Akwa Ibom APC Leaders Moving To Pdp

Indications emerged last night that some elders from Akwa Ibom  state who have been hopnobbing with the state APC governorship candidate Umana Umana, may have concluded plans to come back and be reintegrated in the current dispensation of Governor Udom Emmanuel. 

A source say that these out of favour elders, are not happy that their poor political calculation has landed them at the wrong side of the divide, where they only hear about governance but are unable to access the government of the day.

Our source confided that 11 of the displaced politicians have secretly met with a top notch in the elders's forum in view of their impending return after several months in the wilderness.
However it was further gathered that their sojourn in Umana Okon Umana's camp had since rendered them highly irrelevant, and without followership. Among the returnees are two former national assemblymen from Ikot Ekpene  senatorial district, and a former local government chairman in Uyo federal constituency, and another septuagenarian who has a biological tie with a ranking state PDP officer in the state.

We reliably gathered that the APC disgruntled elders met at the weekend in a hotel in Ewet Housing Estate, where they lamented that Umana has led them to political doldrums as they no longer enjoyed financial leverage and upkeep in a  state they had previously contributed their time and resources.
They also reasoned that since Umana is not able handle their financial entitlements and shows no prospect of causing any upset in his quest to unseat Governor Udom Emmanuel who appears to have firmly taken grip of the state.The APC elders are primarily former ranking members of the PDP who would have either been in the state caucus of the party or the official state elders' forum, but have been left in the wilderness after following Umana to APC late early this year.

Currently, Governor Udom Emmanuel has placed premium on the counsel of the PDP elders in making most of his decisions, and it is believed that most elders are banking on his humility and assesibility to attract developements to their localities.However they are bound to meet some pockets of resistance from the PDP elders who are not Co for table with the development.

A prominent former federal lawmaker from Uyo Senatorial district said the PDP is undergoing a reformation process and has no room for distraction by self seeking wanderers who have consistently been guided by their selfish interests instead of the collective good of all and sundry.
"That era of indiscriminate thorough fare in the party is over and nobody should expect us to tolerate such unstable characters who have sacrificed their integrity on the platter of greed to bring confusion to our state,"  the PDP elders added.

FANS LIGHT UYO PLAZA AS AKWA UNITED LIFTS FA CUP

Thousands of Uyo residents on Sunday evening thronged the popular Ibom Plaza to witness the historic victory of the state football team Akwa United in the final of the Nigerian federation cup competition.
The match played at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos was beamed live to the Akwa ibom audience in Uyo through the intervention of Governor Udom Emmanuel, saw the colourful crowd w cheering and clapping as the team pounced on Benue state outfit Lobi stars of Makurdi by 2 goals to 1 to lift the trophy for the first time for the state.

The fans who defied their political divides to drum support in one accord  for the state-owned team to emerge victorious in the nation's older football tournament.

The state Commissioner for Finance Mr Akan Okon and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical Matters and Due Process Mr Ufot Ebong were among the fans at the Ibom Plaza to celebrate the team.

Speaking after the match  Mr Akan Okon described the victory as a Divine endorsement for Akwa Ibom people, and attribute it to hardworking,  focus and sheer determination by the Akwa United team, stressing that the team had effectively keyed into the Dakkada (arise) clarion call by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

On his part, Mr Ufot Ebong said the Governor was greatly interested in ensuring that every Akwa Ibom person is motivated and inspired in the spirit of the Dakkada principle gaining momentum in the state.
Ebong said it was a great moment for the people to forget their political inclinations, ethnic barriers and other sentiments and to key into the unity and goal-oriented vision of the Governor to lead the state high beyond imaginations.
"As you could see, the people all forgot their respective interest and as they sat here, everyone was highly supportive of the mission of Akwa United to bring back glory to the state," he said.

Engr. Ebong maintained that, "all the people you see here have tvs in their houses and could have watched the match at home, but as you know, nobody can underestimate the impact of collective prayers and unity, and here it worked for the team."

He  commended the team for their peaceful conduct and congratulated the team on the victory.
Akwa United will now represent Nigeria in the African Confederation cup competition.

A cross section of the people who witnessed the encounter at the Plaza also commended the state governor for inspiring the team, and expressed the hope that it will be extended to other sectors of the state.

Umana Murdered Nsit Ubium Paramount Ruler

The leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe has accused the APC governorship candidate in the state of kidnapping during the Godswill Akpabio years. Udoedeghe, who made the assertion on planet FM in uyo during an interview, said that the Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government was murdered by Umana’s men over the 2015 election. The monarch Edidem Robert Obot, Oku Ibom Ibibio (III); and a former Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Council of Chiefs, was murdered in cold blood in his palace sometimes in 2012, on a Sunday after returning from church service. Udoedeghe also said the relative peace enjoyed in the state after Umana left office as Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State government justifies the fact he was the mastermind of the various dastardly acts of that inglorious era. He maintained that the same set of actors are still in power but that kidnapping and murder had seized to exist because Umana was kicked out of power. “You say I should assess the Udom Emmanuel administration. I have noticed that there is peace in the state. It means that (Umana) and his friends were responsible for all those acts. My point is that he (Umana) should not come to my party and spread the virus here” Udoedeghe said. Udoedeghe is challenging the outcome of the APC governorship primaries in the state. The APC chieftain maintained that Akwa Ibom people should avoid a deadly person like Umana , who according to him, would stop at nothing from killing anyone that opposes his views of leadership and should not be considered for any leadership position. Udoedehe has also sued Umana over the Candidacy of All Progressive Congress in the Gubernatorial election

AKWA IBOM APC’S PLAN TO USE FAKE SECURITY MEN TO BEAR FALSE TESTIMONY EXPOSED! DESPERATION TAKEN TO THE EXTREME

The Niger-Delta Political Committee on Justice, Fairness and Equity (NDPCJFE) has uncovered a sinister plot by Akwa Ibom APC and its defeated flag-bearer in the last gubernatorial election, Mr. Umana Okon Umana to hold a World Press Conference where it would line up FAKE police, army, DSS and other security agents to testify falsely about the peaceful conduct of the April 11, 2015 gubernatorial elections where the PDP Candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel was massively elected by the good people of Akwa Ibom State as their Governor. This evil plot is aimed at influencing the Honorable Justice of the Court of Appeal to give a ruling favorable to its cause.

We wish to use this medium to sound a note of warning to the APC in Akwa Ibom State and its defeated Candidate and those who are advising him to stop this insidious plan which runs against the spirit and letter of the Change mantra that Nigerians brought into, and which had propelled our dear President Muhammadu Buhari to victory during the March 28 Presidential polls. We also want to alert our fellow Nigerians and the international community on this evil plot.

We think it is the height of political desperation for a group to think up such a despicable plot, and make plans for its execution. Politics should not reduce to such low level of engagement. In the April 11, 2015 elections, the people of Akwa Ibom State relying on an entrenched voting culture, and fully aware that the State is a bastion of the PDP, and having seen the dividends of democracy manifest both in physical and psychological layers in the past eight years, made a solemn pact with the party, and voted overwhelmingly for the PDP standard-bearer in that election – Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

In his almost six months in office, Governor Udom Emmanuel has acquitted himself creditably, and has earned the trust that the good people of Akwa Ibom State had reposed in him. He has kept his eye on the ball and has taken concrete steps to redeem his campaign promises, the main thrust of which is the rapid industrialization of the state. Numerous ground-breaking ceremonies for new industries that will provide jobs for our teeming youths have been performed, contracts for the construction of several hundreds of kilometer of roads have been awarded, the people are enjoying steady electricity, youths are being trained and equipped with the right stills-set to compete and qualify for the jobs that will soon be available through industrialization. A new mental, attitudinal and psychological initiative as encapsulated in the ‘dakkada’ movement has caught on, and a vibrant Akwa Ibom spirit and identity based on the ‘can-do’ mindset has taken roots. The ship of the State is in steady hands of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Let us at this moment, make a key point that Nigerians and the International community may not have known: The wealth of the State which is based on oil and gas is located in Eket Senatorial District. In 28 years since the State was created, Eket Senatorial District, which is one of the three Senatorial Districts in the State has not produced a Governor.

For Justice, equity and fair-play, the people of Akwa Ibom State at well-attended Town Hall meetings across the ten Federal Constituencies, unanimously agreed that Eket Senatorial District should produce the next Governor of the State. Mr. Udom Emmanuel, an accomplished Financial Service Expert and the then Secretary to the State Government, a great son of Eket Senatorial District, was roundly nominated at the PDP primaries last December, and went on to win the election April 11, 2015.

Umana Okon Umana, the APC gubernatorial Candidate the world must know, is not from Eket Senatorial District, he is from Uyo Senatorial District. Other parties which fielded candidates in the last gubernatorial election – Labour and Accord nominated candidates that came from Eket Senatorial District, in compliance with this equitable act.

The people of Eket Senatorial District are not amused by the antics of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State and its flag bearer – Mr. Umana Okon Umana. The region views what the APC is doing as a violation of the principles of justice, fairness and would want fellow Nigerians and the international community, especially the United States of America whose strategic economic interest in Nigeria is located along the Senatorial District to take note of this open and flagrant abuse of the principle of justice, equity and fair-play.

The APC Candidate it must be state here, had bought the form as a PDP aspirant alongside others to participate in the nominating process, but having realized that for equity, fairness and justice, the party had seen the need to encourage candidates who came from Eket Senatorial District to participate in the primaries, quickly decamped from PDP and joined the APC. The APC Candidate, by joining the APC late in the game, failed to meet the constitutionally stipulated 21 Days’ notice required by INEC, and which the Supreme Court had affirmed and made sacrosanct. He was, therefore, not constitutionally eligible to contest the last April 11, 2015 Gubernatorial election.

It is also a known fact that the APC Candidate selected a Deputy Governorship Candidate-Engineer Benedict Effiong Ukpong who has violated Section 182 (1) (g) of the Electoral Laws which clearly stipulates that “No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a state if being a person employed in public service of the Federation or any State, he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from employment at least thirty days to the date of the election…” Engineer Ukpong from verifiable documents, including withdrawal slips; payment vouchers did not formally resign or disengage himself from the services of his last employers- (FCDA) and thus, is ineligible to be paraded as a Deputy Governorship Candidate.
Let truth be told, if elections were to be conducted based on option A-4, Umana Okon Umana the APC candidate will not have up to five percent of Akwa Ibom people line up behind him. He is the most unpopular person in the state. Talk to his kindred in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, and you will be amazed at the level of ill-will he commands.

For the APC Governorship Candidate to be boasting all over the place that he will use the powers of the Presidency which controls the security agencies to wrestle Akwa Ibom State from PDP is deeply troubling and we wish to use this opportunity to ask the President, our dear Commander-in-Chief, a man who is the very definition of probity, fairness and integrity to call APC in Akwa Ibom State to order. What he is doing is capable of causing great disaffection in our State, region and the Nation in geneal.

The Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS) Comptroller-General, Nigerian Civil Defense Corp, should please put on notice concerning this immoral plot. We, however, have absolute faith and trust in the Nigerian Security agencies and we have no doubt that the evil and devilish plot of Umana Okon Umana will not succeed.

Signed:
Chief Tom A. Umanah
For: Niger-Delta Political Committee for Justice, Fair play and Equity
(NDPCJFE)

Ukoh Umoh, Media Aide to Governor Udom; The Gentleman of Values

Godwin Akpan

The special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Governor on local media, Mr.Uko Umoh, who doubles as the publisher of Nigerian pulse, is arguably, one of the vibrant S.As the Governor had appointed.
Having been the chairman of the league of publishers in Akwa Ibom State, he has worked in the interest of the previous and present governments in protecting and promoting both administrations.
Although the position Umoh holds today puts him in charge of the local media in the state, he has continued to enjoy a robust relationship  with Media men outside the state.
He has discharged his duties without fear or favour, and has bridge the gap between the media and the present administration.
Successfully, Umoh fondly called (Uko Biafra), has empowered the youths in various ways and has given many a sense of belonging in the media and beyond.
The job opportunities created by his medium, “The Nigerian pulse,” is a clear testimony of facts.
Many Journalists in the state started their Journalism career with him in the then Community Pulse, which metamorphosed into the present Nigerian Pulse.
If there is one man that deserves accolades in this administration, Uko Biafra stands to be counted.
Though many are scheming to displace him in the Emmanuel's ’s administration for no reason other than envy, Uko Biafra is not a push away. One can only underrate him at his or her own peril.
The government needs him more for more synergy between the media, the government and the people. No wonder the governor Udom Emmanuel recently described him as a man of inestimable values and a fine professional, when he presented the governor with the first edition of his magazine: MILESTONE, a new publication meant to assess the performance of government from time to time.


When men of goodwill are in a position, they bring their wealth of knowledge and experience to bear. So far, that is what Uko Biafra has brought to the table.
Discharging his functions with commitment and zeal to do more, and represents a symbol of unity to the Emmanuel's government.
A detribalized Nigerian who has not allowed ethnicity to stand between him and his people, and has continued to give every person a sense of belonging.
Umoh remains a man to be reckoned with and his legacies continue to speak for him.
LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD; EVEN IF IT STANDS ALONE

SGF in Corruption, Bribery Scare over A’Ibom, Kogi Guber Race

By Inibehe Udosen

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal has come under serious criticism from Nigerians, following indications that he supports and promotes corruption and bribery in a bid to produce APC candidates in elections.

The Akwa Ibom All Progressives Congress Candidate in the April Governorship election Mr Umana Umana revealed Lawal’s inclinations to sharp practices in Uyo while responding to criticisms from the leader of the party in the state, Senator John Akpanudoedehe.

Mr Umana who spoke through his media advisor Engr Ita Awak on Planet Radio Uyo, revealed that a committee chaired by Mr Lawal was set up by the national leadership of the APC to resolve the crises in the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the party.

He said that Mr Lawal convinced APC gubernatorial candidate to ‘settle’ (bribe) Senator Udoedehe with some (undisclosed) cash inducements in addition to power to produce five commissioners and five local government chairmen in the next local government elections as well as emerge the new Minister from the State.

Ita Awak the Akwa Ibom publicity secretary of APC said the SGF tried to persuade Senator Udoedehe on the bribery offer, but that Udoedehe rejected the bribe and even tore the agreement oath form which he threw back at Mr Babachir Lawal, before storming out of the meeting

In an interview earlier, Udoedehe had accused Umana of going round to buy his way into the heart of every APC major stakeholder in the country.

Senator Udoedehe hinted that the current SGF and his team were ‘pacified’ to the tone of N1.3bn naira out of the N1.6bn he realized from selling one of his houses in Ikoyi, Lagos.

This is not the first time the SGF is linked to corruption as indications emerged on Friday that chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, advising on the disqualification of the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prince Abubakar Audu, from contesting the November 21 governorship election in the state.

Audu, a former governor of Kogi State, won the primary election of the APC on August 30 amidst calls by some Nigerians that fielding a candidate currently standing trial for corruption was a mockery of the governing party’s much touted war against graft.

In a letter dated September 21, 2015, with reference number EFCC/EC/SGF/03/59, and titled “F.R.N Vs Abubakar Audu & 1 other Charge No: FCT/CR/115/ 2013”, the EFCC chairman wrote to the SGF reminding him that Mr. Audu was standing trial for corruption.

“The candidate was arraigned by the Commission for abuse of office, theft of public funds and money laundering during his tenure as Executive Governor of Kogi State between 1999 and 2003 at both Kogi High Court, Lokoja in 2006 and the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo Abuja in 2013”, Mr. Lamorde wrote.

“The Lokoja case was stalled for six years on the account of frivolous interlocutory applications by the accused person, which has taken us twice to the Supreme Court and eventually decided in the commission’s favour on 23rd November 2012.

However the advice against Audu was ignored while the EFCC chairman was summarily axed by the federal government.

Several Akwa Ibom people in the diaspora, as well as some lawyers have fumed at the ugly development, saying that APC leaders have so far displayed corruption as their authentic rope to power.

CIAPS Rating Of Governor Udom Is Misleading - Aniekan Umanah

The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed as false and misleading,  the performance rating of Governor Udom Emmanuel by  a  Lagos-based group, Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), which rated him among the lowly performed governors in October 2015.

In a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said the purported comparative analysis of the governors’ performance in Nigeria, as reported in some newspapers and published online, was a spurious fabrication that insults the sensibilities of Akwa Ibom people, who are witnesses and beneficiaries of the good governance brought to bear by Emmanuel.

According to the commissioner, the governor was perhaps “the best performing governor in his set” and evidences abound to prove this contrary to the fabrication by CIAPS, noting that as reported, CIAPS simply targeted PDP governors.

Umanah said: “Even if one was to go by the CIAPS claimed criteria: payment of salaries, new projects, education, security and leadership by example, Emmanuel will score excellent in all”.  For the avoidance of doubt, the commissioner stated: “Akwa Ibom State Government has paid all its workers’ salaries to date, has the most robust project rollout as shown in the 100 days score card of the governor. The state is implementing the Free and Compulsory Education Programme and in October 2015 paid subventions to heads of Primary and Secondary Schools for the administration of school children.  Akwa Ibom is one of the safest states in the country and governor Udom Emmanuel has remained exemplary and focused in his pursuit of the wellbeing of the people.

He outlined some of the achievements of Emmanuel to include; ongoing construction and dualisation of about 140 km of roads with nine bridges across the state, the Ibom Deep Seaport development drive, the on-going construction of the second runway, massive electrification projects, the ground-breaking for the establishment of different industries; the construction and rehabilitation of blocks at the St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua; training of 1,000 youths in Oracle Database; emergency intervention in threatening erosions along Calabar-Itu Federal Highway and School of Nursing,  Anua; he said the governor has so far worked tirelessly to keep faith with the covenant he made, when he was sworn-in on May 29.

Other laudable achievements for which Mr. Umanah said Emmanuel deserves commendations are, the payment of the 10 years arrears pensions and gratuities to primary school teachers and local government employees; re-commissioning of Peacock Paints Industries.

Umanah maintained that in just over five months of his administration, the governor had spiced up the story of Akwa Ibom as over 50 foreign investors are currently discussing with the government on modalities for setting up businesses in the state.
He expressed the belief that if CIAPS had sent its members to visit the state for a firsthand feel of the situation on ground, they would not have released their faulty findings.

The commissioner advised CIAPS not to engage in armchair concoctions to  mislead unsuspecting members of the public, but should rather conduct proper findings so as to provide unbiased reports to the generality of the people.

He urged members of the public to discountenance the reports and be wary of politically motivated reports, so as not to fall victims of the antics of agents of disaffection.