₦airaland Forum

Having barely a year to complete a 2-term of representation with Uruan as a state constituency, Aniekan Bassey has made it near difficult to raise any argument against the fact that Uruan has remained in the limelight of legislative representation for about 20 years now, since Usenobong Akpabio first ignited that light of vibrancy in 2003, and extended a bit by Kufre Etuk before the current holder who doubles as speaker of the legislature took over the baton.

One thing peculiar about Bassey's reign is the reflection of his entrepreneurial background in his approach to representation. Despite having as core mandates, the business and duty of making laws and oversighting the executive arm for checks and balances sake, Bassey seemed to have had a hidden agenda of expanding the entrepreneurial band of the state by inspiring and motivating as much citizens as time and resources would permit him, into self employment and self discovery.

Upon unveiling his representative interests to include education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and grassroots development, Bassey's takeoff point as a new arrival in the state assembly was assisting scores of constituents with business startup capitals, before extending to securing gainful employment for scores of others both at the state and federal levels. Over 50 women were marked among others, as beneficiaries of that first move. Then through the Aniekan Bassey Educational/Empowerment Support Scheme which he flagged of just few months into office, more than 1000 students of Uruan origin were made to undergo computer training programmes, while those who had interest in tertiary education pursuit were enrolled in JAMB classes and upon completion, presented with JAMB forms to register for the admission seeking examination, with convenient means to convey the candidates to and from their respective examination centres. The best ten amongst them were to earn scholarship grants solely funded by the lawmaker. Who knows how many graduates that gesture produced?

Also part of his first efforts towards motivating constituents to self discovery was an initiated Entrepreneurial/Skills Acquisition partnership with the National Directorate for Employment. This partnership resulted in a 3-month skills acquisition programme for over fifty people drawn through a fair selection from all the villages in that constituency to be trained in the areas of hair dressing, paint production, beads and hats making, fashion designing, as well as computer literacy. And to prepare these trainees ahead of their chosen lines of business ventures, he further funded the organisation to a 4-day seminar on book keeping and business management, with starter packs that varied based on their business areas of interest.

These are just a bit from the long list of representative milestones Bassey has made, including pushing for the realisation of the popular Ishiet fish market which contract was then awarded to one Verini construction firm. This was one of his campaign promises though, and this writer however, has no details on the completion state of the project. Records of his core legislative exploits are also there to add to this list. For instance, credits of the first touch of renovations seen on structures around the assembly complex are owed to his led committee on House Services. Same he extended to cover more facilities within the complex in his present capacity as speaker.

Also in the present days, his efforts at encouraging citizens into self dependence had extended beyond his constituency and as of the last count, his initiated RHAB-YES Scheme had encouraged up to 48 startups, and about 330 special support cases where the funds are boosted where needs assessment demands so, and to the tune of about N900,000 for a single business; as well as 28 trained artisans in various areas. The origin of these beneficiaries spreads across the entirety of Akwa Ibom state.

This level of experience based, agenda setting and result getting representation deserves a shot at a higher level where there will be more capacity to expand the reach and make more genuine results. This is why to every advocate of human capacity development, Bassey's senatorial ambition should be pictured beyond the usual desire for continued political relevance and power by politicians, to the need to allow the willing hands and minds more opportunities to cause positive changes and affect more lives. With access to more resources and opportunities, one cannot rightly guess what extent his efforts at human capacity building might be stretched to.


Ubong Sampson writes from Shelter Afrique, Uyo.

BY UBONG SAMPSON

It is not news anymore that some notable bodies in the international system are interested in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria. This they have openly declared and have been making moves to further affirm this. Few weeks into 2019 have drawn the elections closer and both the spoken and acted statements made by the international community as regards their interest in contributing to, and possibly influencing the reality of a free, fair and credible polls is currently an issue of contention by political and public affairs discussants in Nigeria. This includes both the resident and non resident citizens.

There is nothing to hide anymore about the fact that this development is not going down well with politicians in the ruling party (All Progressives Congress) in Nigeria and their followers/supporters. Some notable figures in the party have raised concerns, though indirectly, with the most recent coming from the party's national leader and erstwhile governor of Lagos state, Chief Bola Tinubu, during his party's campaign rally in Lagos a few days ago, while some of the party's supporters have taken to social media to do same. About yesterday, I happened on one of the social media posts on the issue by a close lawyer friend of mine sympathetic to the APC course trying to remind the international community that as a sovereign state, Nigeria has the capacity to conduct elections independent of any foreign interference. This got me seriously wondering if Nigeria in 2019 suddenly became independent of foreign aid. Or could this be an indirect expression of fears over what we are unaware of?

Can this be likened to the case of an unserious student whose hope of passing exams through cheating and/or other irregularities is being threatened by the presence of external invigilators with very unfamiliar, unfriendly and uncompromising faces? Or is it that of a stubborn, maybe wayward child who frets at the presence of that strict uncle/aunt, who usually visits with some strict rules and never willing to bend any of them?

What could be the fears of these pro APCists that has struck them with the ailment of forgetfulness that they suddenly forgot that what the colonial imperialists left the third world nations with was only a semblance of independence, and that except for the few of them (China for instance) that made the determination and took genuine steps to lead themselves into real independence, the rest (Nigeria inclusive) have been living with that semblance of independence till date?

Several scholars and their scholarly works on international relations have often likened the international system to the existence of man which Aristotle described as a gregarious animal that exists interdependently with each other. Hence, no country, nation or state can exist as an island, irrespective of the strength of its economy, military, political and other institutions. However, the inequality in the strengths of these nations have resulted in the inequality in their interdependence. Simply put, some countries are more dependent on others. Hence, while a country with less needs depends less on the one with more needs, the former gains less benefits and more losses from its interrelations with the latter.

Drawing an instance from a closer shore, while some of the first world nations depend on Nigeria for raw materials to feed their largely industrialized economies, they in turn pay heavily for it through their numerous intervention aids to us. Not that we have monopoly of these raw materials such as crude oil which several other countries also have in abundance. Hence, patronizing us is just a matter of choice and maybe also due to some overtime strengthened trade ties between Nigeria and the patronizing states, and which can be untied at anytime.

Note that there is no law that compels the stronger nations to give aids to their weaker counterparts. These aids are purely voluntary and mainly based on the theory and principles of interdependence. One of, if not the earliest conception of such idea was the interwar period, when some European countries including Britain, Belgium and France, which were still economically strong after the first world war, and those who had easy recovery routes from the ruins of the war, came together to offer aids to their counterparts within the continent that were almost totally ruined by the war. This led to the formation of the European Economic Council (now European Union). Considering how this conception worked speedily and effectively, the aid providing nations which were in the formative front of the League of Nations (now United Nations) simply extended that idea of economic integration for universal use.

Addressing my lawyer friend's attempt to clinch onto the non interference policy as clearly expressed in Article 2.4 of the United Nations Charter, that article was prompted by the new world order that sought for the equality of states and the protection of weaker states from aggressive invasions by their stronger counterparts. However, the said article seems to be too weak to fully pursue its objective due to an overwhelming quest for world peace and security. In order words, while the article protects a nation state from external threats on the one hand, it, on the other hand, exposes the citizens of the nation to any sort of inhumane treatment that may come from the internal government or its head in power. This means that any government in power in a given state can subject its citizens to inhumane treatment without fear of being reprimanded by external forces through humanitarian intervention because of article 2.4 of the UN Charter.

Therefore, if our APC fellows are planning to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorates in the the forthcoming elections through intimidation and violence and/or other forms of irregularities just to retain power, and hope to be protected by article 2.4, bad news for them is that there is the Law on Humanitarian Intervention which focuses around the notion of human security. This is the concept that the protection of individuals is more important than the national security and sovereignty of the state. The primary purpose of humanitarian intervention is to end human rights violations within the state in which it takes place and prevent the humanitarian crisis from escalating further. After all, one of the requirements of being termed a sovereign state is having a sizeable population and having the capacity to protect the citizens constituting same population. Hence, where a cruel government kills or subjects its citizens to harsh living conditions, it has no basis to claim sovereignty?

This interventions did not begin today. Though it is a mission that must be legalized through approval by the UN Security Council, there are several past events where the UN had to use its NATO forces to bypass a deadlock in the security council and went on missions using the importance of humanitarian intervention. One example is the tragedies of Rwanda and Srebrenica, and another is the case of Kosovo in 1999, when the UNSC refused to take any action to combat the persecution of Kosovar Albanians from the FRY due to continued opposition from Russia. NATO stepped in and began series of aerial strikes in the name of humanitarian intervention. This action by NATO was illegal under international law as the organisation did not have UNSC authorisation to use force charter and it could not be classed as self-defence as there was no record of any NATO member state being attacked. However, it was widely agreed that the intervention was ‘illegal but legitimate’ due to the humanitarian purposes it was trying to achieve.

Even Nigeria, at the level of the African Union has been at the forefront of intervention missions to African states. The most recent was when former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh disputed his opponent, Adama Barrow’s election victory and refused relinquishing power. It was Nigerian forces that led the military fleet that scared Jammeh out of the presidential house about 24 hours to the expiration of the ultimatum that was given to him. So why will such intervention be strange to us?

Further, of what need is it for my APC friends to sound the rhythm of Nigeria's sovereignty to people who did the beats. Without trying to undermine my country or sound unpatriotic, have they forgotten that even our national flag, anthem were designed and written by foreigners? Why should a male child remind his mother that he has manhood, when it was the mother who partook in its circumcision and later did the regular ritual of throwing hot water on it?

Closing, when in the 1970s, Nigeria sat among others third world nations to push for New International Economic Order which indirectly begged for transfer of advanced technology, transfer of capital resources, adjustment in rules governing trade and economic relations, among several other things from the first world nations, where was our sovereignty?
When we go seeking loans or intervention funds from the IMF, WB to solve purely internal economic problems, where do we keep our sovereignty?
When the British government sometime last year of the year before, promised us intervention funds worth about 700 million pounds and we accepted with open arms, where was our sovereignty?
Not too long ago, we were begging America to come help us fight our internal insurgency. Did our sovereignty escape as at then?
Have we suddenly remembered our gigantic statue because our usual helpers have offered to come helps us conduct credible elections? If we openly receive their offers to help us build our economy and security, why shouldn't we receive them with same open arms to help us build our democracy?


Ubong Sampson (08021419939) is a Public Affairs Analyst.

BY ATAIFIOK USEN

Sir, we all know the job of a security guard is one of the riskiest. Reason being that if armed, the guard posses a serious threat not only to the success of the operation, but to the safety of the executor as well. From the day Onofiok Luke started making the reelection bid of Udom Emmanuel his personal business, I knew he had exposed himself to a high level of risk. Few months past, it is playing out exactly as I had predicted. Why am I saying this? Simple! We all know the guy called Onofiok has done so well in public service - a fact even you cannot deny. And that has earned him a huge political capital, such that without having to openly campaign or declare support for anyone, his body language alone, if tilted to the favour of the person, is enough to earn such person support and followership.

Since last year, when Onofiok Luke made allegations about you offerering him a whooping N2bn to join you to the broom party, I have taken time to investigate the claims and found out it was true. The offer, according to very reliable sources, was supposed to give the speaker an advance payment of N1bn to share N50m each to twenty house members, while the other N1bn was to come upon completing the job.

That Onofiok Luke rejected your offer does not require any investigation to prove. Aside telling the public about it, the consequences of turning you down are glaring on him. If he has not told the public about the strings you are puling to ensure his very bright chances above all opponents contending with him for the house of representatives seat for Etinan federal constituency ends up a waste, there are people who already know.

There are a number of politicians you thought would defect along with you, but who readily bade you goodbye and even celebrated your exit for your former party. They also count among those you either made or who befitted greatly from your administration. Why then did you choose to focus all the strength of your re-acquired power on Onofiok Luke? You defected from the party that made you – the same party whose platform you stood to acquire the ill-gotten wealth you are boasting of today, and claimed you were only exercising your right to any political affiliation and association of your choice. Granted, the right is yours and no one can deny you of it. But why have you been killing yourself because someone else exercised the same right?

Whoever told you that sponsoring lies in the media against Onofiok Luke could make him run to you, had given you the worst advice of your life. I believe you have been informed that from the first series of campaign they launched against him in the media, labelling him an ingrate, those media urchins you habour in your gatehouse have graduated into full-fledged lies, even extending the likes to his mother. Now that your job has graduated to this level, has anyone yet reminded you that your background did not have a record that will be pleasant to the ears, and that story will so disgusting and humiliating if narrated into public ears? Has anyone yet reminded you of why you had to exhume the skeletal remains of your long dead and buried mother to perform a second (ceremonial) burial?

If I may ask, what has Onofiok said about you and your reign in the state that is not true? And why have you not told the public clearly (at least, through your media rats), where and how he lied in all he has said so far, rather than resort to malicious lies against him and his family? All I have read from your e-rats, is how Onofiok insulted you and your wife. How, if I may ask, has that proven his statements wrong?

Without having to be told by Onofiok, do we not know already about the atrocities and criminalities that characterized your reign as governor? Did we not live in this state together when you fingered the financial coffers of the state and stole every fund you could lay hands on, incited blood brothers and sisters against each other, just to disunite them to the advantage of your greedy and insatiable quest for power? Do we need an Onofiok to tell us all these things we already know? Or do we need him to tell us that your defection to your current party was for no other reason other than the fear of federal might, and a greater fear that you had financial misappropriation questions at the EFCC to answer, and nailing you would have been very easy?

In all honesty to God whose presence you stand to lift those hypocritical hands, can you deny not driving with Onofiok Luke in your car shortly before your defection, during which you told him that the party at the centre has concluded plans to rig all PDP candidates out in 2019 because the president was angry with Governor Udom Emmanuel for chairing and assisting his party during the last guber elections in Ekiti? Reason you wanted to defect because you will not be able to stand the federal might? Can you deny confessing to this same Onofiok that your high blood pressure ailment will kill you if federal might comes against you. When you confessed your chicken heartedness to the speaker, did he not tell you to your face that you were acting like a coward? So what is it that he said in your absence that he will not be able to say to your face? Can you also deny the N2bn you were collecting from the governor on a monthly basis, and how you nearly turned everyone against the governor because you never allowed the man get to meet with other stakeholders except through you? And only the few people who agreed to worship you got your approval to meet the governor and have cause to be part of the system. Were you not also trying to compel the governor to make enemies with your enemies, even when he had no personal issues with them?

One thing that has obviously eluded you knowledge is that if there were people who saw the need for you to free the governor from your greedy demands, Onofiok topped the list. So if God, in His due time, created an event that threw you out of the boat to calm the storms that were building against the governor and his party, it was merely a call for celebration to the speaker and others you declared enmity with, even when they wronged you in no way. If anything about your defection provoked him, it was your secret dirty plots against him and your treacherous acts against the governor who gave in all he could to protect you from the several attempts by your criminal past to hunt you down.

While understanding that your hatred for Onofiok Luke did not begin today, it is a reckless insult to the sensibilities of Akwa Ibomites for you to ever think that 2015 of just yesterday can be so easily forgotten that you could not as little as caution your baby e-rats against ever giving you an ounce of credit for what has become of a man whose political career you and your heartless, opportunist wife did everything physically and spiritually to destroy. From sponsoring an opponent from his place to deny him party ticket, to attempting to snatch the same ticket he won on grounds, you even went as far as refusing to approve funds for the party to support him in the general election. To you, it did not matter if your party lost that seat to the opposition, as long as it will not be Onofiok Luke. You did not stop there. After God used men to support him to victory, and he came out most favoured to be the speaker, having won 18 out of the total 26 members to his side, the devil in you appeared again, used the secretary to government you planted in the present administration to abduct the assembly clerk, her deputy and sergeant at arms and his mace, all in a bid to stop Onofiok Luke.

His crime? Nothing other than the fact that he dared to speak up against your power abuse and fetish practices and even went as far as exposing and blocking your attempt to steal N1bn of our collective wealth in the name Ibom Aviation. Aside this, you were bone-marrow scared that he will come to seek revenge for all your evil plots against him. But against all your antics, were you not alive when God at His appointed and safer time, turned events back in his favour? And against your fears, however, this God fearing and well raised victim of yours had long grown beyond such petty hate. He had long forgiven you, even when there were no signs he would ever be speaker again. But being the devil that you are, that was never enough to teach you any moral lesson. Until your defection, you did everything possible to get the governor to publicly declare Onofiok’s opponent as the man who will get the party ticket, only that the governor kept resisting your attempts to drag him into your evil plot. Despite being sent to the belly of the fish you are presently in, you cannot even hold back this hatred. You keep plotting evil against this one man and vowing to use federal might to stop his election, the same way your wife struck her hands on the chest to vow that he will only return to the house over her dead body. Today, Onofiok Luke is barely six months to end of that return trip to the house of assembly, but being the true Christians that we are, not Christians of Deuteronomy and salt water, we cannot even wish her dead. We had long prayed God to forgive her ignorance.

I do not even consider it interesting discussing the claims of helping Onofiok Luke return to school. If you had such powers, you would have first returned yourself to school to pursue the law programme you started to a reasonable end. Onofiok Luke is a recognized member of the Nigerian Bar. Can you boast of same? Once upon a time in this state. You were being addressed as Barr. Godswill Akpabio, until the real members of the profession stood up to publicly deny you, which we are till date yet to see or hear you prove them wrong.

Throughout the few two years I spent in the University of Calabar, I never heard your name mentioned anywhere for once. But the name Onofiok Luke was known to me even before I joined the University of Uyo for a degree programme. That is an example of how to leave a lasting legacy behind. With who we have known you to be, there is no doubt that were you be in Onofiok’s position, you would have even suggested a higher amount of fee increment, so as to increase the bribe that was offered him. Little wonder why the firm character of Onofiok remains a mystery to you.

One thing you must understand is that you were only a channel used by God to make him. And that cannot in any way put you in the place of God in his life. Onofiok Luke is a God fearing Christian who understands the bible and commandments of God beyond the book of Deuteronomy. Hence, cannot undermine the interest of God as contained in Exodus 20:2. If God did not allow the children of Israel to worship Moses in His place, simply because Moses was the channel, then do not expect any sane man or woman to make such mistake. Only a fool can undermine God. Sadly, Onofiok Luke is not one. He has even been doing well to appreciate you in private and in public, after all, if you had shown such appreciation to your predecessor who did you more good, who knows if this state, and perhaps the world at large would have been better than it presently is?

On a final note, you are only lucky to have been part of a society where public thieves are celebrated by people whose stomachs suffer the pains of constant hunger and as such, can praise whoever feeds them with crumbs. For characters like yours in saner climes hardly appear before public eyes without being stoned with rotten eggs and even the biblical Stephen kind of stones. But that notwithstanding, finding yourself in a society where moral values are less regarded does not change who you are - A COMMON THIEF.

Reliable facts have it that former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio is feeling despondent over his inability to host President Buhari at his Ukana residence after the flag-off of the presidential campaign in Uyo. It can be recalled that Akpabio and wife, Unoma successfully lured Mrs. Aisha Buhari to their Ukana home when the president's wife visited the state recently. It is gathered that Akpabio also made all efforts to lure the president to his home country but failed as the president snubbed him.

Akpabio, it is learnt, had made all preparations at his country home in Ukana with the hope that the he will successfully host the President to further boost his ego. To show how desperately the former governor wanted to host the President, reliable information has it that he had lobbied to ensure that the visit to Ukana was included in the President's itinerary. Perhaps, having successfully squeezed the Ukana visit into the President's itinerary, Akpabio started bragging. However, with the President's snub, Akpabio is feeling downcasted. He has even accused some members of the APC of being behind the snub by badmouthing him to the presidency.

By Ubong Sampson

About last night, I read one poorly written communique from the quarters of Essien Udim APC which carried the signatories of some purported elders and stakeholders of the party in the area. The said piece of trash aimed to counter an earlier taken position by notable and renowned stakeholders and elders of the area who in their integrity, had chosen the path of political consistency by staying put in the PDP - the party they have known since the advent of democracy in 1999, which has been and still offering them a platform for political participation, against the inconsistency dance of a former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, who hails from the same area.

Reading through the lines of their spewed lies and twisted facts (being what their party, APC is known for), in their struggling attempt to justify the shameless, antidemocratic venture of their former representative in the Akwa Ibom legislature, Nse Ntuen who was recently sacked by the law of defection (as provided for in the Nigerian constitution), the unpopular so called elders, made a futile attempt to discredit the Speaker of the Legislature, Barr. Onofiok Luke and his reign, since taking over the leadership of the Akwa Ibom 6th House of Assembly since December 2015.

Being so unfortunate to have had a representative like Nse Ntuen who has spent the last three and a half years in the legislature without anything to show to Essien Udim people as scorecard, one would expect that these so called elders and stakeholders had long joined the rest of Essien Udim people to lick their wounds of a wasted four years, while impatiently awaiting the next election to correct such error, but how they found the courage to put him up for comparison, worse of it, with a character like Onofiok Luke, remains a mystery that may take till forever to unravel.

Well, it is more than public knowledge that it is to the disappointment of the opposition forces in the state that Onofiok Luke has refused to grant one of their greatest desires of setting the legislature at war with the executive so as to impede the developmental plans of the state government and further give them genuine grounds to discredit the governor and his led administration. On this, Onofiok Luke owes them no apology whatsoever. This further explains their resort to discrediting the speaker as attempts to blackmail him into doing their bid. This, we may understand as part of what typically characterizes opposition politics in this part of the world. However, attempting to sell to Akwa Ibom people, Nse Ntuen as an alternative to Onofiok Luke is one magic that the best marketing brands of this world will confess impossible to perform.

To have anything near Onofiok Luke's scorecard between 2011 and 2015, a Nse Ntuen will need a full four years of intensive legislative training classes with at least four examination sessions to test his grasp of knowledge in the three cardinal functions of a lawmaker namely, Lawmaking, Representation and Oversight Functions. And must take some very compulsory courses like bill and motion drafting and presentation, constituency briefing and constituent empowerment, among others.

It is only after surviving the rigours of such training that he will have the capacity to match the kind of records that were set by Onofiok Luke in his first term in office. Even if Onofiok Luke had lost the chance to return to the house of assembly, he would have been sure of being remembered even in many years to come, as the initiator of participatory budgeting in the state in his reign as Appropriation and Finance Committee Chairman. What will Nse Ntuen be remembered for? Whenever there will be any review of oversight functions performed by the Akwa Ibom 5th Assembly, Onofiok Luke will have a mention where a certain one billion naira was discovered unaccounted for in the special duties ministry and a serious alarm raised, which turned out to be one of the "sins" that fought against his reelection bid. Aside leading the house of comedy, where in the 6th Assembly history will Nse Ntuen be remembered?

Even when there was a plot to scheme out a former deputy governor of the state who is now the APC flag bearer for next year's gubernatorial elections from Akpabio's proposed pension bill for ex governors and their deputies, it was only the lone voice of Onofiok Luke that rose to oppose the clause that only those who served for at least two years could benefit. Has Nse Ntuen found such a voice yet? I will spare him the embarrassment of raising the question of bills sponsoring, as that will be like digging into Arsenal FC's trophy records in the last 13 years.

Pray tell, which sane and sound mind will think of comparing an Onofiok Luke who in the space of 18 months, held two pace setting and mind blowing constituency briefings with very thick empowerment packages that beneficiaries are still enjoying and counting the gains till date, to a Nse Ntuen who could only manage to fix a date to hold one, but later canceled it, even after same was announced in the chamber during plenary, on the pretext that the one done by Godswill Akpabio had covered him? Who does that?

As for the speakership seat, the world knows Nse Ntuen is being pushed by a certain self acclaimed god who, more than three years after leaving power, is yet to settle with the reality. Well, I am only feeling pity for the poor former lawmaker because ordinarily, even if the speakership seat was vacant and be calling his name to sit on it, the Nse Ntuen we know will run far away from such attempt to lure him into an obvious public embarrassment. Hence, by dumping their integrity in the mullocks to celebrate a legislative failure like Nse Ntuen, those so called elders and stakeholders have only gone a step further to circumstantiate the public perception that the APC can accept and celebrate anything that comes to it, as long it counts into its numbers. Indeed, a drowning man never hesitates to clutch at a straw.

Itoro BASSEY

The five sacked lawmakers namely Idongesit Ituen, Nse Ntuen, Gabriel Tobi, Victor Udofia and Otobong Ndem came shortly after seven A.M. on Tuesday, November 28, through the VIP entrance overlooking the rear end of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, and immediately moved into the legislative chamber in a commando-like style. Their hidden agenda, it was later gathered, was to "impeach" the Speaker, Barr Onofiok Luke, a second time, and Governor Udom Emmanuel.

From where I stood in the assembly lobby, I could see clearly that the expelled lawmakers came to the complex with more than 30 armed policemen conveyed in four trucks. Also escorting the former lawmakers that day were youths suspected to be hired thugs. There were more than 150 of them. They came in buses painted with the All Progressives Congress (APC) insignia. Nse Ntuen and his colleagues came with a retired Sergeant-at-Arms, now identified as Godwin Ukpong, who carried a new mace and gavel to aide Ntuen while he presided over the five-man group.

Shortly after their arrival, Mr Kufre Okon, Speaker Onofiok Luke's Press Secretary, who was taking a phone call just by the Speaker’s car park, was accosted and harassed. "Take his phone", Idongesit Ituen had ordered Victor Udofia, who did not only snatch the mobile device from Mr Okon, but also dealt him a blow before he collected the gadget. The moment I observed these actions from where I stood watching the scene, I disappeared to make reports.

Soon, many Uyo residents comprising men, women, youths and students who had been following the issue in the news marched into the assembly complex from different directions as reports went out on the social media that the former assembly men had forcefully entered the legislative chamber to hold their sitting. The solidarity provided by these people would later spur the 21 legitimate lawmakers to retake control of the legislature from the invaders. It was a move to defend the democratic structures of the state, as captured in their banners.

At the time the Uyo residents arrived, I was already at the front of the assembly, close to the main gate, because the policemen that came with the sacked lawmakers and the thugs alike had sent away assembly staff members. While some of the youths sang solidarity songs as they marched towards the entrance hall with banners bearing the inscription, "Defend Our Democracy Today", others who had already moved faster blocked Nse Ntuen, leader of the sacked lawmakers, as he and his colleagues were about leaving the building.

In the House of Assembly, lawmakers usually access and exit the legislative chamber, as well as as their offices, through the VIP entrance. Mr Ntuen and his colleagues entered the chamber through the VIP way that morning. But they hurriedly passed through the main entrance hall at the end of their meeting. They had heard the blaring siren of Governor Udom Emmanuel and so they probably miscalculated, by assuming that the governor passed through the VIP way.

In the ensuing melee, those who got hold of Nse Ntuen nearly tore off his clothes as they pulled and pushed him. He and others, including Idongesit Ituen, managed to escape through the fire service section of the House. They ran towards the back gate, scaled the fence and disappeared into the surrounding streets. The police discharged teargas and several gunshots into the air in the process. The situation was war-like, even as the windscreen of a black tinted van driven by one of the sacked lawmakers was smashed. In sum, the youths and students who came to the rescue overpowered the mob brought by the sacked lawmakers.

As soon as the atmosphere calmed, the House, led by Speaker Onofiok Luke sat. The House passed a resolution ordering for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Godwin Ukpong, the fake Sergeant-at-Arms, together with the five expelled lawmakers for breaking and entering, and desecrating the hallowed chamber of the state legislature.

In the motion for the resolution which was moved by the House Leader, Sir Udo Kierian Akpan, and seconded by the Deputy Leader, Barr Ime Ime Okon, the 21 members of the House, in the other five prayers of the resolution, also:
(ii)Banned the former members from going near the premises of the state assembly.
(iii)Passed a vote of confidence on Barr Onofiok Luke for his leadership qualities and for standing by the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Standing Orders of the House.
(iv)Asked the commissioner of police and other security agencies to protect the institution of the legislature and its members and, warning them to desist from supporting the criminal activities of the sacked lawmakers.
(v)Resolved to stand strong with the Governor and the government of Mr Udom Emmanuel to continue to build a peaceful and stronger Akwa Ibom State.
(vi)Urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to immediately redeploy Mr Musa Kimo, the state commissioner of police, for supporting the criminal activities of the sacked lawmakers by supplying them with over 50 armed policemen to invade the state House of Assembly and disrupt activities at the complex.

Background to the Problem

On Monday, 19th November, 2018, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was in the news. It was a day the seats of five lawmakers namely Idongesit Ituen, Nse Ntuen, Gabriel Tobi, Victor Udofia and Otobong Ndem were declared vacant by the leadership of the House.

It was supposed to be a special sitting where members would, among other legislative activities, hold a special session to commemorate the 80th birthday anniversary of former Governor Victor Attah. Unfortunately, the Assembly complex, located at Udo Udoma Avenue in Uyo, the state capital, was invaded by hoodlums who also infiltrated into the gallery of the chamber while the plenary was about holding.

The hoodlums, numbering more than 600, and believed to be sympathetic to the sacked Itu lawmaker, Idongesit Ituen, had attempted to force their way into the assembly complex as soon as the Speaker, Mr Onofiok Luke, arrived in company of other lawmakers, but policemen deployed to the scene by the former Commissioner, Mr John Abang, responded with stronger force, thereby forcing the invaders to beat a retreat. They could not stop Speaker Luke and 21 other lawmakers from gaining entrance into the complex to hold the session which later saw to the sacking of the five lawmakers.

While declaring the seats of Ntuen (Essien Udim state constituency, Tobi (Etim Ekpo/Ika), Udofia (Ikono) and Ndem (Mkpat Enin) vacant, Speaker Onofiok Luke said that the lawmakers lost their seats in the legislature having defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the expiration of the four-year term for which they were elected to serve, as provided by law. In the case of Idongesit Ituen, the Speaker followed an order which was served on him by the Federal High Court demanding the immediate declaration of the Itu State Constituency seat vacant.

However, shortly after the House had adjourned, the trio of Nse Ntuen, Idongesit Ituen and Otobong Ndem unlawfully broke into the legislative chamber to announce Mr Ntuen as the new Speaker. The video of their meeting which has now gone viral on the internet showed Ntuen who sat on the Speaker’s seat making adjournment to Wednesday, 21st November 2018. That meeting could not hold as a combined force of the Police, Army and Civil Defense Corps had already taken over the entire assembly complex barring even the assembly staff from gaining entrance. The security men only ended their siege to the assembly last week Friday after the Nigeria Senate issued an order to that effect.

How Ituen lost at the Court?

Hon. Idongesit Ituen had defected from PDP in September 2018 to the APC, and in a bid to pre-empt the House of Assembly from declaring his seat vacant, he approached the court. He filed Suit No. FHC/UY/151/18 at the Federal High Court on Tuesday, 25th September, 2018. Ituen, in that suit, sued Speaker Onofiok Luke, together with the PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the state commissioner of police, Akwa Ibom State Command. He had, among other reliefs, sought an order restraining the Speaker from declaring his seat vacant. But the court ruled against Ituen's defection, describing it as unlawful. The trial judge, Fatun Riman, pronounced that, having defected from the PDP to the APC before the expiration of the tenure for which he was elected, Ituen had lost his seat in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. There was no stay of execution issued by any court of law against the Speaker in respect of Idongesit Ituen’s case, before he was sacked. Ituen only lied that there was in order to curry public sympathy.

According to the Deputy Leader and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Barr Ime Okon, the decision of the house to declare vacant, seats of Nse Ntuen, Gabriel Tobi, Victor Udofia, and Otobong Ndem, who had defected to the APC, was in line with constitutional provisions as captured in Section 109 (1)g and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The law, in Section 109 (1)g, says that a member of a house of assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if he was "a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected". In subsection (2), the law says that the Speaker shall give effect to subsection (1) of Section 109 "so however that a Speaker or a member shall first present evidence satisfactory to the House that any of the provisions of that subsection has become applicable in respect of the member".

Dear readers, the Nigerian constitution is not difficult to understand. The Speaker simply evoked the provision of section 109(2) which empowered him to declare the seats of those who had infringed upon section 109(1)(g) and accordingly declared their seats vacant. Let Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians, therefore, ask Nse Ntuen, Gabriel Tobi, Victor Udofia and Otobong Ndem whether they satisfied the provisions of Section 109 (2). If they claim they did, let them show it.

My Take

The talk by the APC, particularly the one that came from the Presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, that Tuesday's commotion at the Assembly did not begin until the arrival of Governor Udom Emmanuel and his sympathisers at the hallowed chamber was a lie. Senator Enang was not there at the time of their incident. The commotion started at about 7.15 am as soon as the expelled lawmakers forced their way into the legislative chamber, as discussed earlier. The governor came to the assembly premises to see things for himself as the state’s chief executive. Those who understand the way Nigeria laws are structured would attest to the fact that a governor has the powers to visit any part of the state where there is chaos or commotion, anytime and at any day.

Since erstwhile lawmakers failed on Tuesday, I would not argue on whether or not the governor, upon his arrival at the assembly, foiled plots to impeach him or the Speaker, as most national dailies reported; the fact remains that the five lawmakers in question have been sacked. They are no longer lawmakers, so how would they have impeach the governor or Speaker? Even if they were still members of the House, five lawmakers cannot impeach a governor or Speaker in a legislature of 26 members. The law says it would take the votes of not less than two thirds majority of the House to do so. Two thirds majority in this case is 18. (See Section 188 of the constitution).

It is important to note that the declaring of seats vacant, of members who defected to other political parties from the one for which they were elected, is not unprecedented in Akwa Ibom and other states of Nigeria. Former Speaker, Sam Ikon, declared vacant the seats of Kufreabasi Etuk, from Uruan, Alice Ekpenyong (Mbo), Paul Owo (Ini), Sarah Elijah (Nsit Atai) and Bassey Etienam (Urue Offong/Oruko) after they defected to other parties in 2014, during the administration of former Governor Godswill Akpabio. They did not recruit thugs to cause mayhem in the legislature. In July, 2017, the Cross River State House of Assembly declared the seat of the lawmaker from Obubra Constituency II, Mr Elucate Ekom, vacant for defecting to the APC. Before Ekom’s defection, all 25 members of that House belonged to the PDP. (see link for story https://punchng.com/defection-criver-assembly-declares-lawmakers-seat-vacant/). Similarly, the Nasarawa House of Assembly, in August, 2018, declared the seat of a member from Wamba constituency, Makpa Malla, vacant for defecting from the APC. (see story https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/nasarawa-house-declares-members-seat-vacant-for-defecting/). Still in August, Kaduna State House of Assembly declared the seat of the ex-deputy speaker, John Audu, from Kachia Constituency, vacant. (see story https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/280223-just-in-defection-kaduna-house-of-assembly-declares-ex-deputy-speakers-seat-vacant.html). In Kogi State, it happened in the same month too. The Kogi Assembly declared the seat of a former Speaker, Umar Ahmed, from Lokoja, vacant.(see storyhttps://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/defection-kogi-assembly-declares-former-speakers-seat-vacant/). These are but few examples, and those affected did not burn down their legislatures. It is, therefore, not true that the Akwa Ibom Speaker lacks the power to declare vacant seats of defecting members, as the APC man, Eseme Eyibo, said on Wednesday.

Senator Ita Enang, who was in the National Assembly for 16 years under the platform of the PDP, also said: “in the National Assembly, under the leadership of David Mark, there were defections from the APC to the PDP and from the PDP to the APC. There was no declaration of any seat vacant". In fact, there has been defections from the APC to the PDP and from the PDP to the APC at the National Assembly under Senate President Bukola Saraki in 2018. That is the National Assembly, not state. The case under review is of the state assemblies, and relevant sections of the constitution have been cited in support. Those who want to find out why seats have not been declared vacant at that level should ask Saraki (or former Senate President David mark) when they see him. Someone asked why Asuquo Archibong's (from Urue Offong/Oruko) seat was not declared vacant by Speaker Luke after he defected from the APC to the PDP. Archibong had, at the time his defection, alleged that there was division in his former party at the time of the formation of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC), before he left. Besides, his former party never reacted.

The PDP at both the national and state level have accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC of causing mayhem in Akwa Ibom in order to take control of the state by force. In fact, the spokesman for the party in Akwa Ibom, Barr Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that Senator Akpabio cannot "wash his hands off the current embarrassment occurring in the state legislature by Nse Ntuen and his gang of ignorant former legislators". Senator Akpabio's outright threats of war on Akwa Ibom State as a strategy to win elections for the APC in 2019 is still fresh in the minds of the people.

I listened to Idongesit Ituen on radio on Thursday speaking with an outburst of invective. He said, among other things, that they, the expelled lawmakers, will be sitting on Tuesday, next week. He and his sponsors should be reminded that the High Court of the state has given an order restraining Mr Nse Ntuen from parading himself as Speaker of the House. As former lawmakers, they ought to know that laws are meant to be respected and discontents can better be expressed through the court of law.

God bless Akwa Ibom State!

* Itoro BASSEY is a member of the Assembly Press Corps

Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM)
Motto: Together We Shall Liberate Akwa-Abasi Ibom State
21st November 2018

Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
The President Federal Republic of Nigeria


Your Excellency,

REEMERGENCE OF POLITICS OF INTOLERANCE, PREMEDITATED VIOLENCE AND SECURITY BREACH IN AKWA IBOM STATE, SPONSORED BY SENATOR GODSWILL OBOT AKPABIO


With unequivocal appreciation to your patriotism and deep sense of duty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the ongoing fight against corruption and financial brigandage by corrupt people in positions of authority, whose primary drive is to steal our common patrimony, we at Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) commend you on the milestones achieved in this regard.

We salute your efforts in the maintenance of peace, security and sustenance of the external and internal integrity of the country particularly by winning the war against insurgency in the Northeast, militancy in Niger Delta, and secessionists in the Southeast and other threats to our sovereignty.

We are most grateful for the support given to our governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, in containing the spate of violence, bloodshed and terror unleashed on hapless people of Akwa Ibom State residing in Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas and environs. The unprecedented violence which has unfortunately claimed scores of lives and property worth billions of Naira was inherited from the Chief Godswill Akpabio administration, which did nothing to nip it in the bud since it directly and indirectly benefited from the services of those brigands particularly in using them to hack members of your party, the APC, who were vociferous and profusely opposed to the administration's excesses.

As fellow compatriots in the struggle to seeing the emergence of a better Nigeria, we in Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) wish to draw your attention to the foreboding climate of political intolerance, premeditated violence and security breach spreading far across our peaceful State, Akwa Ibom. Our investigations show that these latest incidents of attack on senior citizens of the State are sponsored by the former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, to intimidate law abiding citizens of the State who find peace in other political parties.

Sir, soon after Sen. Godswill Akpabio defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), he reportedly made a categorical statement while fielding questions from journalists at the burial of the grandmother of his wife in Enugu State, saying that the 2019 election in Akwa Ibom State will witness brute violence as Adolf Hitler's invasion of Warsaw. At that event, Akpabio said, "We can’t talk politics in the church but in 2019, Warsaw shall see war and war shall see Warsaw. The return will be a victory.”

These comments were roundly condemned across the country and abroad, but obviously the senator was unfazed and meant every ounce of that hate speech as proved some days later during the Governorship and State House of Assembly primaries of the APC which were marred by large-scale intimidation, thuggery and killing of at least two members of your party, namely Mr. Ukeme Efanga and Engr. Emmanuel Asuquo, shot dead in cold blood. Findings reveal that the slain party faithful were supporting candidates not preferred by Sen. Akpabio and the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere. It is pertinent to note that on that day, while the APC was embroiled in chaos and violence, the PDP had the most orderly and peaceful Governorship and House of Representatives primaries in 12 years! The PDP had an unexpectedly peaceful primaries because Sen. Akpabio who has a phobia for fair electoral contest left the party, allowing men and women in the party to manage their affairs. Akpabio has taken his un- receding hate for peace to the APC in Akwa Ibom State, therefore, causing Akwa Ibom people to disdain the once most sought after party in the State. His intolerance for divergent political views has reached global acclaim; sadly, you Mr. President has tasted this at least ones when you came to Akwa Ibom State for your campaign in 2014.


Your Excellency, we wish to recall recent history, precisely when Sen. Godswill Akpabio governed Akwa Ibom State and was the leader of PDP in the State. In those tumultuous days, Akpabio did not shy away from applying any vice provided it ensured his supremacy in the State. Most of the APC chieftains singing Akpabio's praise today ran for their dear lives from the PDP to seek solace in APC. We can recall a press statement issued on October 6, 2014 by the present State Caucus Chairman of the APC, Atuekong Don Etiebet, at the press centre of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), Uyo, where he laid bare to the world Akpabio's demagogy rule by bloodshed and death. Etiebet who was then a member of PDP Board of Trustees, called on the then federal government to put a stop to Akpabio's antidemocratic stance, intolerance and senseless blood-letting in the State.

On Saturday, October 27, 2018, the respected Professor of Ethno-communicology, Desmond Wilson, of the Department of Communication Arts, University of Uyo, granted an illuminating interview to some journalists in Uyo, where he revealed how Sen. Akpabio then the State governor sent assassins after him because he refused to compromise the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district election in 2011, against the ACN. Sadly, there are so many who are not alive today to tell their tale. The likes of late Chief Paul Inyang, a PDP stalwart that was gunned down in church in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA. Also, silenced with brute force under Akpabio's watch were late Mma Ini Udonwa, mother of a governorship aspirant that was kidnapped, abused and her mutilated naked body flung into a gutter in Uyo; late Chief Ime Umanah, an APC stalwart that was arraigned on trumped up charges on the orders of then Gov. Akpabio and humiliated until death; late Engr. Albert Ukpanah, a staunch opponent of Gov. Akpabio's tyranny, whose life was snuffed out with bullets upon return from a peace meeting with Akpabio, and late Obong Okon Uwah, a former deputy Speaker and an APC stalwart, who was killed while consulting his constituents on his aspiration to run for a the State House of Assembly seat. His death by armed thugs sponsored by Akpabio's aide, followed soon after the then governor reportedly declared publicly that "anybody who seeks political office through the backdoor will die".

We wish to inform you that since his " Warsaw" hate speech, Sen. Akpabio has made himself a symbol of anarchy, rallying misguided youth against constituted authority in the state. A case in point is what happened on Tuesday November 6, when known armed thugs of Sen. Akpabio, reportedly attacked the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, and guests who convened at Unity Hall, Essien Udim LGA to receive decampees into the PDP. It was reported that the thugs fired live bullets into the hall filled with people; after which, known youth loyal to Akpabio, blocked the Ikot Ebak bridge where the Deputy Governor's convoy was to use to return to Uyo after the event. They burnt tyres on the bridge, making it impassable for the deputy governor's convoy. Few days later, the convoy of the PDP House of Representatives Candidate for Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Rt.Hon Nsikak Ekong, was attacked by thugs loyal to Sen. Akpabio's henchman, Hon Emmanuel Sunday Akpan, on their way to Ekpenyong, shortly after a consultation to an oil magnet, Chief Francis Ogbuji, at Odoro Ikot in Essien Udim LGA.

Your Excellency, as you may be aware, Akwa Ibom State is renowned for its relative peace within a region plagued by unrest and violence. We are concerned that Sen. Godswill Akpabio's tactlessly inciting comments coupled with growing political intolerance exhibited by his followers will not augur well for the State and country at large. We are aware that some chieftains of the APC in the State are boasting that the party has access to 'federal might', which they would wield at will against the people. It is important to state here that had the previous federal administration heeded the calls of Atuekong Don Etiebet and other stakeholders to call Akpabio to order, the violence which engulfed a section of the State, leading to mass murder and wanton destruction of property would have been prevented. It is on this note that we appeal as follows:

1) That you use your good offices to call Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio to order, caution him to henceforth exercise restraint while addressing his supporters so as not to incite them to violence and other manifestations of political intolerance.

2) That you should use your good offices to order investigations into the wanton politically motivated killing in Akwa Ibom State between 2017- 2015.

3) That you direct the Inspector General of Police to commence a thorough investigation into the remotest causes of the brutal murder of APC members namely late Ukeme Efanga from Uruan LGA and late Engr. Emmanuel Asuquo from Etim Ekpo, during the recently concluded APC Governorship and House of Representative primaries. Also, to investigate the reported acts of rebellion against the government and people of Akwa Ibom State as displayed by attacking the convoy of the deputy governor, Sir Moses Ekpo, and other innocent citizens in Essien Udim LGA, with the view of bringing the perpetrators to justice.

4) That you should direct all security formations in the State through their heads to provide a level playing ground for all political parties and be fair to all manner of persons in Akwa Ibom State notwithstanding their political affiliations as we march into the electioneering. We do not doubt your integrity Your Excellency; this is the time when everyone in Akwa Ibom State looks forward to seeing you demonstrate in the strictest sense that you "...belong to everybody and you belong to nobody".

As law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will not take laws into our hands and reply Senator Akpabio's misdemeanor in like sum, rather we entrust our concerns into your capable hands, trusting that you will take them into careful consideration and take speedy decisive actions on the matter. We wish to assure you of our continuous support while holding you in our highest esteem.

Signed:

Prince Emmanuel Sam
Movement Leader


Comrade Bassey Esio
Secretary General

Monday, 19th and Sunday, 24th November, 2018 will go down as two of the most historic days in Akwa Ibom state.

Monday:
“The motion has been moved and duly seconded that this honourable House do pass a resolution urging His Excellency Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel to name either the Akwa Ibom state university or the Akwa Ibom International Airport after His Excellency, Architect Obong Victor Attah...those in support of this motion say “Aye”, those against, say “Nay”. The “Ayes” have it. Accordingly, this house do pass a resolution that His Excellency, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, should name either the Akwa Ibom state university or the Akwa Ibom International Airport after His Excellency, Architect Obong Victor Attah. This is the order of this House. Clerk please communicate this resolution immediately to His Excellency” - Speaker Onofiok Luke

Sunday:
“...So on that honour today, by the special resolution from the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, we name the Akwa Ibom International Airport, VICTOR ATTAH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...” - Gov. Udom Emmanuel, 24th Nov., 2018.

You may not understand what this means to Akwa Ibom people. You may never understand the emotions borne by this simple proclamation of the Governor if you don’t know the story behind the humiliation of Obong Attah over the airport named after him last night. Ten years after, all that is over and that is why you see the celebration all over the land.

The lesson is learned today that no matter how long it takes, celebration can still come from your humiliation. Thank you again, Governor Udom Emmanuel.

- Kufre Okon

Am I not a source?

Following an order by the Nigerian Senate earlier today, men of the Nigerian Police who were laying siege on the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly have vacated the premises and its environs.

Work and daily activities in and around the complex are to resume by tomorrow.

End of News

My people, when I earlier disclosed that the defection of Godswill Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress, APC, was a grand conspiracy to once again deal with the people of Uyo Senatorial District (Ibibios), nobody understood me. Today, it's gradually unfolding.

In 2014, during the twilight of the 5th Assembly, the then Governor of the State, Chief Akpabio, directed the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Sam Ikon to declare five lawmakers’ seats vacant following their defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Three out of the five lawmakers were from Uyo Senatorial District(Ibibio nation) while the other two were from Oro nation. Akpabio ensured that he dealt with the Ibibios and Oro nation.

After the declaration, none of the sacked lawmakers took laws into his/her hands, or started a fight with the Speaker.

Few days ago, following a valid court judgment, Speaker Luke declared five seats of lawmakers who defected to the APC vacant. After the sitting, three of the affected lawmakers, disgracefully broke into the chambers, and elected Akpabio's stooge, Nse Ntuen, as their new Speaker. Is this not another attempt by Akpabio to deal with Uyo Senatorial District (Ibibios) who have vehemently rejected his political overtures to unseat Governor Udom Emmanuel?


Recall the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke, was served with an enrolled order conveying the judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria restraining him from further recognising Hon. Idongesit Ituen as a member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly.

The presiding Judge, Honourable Justice F.O. Riman, in his judgment in suit no. FHC/UY/CS/151/18 between Hon. Idongesit Ituen (Plaintiff) and The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly and two others (defendants), gave the “order of court restraining the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly or any other person acting on his behalf (including the staff of the House of Assembly) from further recognising Hon. Idongesit Ituen as a member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly.”

Being a declarative judgement, the Honourable Speaker had no choice than to comply with a valid court judgment.

His decision to declare vacant the seats of Itu, Etim Ekpo/Ika, Ikono, Mkpat Enin, and Essien Udim state constituencies is also in line with section 109 sub 1g of the 1999 constitution as amended.

Therefore, the show of shame by Akpabio through his house boy Nse Ntuen and the shameless and disgraceful display of power drunkenness by the APC in Akwa Ibom State led by the once responsible and respected Mr Ini Okopido should worry even APC members who still have good conscience except all of them have been infected by the Akpabio virus of blood, violence, anarchy and destruction which the same party condemned before the importation of Akpabio into the party.


Let us recall that prior to Akpabio’s entry into APC, the party had promised Uyo Senatorial District the position of a Deputy Governor, but was upturned to put somebody from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District with a conspiracy that should Nsima wins, he will be impeached by the Annang cabal to pave way for an Annang man to be Governor there by denying Uyo Senatorial District an opportunity to occupy the Hilltop Mansion.

This is a conspiracy that a factional Speaker be made from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, with the party chairman and Deputy Governor from the same axis.

My people, this is not a fight that should be left in the hand of Governor Udom Emmanuel and Barr. Onofiok Luke. We must rise in unison to salvage the soul of Akwa Ibom State.

The conspiracy of Akpabio to forcefully plant his stooge, Nse Ntuen as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly in order to topple Governor Udom’s administration, and send a signal for Federal invasion should not be allowed.

This is a clear case of shortchanging Uyo Senatorial District(Ibibio) by Annang cabal, with the support of the State APC Chairman who is also an Annang man.

Let us know that, Akpabio has always conspired with some of his selfish Annang brothers to fight the Ibibios. Let us not forget in a hurry the story of the former Managing Director of NDDC, Ambassador Sam Edem, in which Akpabio as Governor, conspired with the then Delta State Police Commissioner, Udom Ekpoudom to fight Ambassador Edem on trump up charges.

Today, we are in again with the cable rising to make the people of Uyo Senatorial District (Ibibios), insignificant majority.

Our children will ask us questions, if we don’t fight for their liberation.

I endorse this message.

Prince Emmanuel Sam
The Unstoppable Voice of Truth.