attack government so they can have grounds to negotiate for crumbs, crumbs that will only fetch few wealthy individuals and leave the Press poor and belittled. Mr Charles Udoh is versatile and government can do more than donating to the Union if the Union properly charts her purpose. Instead of attacking and blackmailing the Commissioner, the Press should look inwards and see new ways of doing things that will bring more gains to a greater number. Above all, we must value the freedom of Press which Gov Udom Emmanuel has given to the Press more than the monies we could have gotten from a bargain the public will not be happy about.

Press Statement

APC’s Endless Flip Flop and Scare mongering

The All Progressives Congress Akwa Ibom state Chapter in their continuous unhindered retrogressive political expedition served the entire public, especially discerning minds, a very unpleasant literary piece, addressed by them(for want of a more fitting name) as a Press Release wherein they characteristically alleged (without any evidential support) that our Party as 2nd Respondent and other Respondents to their ill fated Petition were attempting to tamper with an avalanche of evidence tendered by their party at the tribunal. The ‘author ‘ or better put, the man in whose name the statement was issued, alleged that they gleaned this gossip from “credible intelligence and classified information”.

The statement on its own does not deserve any response, but the perceptive disposition of neutral minds who in the absence of truth may begin to assimilate and believe lies; and the legal admonition that issues not traversed are deemed admitted, has constrained us to respond to this very pedestrian and lazily cobbled narrative, fit only for comedy.

There is absolutely no truth in the allegation that the PDP and other respondents are attempting to tamper with any evidence, whatsoever. The evidence tendered by the Petitioner have been duly marked and recorded by the court and therefore are now the property of the court, kept in safe custody. These documents, most of them being public documents, exist in several copies, with only the Certified True Copies lodged in the Tribunal and therefore cannot be tempered with. The nearest to what could have been called tampering with evidence, was done by the Petitioner’s Counsel, who was reprimanded in open court for demanding for and handling exhibits, when it was not yet time for that.

We have noted with pity the consolatory ambience that the ‘avalanche’ of evidence gives the petitioners and We do not intend to destroy the placebo effect on them, but wish to subtly intimate the APC that one does not need an avalanche of evidence to win a case and the dumping of evidence on the Tribunal is not a mark of legal craftsmanship. Furthermore, it is the truth that while the Petitioner’s legal team have sought for and changed their petition more than twice, the final amended copy filed on 17th of June 2019,our defence has been constant and unchanging, on what basis will we then attempt to tamper with evidence?

Is it not amazing that the same APC, through their Governorship Candidate cum ‘walking stick’ negotiator and their famed National Comedian addressed a Press Conference immediately after the elections and claimed that they won in 26 local government areas and that they will head to the tribunal to reclaim their victory, by presenting results to show where and how they won? Most surprisingly, both in their petition and oral evidence no mention was made of their alleged victory in the 26 LGAs, rather they claimed that they won in only two LGAs(Etim Ekpo and Essien Udim). This flip flop nature exhibited habitually by the APC will do them no good at the end. If anything, it speaks to their stiff-necked resolve to continue to waste oxygen on a corpse.

Finally, we wish to state that there is no credible intelligence to show that any of the Parties in the petition(except the APC) has any intention to tamper with the evidence before the court. The only incontrovertible evidence which is already in the public domain, is their morbid fear of the impending opprobrium which will concomitantly trail the judicial unveiling of the heap of serial prevarication undertaken by the APC before, during and after the elections.

The unclassified information available to Akwa Ibom people is the divinely ordained, politically executed and democratically attained victory of Governor Udom Emmanuel and other PDP candidates at the just concluded general elections. The APC must learn to live with that painful reality. The Tribunal has conducted her business,so far, under a very peaceful environment and there is nothing to warrant the relocation of the tribunal, except in pursuit of ignoble purposes.

We urge the general public to discountenance the unfounded allegations by the APC, as our Legal team is peopled by very principled and credible Lawyers, who will not in any circumstance, descend to low levels of criminality. It is only the desperate that is capable of doing anything in pursuit of their ambition(including negotiating with militants to help in election rigging ). As a party and Respondent in the Petition before the tribunal, we had undertaken and will continue to undertake to conduct our case in the best practice and tradition of the Bar and nothing will make us deviate from that promise.

Signed:


Comrade Ini Ememobong
State Publicity Secretary
Peoples Democratic Party
Akwa Ibom State Chapter
04082019

*FINALLY, MFON ABIA NAILED IT!!!*


Yesterday, Saturday 3 August 2019, Akwa Ibomites across boards converged at the country home of Barr. Bassey Dan Abia Jnr, to join in celebrating an amazing female social crusader and an extraordinary activist, Lady Mfon Abia; for her glaring unbiased advocacy towards ensuring a fair, equitable and accountable leadership where character and integrity will always prevail above self enrichment and nepotism.

This "victory party clearly portrays gratitude, unity and love by Lady Mfon D. Abia; who once worked for #ExxonMobil.

Lady Mfon Abia, who discovered series of unwholesome happenings and illegal dealings within the ExxonMobil top management firmly stood her ground and petitioned some of the suspected top management/employees for the purpose of restoring sanity into the system which has hitherto birthed huge positive benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom and core host communities.


Lady Abia, who is known for excellence and high moral standard remained firm, focus and consistent in standing on the side of truth despite threats to her life and that of her family members.


Today, the history of ExxonMobil vis-a-vis Corporate Social Responsibility can't be complete without mentioning Lady Mfon Abia who never mortgaged her integrity while working with the oil giant #ExxonMobil.


See pictures of some of the prominent faces who joined to grace the #VictoryParty below.


*#ThankUExxonMobil*

AKWA IBOM APC, THE SUMMARY OF THEIR MIRAGE

...the succinct tale of a failed group...

-Itoro Udotim


Before the just concluded 2019 general elections, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State made efforts in attempt to circumvent our historical and traditional bond that had brought us this far into a peaceful and productive state. The effluents of this attempt in the state continually created disunity among families and groups, without repentance they claimed victory ahead of time winking at the collective decision of our people.

Lost memory, superimposed with thirst for power, the APC are yet to realise that Akwa Ibom people were now wiser than how they were in 2003 and 2011, where the future Governors and prospective senior citizens were forcefully transited below tombstones.

One who is conversant with the story "ACRE OF GOLD" would not hesitate to conclude that, what the APC called campaigns was simply a somnambulist play of hatred, which within themselves they knew that there was no love lost within them. A situation where the APC's pre-election activities was a network of blind men eating from same bowl. The simpler lesson here is that the interest of broom bearers are as many and unequal as the strands in the bunch, ONE can never be trusted by another ONE.

Meanwhile, the People's Democratic Party, PDP, campaigned effectively, efficiently, effortlessly and relentlessly across the thirty one (31) local government council Areas, three hundred and twenty four (324) wards, ten federal constituencies (10) and twenty six (26) state constituencies of the state. However,finally fulfilled the Divine law that states,"for every hard work there is a commensurate reward" PDP won convincingly without any dent.

APC, still in the pool of shock, arose with many excuses; scuffling with litigations, no wonder it is said that, a drowning man would catch at a straw. On the contrary, successful PDP had their eyes set on records.


Instead of throwing in the towel the APC compound their woes continually, emphasizing their naiveness during court sessions. Their candidates are conspicuously visible in court premises looming is disparage for their respective totems as if they were unraveling a puzzle.

My fellow Akwa Ibom people"let not your heart be troubled" for the "Egyptians whom he hear today, you shall hear them no more"

2023: Godswill Akpabio Recruits new team for the 2023 General Elections

... Plans to Appoint 200 Special Advisers and Aides

By Samuel Uko, Abak


Chief Godswill Akpabio, the Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and immediate past Senator Representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District our source gathers, has completed plans to commence subtle campaigns to install the next Governor of Akwa Ibom state in 2023.

The former Governor who lost his Senatorial Seat to Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) at the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections was recently nominated by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari as a minister in the Federal Executive Council.

Sources close to him reveal that Chief Akpabio hinted that he has perfected plans to commence campaigns for the 2023 elections in Akwa Ibom state. The source said he made this known at a meeting he held with his supporters at an undisclosed location yesterday, July 31, 2019. Another source who attended the meeting also revealed that Chief Akpabio has compiled names of Two Hundred and Fifty Akwa Ibom-ites whom he shall announce as Special Advisers and Aides upon his swearing-in as a minister and member of the Federal Executive. The names, the source said, is pulled from the three Senatorial Districts in the state. The source told our correspondents that the said list has at least seven names from each Local Government Area in the state.

Giving further particulars, the source said that One Hundred of the Two Hundred and Fifty people will be considered as "Special Grade Aides" in the class of Senior Special Advisers while the remaining One Hundred and Fifty will be Ordinary Aides. Each Senatorial District in the state is expected to have an equal allocation of fifty slots for the Ordinary Aides. He said Chief Akpabio has promised to pay the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira to the Special Grade Aides and Three Hundred Thousand Naira to the Ordinary level Aides.

Speaking further to our correspondent, the source confirmed that a very happy Akpabio who spoke ceaselessly at the event expressed his regrets in empowering most of the politicians who rebelled against him at the 2019 elections and promised to work with the new set of aides whom he referred to as his new recruits for the 2023 battle. Akpabio is said to have praised Bar. Ibanga Akpabio and Rt. Hon. Nse Ntuen and referenced them as the hallmark of loyalty and integrity. He thanked them for Standing by him in his days of seeming defeat. In the reverse, he referred to His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom state as "...the greatest ingrate of the 21st Century" and Prince Ukpong Udo Akpabio as "...a child who has bitten the finger that fed him".

PDP STAR WITNESS REVEALS HOW APC THUGS HIJACKED [b][/b]ELECTION MATERIALS AT POLLING UNITS



The National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, on Wednesday told the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo, that elections were cancelled in polling units in wards 8, 9 and 10 by the electoral body, INEC because election materials in the affected units were hijacked by thugs sponsored by the Governorship candidate of the APC, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

Under cross examination, Barr. Enoidem who appeared as star witness before the tribunal, as State collation agent for PDP in the March, 9 Governorship election, further informed the court that a candidate of the APC for the House of Assembly seat, Barr. Chris Okorie lost in his own polling unit in Etim Ekpo.

He lamented that the imported thugs were led to units which where considered as PDP strongholds and carted away election materials to Senator Godswill Akpabio's house in Ukana, Essien Udim local government Area on election day.

"Elections were canceled in some polling units and wards because they were hijacked by thugs sponsored by the petitioner, Nsima Ekere and his party, APC"

He also told the court that the thugs who were brought from Edo state in 50 buses were arrested by the police and they confessed that they were paid by APC and Mr Ekere to come into the state to destabilise PDP supporters in their strongholds.

The National Legal Adviser of PDP, Barr. Enoidem, who testified as first witness, took time to present before the tribunal, unit by unit, ward by ward and local government after local government, all the Certified True Copies of results in the Governorship Elections held on March 9,2019.


Nsima Ekere's lead Counsel, Prof Ernest Ojukwu SAN, who was visibly uncomfortable by the stunning revelations reeled out by Barr. Enoidem, tried in vain countless times to halt the process, but Justice A. M. Yakubu led three man panel of the tribunal would have none of that.


Enoidem, under cross examination by Prof. Ernest Ojukwu,SAN admitted that he voted in his local government.

The former Commissioner in the state executive Council lamented that hijacked materials and INEC officials were taken to Chief Godswill Akpabio's house in Essien Udim for massive electoral fraud, hence most cancellations by the electoral commission.

Earlier while being led in testimony by Chief Assam Assam, SAN Enoidem tendered all Unit Results (Form EC8A) and Local Government Results (Form EC8B), Form EC8C, Form EC8D and Form EC8E including the CTC of the receipt of payment to INEC in application for the forms tendered.

Under Examination by Uko Udom SAN, appearing for the 2nd Respondent, PDP, the witness affirmed his evidence in chief and stated the role he played as the state Collation Agent of the PDP.

Answering questions from the 3rd Respondent, INEC Counsel, Sylva Ogwemoh SAN, the witness affirmed that he was at the INEC office at the state and participated in the process of the collation of results from all the Local Government Areas in the state.

He stated that he took part in the collation exercise in concert with over fifty other political party agents, including Ambassador Sam Akpan who was the state Collation Agent of the APC in the state.

The court room however experienced a mixture of excitement and disquiet when the Petitioner's Lawyer, Ernest Ojukwu, SAN attempted to force the witness to respond to questions on documents he neither made nor tendered.


Efforts made by Ojukwu, SAN to cross examine the
witness on voter registers met the stiff opposition of Assam Assam, SAN who objected to such questions being put to the witness.

The tribunal panel chairman, Justice A. M. Yakubu, upheld the argument of Assam Assam , SAN and held that, "the witness could not be cross examined on documents neither made nor tendered by him".



The proceeding was witnessed by some members of the state Executive Council, led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, Commissioner for Education, Prof. Nse Essien, Mr.Monday Ebong Uko, of the Youth and Sports Ministry, Ekong Sampson, Environment and Petroleum Resources, Arc Ime Ekpo, Lands and Water Resources, Mr. Uno Etim Uno of Culture and Tourism Ministry, among others.

EKERE'S SUBPOENAED WITNESS ABSENT ON INEC REGISTER, PRESENTED FAKE VIDEO BEFORE TRIBUNAL

The man paraded by Nsima Ekere to testify as polling unit agent at Obot Akara during the Governorship elections of March 9, 2019 may have been an impostor afterall.


Nsikak Williams Ndarake who entered the dock as a polling officer for Ward 4, Unit 005, Primary School Ikpe Mbak Eyop and who presented alleged video evidences in support of Mr Ekere's campaign, was as fake as the unverified video clip he presented.


While in the dock, Ndarake claimed that he was an Assistant Presiding Officer in Ward 4, Unit 005 in Obot Akara,  and that he was abducted to the house of Senator Chris Ekpenyong and threatened at gunpoint to manipulate election results in support of PDP. He also claimed that he recorded the video of the abduction, with his phone while the gunmen where still threatening to kill him if he fails to cooperate.


Exclusive documents by our reporter however indicate that Ifeanyi Ifeyinwa Priscilla was Presiding Officer (PO) in that particular ward.



The document shows that two NYSC members, Ifeanyi Ifeyinwa Priscilla and Ndineka Chinedu as PO and APO1 respectively, while a student, Jacob Stephen Jonah was APO2 and John Daniel David, a former Corp member served as APO3.


This contradicts the evidence of the APC Gubernatorial Candidate, witness, PW44, Williams Ndarake who identified himself at the tribunal as APO2 in unit 005, Ward 4, Obot Akara LGA.



The INEC form EC25(B) at our reporter's disposal has proven Ekere wrong, as it contains actual names, phone numbers and designation of INEC Officials who served in the polling unit.



Nsima Ekere is facing an uphill task and remains undecided on what actually he wishes to gain from the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, after recanting his earlier demands and suing for complete cancellation of the elections.


PW 44 during cross examination, had claimed that he kept his phone on the ground to record in Senator Ekpenyong's house. 


The video showed no sign that the former deputy governor was the owner of the room, and Ndarake himself admitted he never saw Ekpenyong throughout his stay in alleged abduction.


When asked how a phone he kept on the ground could recorded different scenes, he now said that he kept carrying it up and dropping it again.


"All these, at while a gun was pointed at your head"?


Yes my lord.


"And you were so scared that you felt like escaping from that place to save your life"?


Yes, I was really scared."


This was as interesting as it sounded before their lordships who may have wondered how naive some gunmen could be, that they would tolerate a victim making video recordings on their ignoble activities. 


Alas, the video, which lasted less than 3minutes showed no violence and no evidence that the activity in view took place in Akwa Ibom state. 


As Governor Udom Emmanuel's team commences its defense today, it is obvious that there are some questions that will be put forward to Nsima and his team. For example,  how he was courageous enough to spend quality time to go and fetch materials like ballot papers from INEC without tendering them before the tribunal.