EKET GROUP UNCOVERS BLACKMAIL PLOT AGAINST ELDER UDOBIA

…Fingers UOU, Ex lawmaker, Ex LG Chairman, Others

Plans by Mr Umana Umana of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of All Progressives Congress,APC to sponsor more frivolous petitions and blackmails on the pages of newspapers against a prominent stakeholder in Eket Federal Constituency, Elder Benji Udobia, has been uncovered by a group known as Eket Mandate Group.
In a statement made available to our newsroom, the group alerted that the embattled Umana Umana has contracted some opposition politicians in Eket nation to endorse a baseless and spurious allegation in order to smear the hard earned reputation of Elder Udobia.
The statement endorsed by the Coordinator of the group, Mr Umoh David Matthew, named a former federal lawmaker Mr Eseme Eyiboh, a former Commissioner Dr. Emem Wills, and a former Eket local government chairman Mr Aniekan Akpan, as surrogates of the desperate APC governorship candidate who are ready to endorse the defamatory publication.
The group maintained that it was aware that the petition, to be addressed to the President and copied the security and anti-graft agencies, will allege that Elder Udobia, among other things is planning to terrorize opposition elements in the state and as such should be investigated for money laundering.
 The Eket Mandate Group frowned at the level of immorality pervaded by so-called leaders, who for the sake of partaking in stolen loots, are now churning out falsehood and blatant lies against innocent elders who are supporting the people-oriented leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel in the State.
The statement reads in part, “We are aware that the so-called APC members of Eket extraction, who could well be described as political Ichabods, have sold their conscience to the devil, and are ready to play the devil’s advocate role and mortgage the collective destiny of their people.”
“Although we are not against anyone freely joining any political party or pursuing his selfish interest, we however frown at the idea that pursuing an inordinate ambition must come with the pulling down of our well respected and amiable leader, through unfounded tissues of lies on pages of the media.”
“For the avoidance of doubts, we can say without any fear of equivocation that Elder Benji Udobia is a peace loving, honest and God-fearing leader who has contributed immensely to the development of so many budding talents in this state, and has been a benefactor to many of the Judases who today are pulling strings to bring him down.”
“That we condemn in totality, the smear campaign carried out by agents of the APC against all perceived supporters of Governor Udom Emmanuel, and hereby echo that politics cannot remain a do or die affair where all manners of bitterness and acrimony are employed by losers at the expense of fair play.
The group called on the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress to call its members in Akwa Ibom State to order, to forestall inciting actions that may lead to a breakdown of the existing peace we are currently enjoying in the state.
The youths further advised President Muhammadu Buhari to, “investigate any such unwarranted petition, as it reflects nothing short of a jaundice, selfish and unjustifiable claims against a man who is honest as a servant in God’s vineyard and as a seasoned employer of labour in the State.”
“We are again warning Eseme Eyiboh, Aniekan Akpan, Emem Wills and their cohorts that we are keeping a diary of all their fumbling and in time, generations to come will see the silly calumnious campaigns they carried out against their own people.”
“While we are sure that the Supreme Court will rise to its billing by dispensing justice in line with the mandate of the people that freely enthroned Governor Emmanuel on April 11, 2015, we are also confident that even if a re-run is conducted a million times, Governor Emmanuel will win a million times.”
It is the second time in less than three weeks that Umana’s loyalist will set to disparage the integrity of Elder Udobia, who is incidentally the deputy Director general of the Udom/Moses Campaign Council.

WHEREVER UDOM IS, THAT’S WHERE WE ARE” - AKWA IBOM COUNCILLORS

The conference of ex-Councilors of Akwa Ibom State, have passed a vote of confidence on the Government and administration of The State Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, reaffirming their support for the Divine mandate.

On an official visit to the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Right Honourable Victor Antai, on Friday 29th January, the forum, which has metamorphosed into a grassroots representative and mobilization group called ‘The Akwa Ibom Deciders’, reaffirmed their unbridled support for the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel stressing that he has overperformed in the 7 months of his governance.

In his speech, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom state Councillors Honourable Charles Bassey congratulated Governor Nyesom Wike for his confirmation as Governor of Rivers State by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“We also praise the Supreme Court for upholding justice in that case.

We all have been praying for the Supreme Court to do the same for the Akwa Ibom people. It is the will of our people for the mandate we gave freely to Governor Udom to be confirmed once and for all; and we are very sure that, come that judgment day, God is going to answer the prayers of the Akwa Ibom people.”

Hon Charles Bassey, who also is the former deputy leader of the Ibiono Ibom council further explained that the group is planning a mass grassroot rally for Governor Udom Emmanuel.

“We recognize his strides and we will come out of the grassroots to support him and encourage him to do more.

The date will be announced very soon, likely next month.

When asked in a later parley with journalists, whether the planned rally will be affected by the Supreme Court judgment, he asserted:

“Not at all. This rally will not be affected by the expected Supreme Court judgment; whatever it will be.

Wherever Udom is, that's where we are”

Responding, the Commissioner thanked the forum for their support for the mandate and leadership of Mr Udom Emmanuel, reiterating that the Governor has proved he was the right choice for the office, and that the commendations he is receiving from several groups and individuals were proper.

He seized the opportunity to assure the ex-councillors that the Government is working assiduously to pay all gratuity owed to the ex-Chairmen, Supervisors, Vice Chairmen and Councillors. He mentioned that the total debt, accumulated since 2007 amounts to about N1.1 billion naira, and although the country is witnessing severe economic difficulty, Governor Udom, through his rare ingenuity, is working out the modality for those debts to be cleared soon.

“If we cannot pay in full, we can at least start paying in part.

We are working on something, and very soon we will reach out to you.” He said, to a thunderous applause from the room.

Honourable Effiong Ante, a frontline member of the group moved the motion to support Governor Udom Emmanuel: “Wheras the good works of Gov Udom Emmanuel have been enumerated severally, I hereby move a motion of affirmation of support for the Divine mandate of Governor Udom Em manuel.” The motion was seconded by Honourable Esther Edet from Okobo.

WHY UMANA CANNOT BE AKWA IBOM GOVERNOR OBONG ATTAH CURSED UMANA -IBIBIO ELDERS

More revelations have emerged to how the All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Obong Umana Okon Umana could amass for himself with so much wealth. Over the weekend, one of the office assistants attached to Obong Umana Okon Umana  while he was the commissioner for Finance during the regime of Obong victor Attah made stunning revelations that exposed Umana's sharp practices while in office. 
The Assistant secretary (names withheld) divulged the information to a staff reporter of The Signal Newspapers that in the course of Obong Victor Attah's presidential campaign, Obong Umana who was the commissioner for Finance then forged the signature of the then governor to withdraw over three billion naira from the treasury of the State. The source revealed that there was a fierce confrontation between Umana and the then Accountant general who discovered irregularities in the forged signature on the memo and questioned the APC candidate on the authenticity of the signature. 
The source revealed that the accountant general made fruitless efforts to call Obong Victor Attah to ascertain his approval of the memo whether it was from him the governor but intelligent sources said Umana compromised a close aide of the governor to bar calls from the AG to Obong Victor Attah's phones  who at the time was in Kaduna. 
The Assistant Secretary revealed that after the accountant general could not get through to Attah, she approved the released of the three billion naira to Obong Umana Okon Umana. Upon Attah's return, the Accountant General went to inform the Governor on the transaction that was made during his absence and Obong Attah flatly denied signing the memo to release the said three billion naira. But when Umana Okon Umana was called in to answer questions on the fraudulent memo , he bluntly refused to answer Obong Victor Attah, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State. Instead, he insisted on exposing Attah if he tried to call in the security agents. 
Obong Attah who was four months from ending his tenure as the governor of Akwa Ibom State informed some Ibibio elders to prevail on Obong Umana Okon Umana to return the looted funds for the funding of Dr Udoma Ekarika's campaign. Instead of returning the money, Umana told the Ibibio elders that he has used the money to purchase oil bloc and turned around to blackmail Attah of looting state money to fund his presidential campaign. 
 Eyewitnesses at one of the meeting have confessed that Obong Attah out of fear that Umana will expose him abandoned the issue to avoid crises in his Government but rendered curses on Umana Okon Umana that he will never be the governor of Akwa Ibom State throughout his lifetime after he discovered that Umana was a chief financier of Chief Godswill Akpabio against his son-in law.

GOVERNOR UDOM EMMANUEL TO ESTABLISH THREE OIL REFINERIES

The Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Udom Emmanuel is partnering with the private sector to establish three oil refineries in the state.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industries in the state, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem gave the hint when he spoke to our correspondent in his office.

Enoidem told THE SIGNAL that the state Government is partnering with the private sector to establish three crude oil refineries.

The commissioner said the first refinery, Rev Oil Petroleum Limited when completed will have a capacity to produce 50,000 barrels per day.

He noted that the interesting part of the refinery project is that it is seated on an oil block. "The oil block was owned by shell and later the Federal Government took it over and sold it to the present company. It is in Iko in Eastern Obolo LGA. There are about 17 oil wells in that region and 15 have been confirmed to be commercially viable. The proximity between where the crude oil is found and the refinery is very short". He added.

Enoidem also said that the second Refinery is Resource Petroleum Limited, which will produce over 100,000 barrels per day.

He disclosed that all the licenses had been obtained and that the location, about 96 hectares of land has been cleared between Eket and Ibeno local Government Areas.

He said that the team from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is expected soon to inspect the location, so that President Mohammadu Buhari can visit the state for a ground breaking ceremony between now and April, 2016.

Enoidem further said that the ministry of lands and housing is working on the staff quarters and that a lot has been achieved so far on the project. "The unique design for the refinery has been approved. The major engineering design and final designs will be approved soon".

The Commerce and Industry Commissioner further expressed Government's desire to make the Amakpe Refinery project a reality.

He disclosed that a couple of meetings between parties have been carried out. "It is the first privately owned oil refinery in Nigeria. Government has inspected the facilities and is satisfied. The design and engineering metrics are fine at the manufacturing facility in Pasadena Texas" He said.

"There are debts to settle at the Amakpe Refinery. The refinery was built about eight years ago and it has been warehoused by the company that fabricated it. 14.9 million dollars is to be paid. It includes the cost of shipment back to Nigeria, clearing and installation by the technical team. The refinery has a capacity of 6,000 panels per day, expandable to 12,000" He added.

He said already the government is sourcing for funding to pay up the debt and bring back the refinery.

He appealed to the people of the state to support the Udom Emmanuel Government as it has what it takes to rejuvenate the drowning economy of the State at a time the nation's economy is dwindling. He said that the three refineries would employ more than 500,000 people directly and indirectly when completed.

APPROPRIATION C'TTEE CHAIR THANKS AKHA SPEAKER FOR HIS APPOINTMENT; TO HOST TWITTER HANGOUT THURSDAY

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Honourable Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh has expressed deep appreciation to the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke for finding him fit to Chair the House Committee.
Addressing assembly correspondents,Tuesday, shortly after the close of the budget defence exercise for the day, the Esit-Eket/Ibeno representative said he is appreciative of the Speaker for giving him and members of the committee the opportunity to serve in that capacity, and assured of the preparedness of the House of Assembly to give the people of the state a budget that would meet their yearnings.
He warned that ministries, departments and parastatals that fail to participate in the budget defence exercise may as well forget about having a budget for their department in the 2016 fiscal year, as the House of Assembly will not have them passed.
Meanwhile, the budget defense exercise which commenced on Monday at the assembly conference room, continues today with more ministries, parastatal, and agencies of government expected to appear before the Finance and Appropriation committee to defend their estimates.
Dr Usoro Akpanusoh will on Thursday host a social media hangout to explain and answer questions on the Budget proposal submitted to them by the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. The public is invited to join the conversation under the hashtag #AKS2016Budget on Twitter and Facebook.

UYO SENATORIAL DISTRICT RALLY IN VIEW: ENDORSING A SUPER BRAND

“As the custodian of the hopes, aspirations and dreams of this generation of Akwa Ibomites, as the current holder of the Divine Trust which binds our destiny in eternal covenant to the God of our fathers; as an instrument of God’s plans and purposes for our generation, I solemnly declare to you dear brothers and sisters, the great Akwa Ibom people that the mandate you freely gave me eight months ago rests in the sacred place of the Most High. It rests here because it was a Divine Mandate”. Governor Udom Emmanuel.

That Governor Udom Emmanuel is everyday and each moment garnering tremendous and massive support from all nooks and corners of the state, it should send a loud, significant and strategic signal to all the doubting ‘Thomases’. An earth-quaking momentum to those who are playing the left wing, striking dirty and have bluntly refused to toe the right path. Of most concern, the Akwa Ibom APC goons and aggrieved team who by the day are losing the battle have seen that all the tantrums and smear campaign embarked upon to tarnish the lofty-earned image of His Excellency holds no water. It is all an effort in futility. The good people of the state have fully realized that this rascality in open display has lost the recycling selfish interest in their bank of lies and gross propaganda. They claim and rant on daily basis that there is fire on the mountain and that we should all run. Yet, for all that, even at the national level, the APC led Federal Government has done nothing in eight months to inspire hope that the much sort after change is here. They indeed, since assumption of power on May 29, 2015, with the swearing-in of President Buhari are incapable of doing so. I can authoritatively vow so; it’s quite glaring they haven’t done the needful. Certainly, they have every unique opportunity to rise to the challenge.

With the sad trends of happenings in the country, Akwa Ibom people are now in the know that we cannot afford to trade our collective heritage in the hands of those who don’t wish us well. Take a look at Nigeria’s economic crisis as it highlights the limitations of the current administration’s anti-corruption policy. There’s nothing new in Mr. Buhari’s war against corruption. He’s using the same tools as former president Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan. A lot of cases filed by the EFCC during Obasanjo’s administration are still in process, stalled in a judicial system that is programmed to shield privileged thieves and revolving around partisanship. Already, the Supreme Court has put the case against Senate President Bukola Saraki in a state of abeyance. There’s no sign that the case against former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, will not drag on for years. Meanwhile, as the economy becomes more beleaguered, Nigerians are bound to lose interest in the soap opera of EFCC prosecutions.

Is this the brand of leaders that our aggrieved brothers in the Akwa Ibom APC are struggling to align with, planning to sell their state and our God-given resources to the highest bidder? Let’s keep this aside for another episode and welcome Akwa Ibom’s fruitful bride.

On January 9th, 2016, the people of Eket Senatorial District organized a mega rally in honour of their amiable son, Governor Udom Emmanuel. The massive turn-out of the event to rally support in sustenance of the Governor’s Divine Mandate significantly painted a picture of a man who is widely enjoying the overwhelming acceptability of his people. It was indeed a mega rally for a mega governor.
Those who are opposed to Governor Udom’s administration have continued to claim that he is an appendage of the last administration. That the governor has emphasized at different fora that his administration is an improvement on the last administration; “The last administration took us out of Egypt to the Jordan River. My administration is taking us across the Jordan river to the promise land” Gov Udom buttressed.

To build the Akwa Ibom of our dream is not about Udom Emmanuel. The Governor is just a vessel, it is about our children and grand children and future Akwa Ibomites that will be coming after us. It is pertinent that we forget envious, grievous and politics of damning propaganda but line up behind the Governor and show so much faith in the Akwa Ibom Project. It is in line with this deep belief and passion to support Governor Udom Emmanuel to succeed that the good and accommodating people of Uyo Senatorial District are gearing up to receive, support and drum up teaming goodwill to his Excellency in just days counting. Plans are in top gear as crucial meetings of all and top political office holders, field commanders, gladiators and stakeholders of the Senatorial District strategize to make the rally an epoch-making one, resounding and second to none. With the steaming preparations and all hands coming on deck, the highpoint success of the Uyo Senatorial District mega rally in honour of Governor Udom Emmanuel will sure baffle critics in their constant campaign in painting the Governor in bad light.
It is confirmatory that in nearly eight months that he has been in office, the Governor has left no one in doubt about his deep appreciation of the problems that confront the state, and the solutions that must be brought to bear in getting it out of the economic doldrums in which it has been. He has gone about the business of erecting structures that would support his industrialization drive, knowing that it is the only way the state can emerge from its past and be economically relevant in the Nigeria of the 21st century.

The people of Uyo Senatorial District are in support and are committed to the industrialization and infrastructural development piloted by Governor Udom Emmanuel. With the several ground breakings for new industries and resuscitating of ailing and moribund ones; from LED factory to automobile, and fertilizer plant to numerous others, industrialization is on its wings in Akwa Ibom State. Peacock Paints has come alive again. In tandem with the Dakkada initiative, Uyo Senatorial District have chosen to declare more support for the Governor’s superior performance and consolidation as the curve keeps rising.

Conclusively, in the face of numerous crafted challenges especially the hurdles in futility mounted by enemies of the state, the people of Uyo Senatiorial District are not deterred but rest assured that when the judicial process is over and our victory again, re-affirmed, we expect our brothers and sisters to bury the hatchet and come and join us to build a greater Akwa Ibom State. We must know that we do not have to see eye to eye in order to walk hand in hand. We are brothers and blood should be thicker than politics. Relationship built over decades should not be sacrificed over the fleeting impulse of partisan politics. Political foes of today may likely be political allies of tomorrow and in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Join Uyo Senatorial District people as we prepare to receive in support and solidarity for Governor Udom Emmanuel who represents the positive change that only a new order can guarantee for Akwa Ibom.

Pat Reuben is a Public Affairs analyst, writes in from Awantong, Etinan LGA