2015 AK Guber Contest:Youths Draw Battle Line…Say we wont Allow Elders Enslave Us Again This past Friday, 5th September, 2015; the same day the Ibibio nation held a grand reception for Obong Victor Attah, Governor Godswill Akpabios predecessor in office, the National Youth Council Akwa Ibom State held a Youth Day Celebration. The Youth Day Celebrated globally on August 12 was shifted to 5th September and the Chairman of Obot Akara Mr. Idongesit Ntekpre was among the persons, who though attended the event but could not help expressing amazement at the clash of this event with that of Obong Attah. Hear him: I got an invitation to attend the reception hosted by the Ibibio nation for Obong Attah and I also got the one of the Youth Day. However, I chose to attend this one after understanding that the reception for Obong Attah is clearly all about politics. I wondered why a reception should be held for him alone because he was a delegate at the just concluded National Conference. I would have thought a reception should be held for all the delegates from Akwa Ibom State. Ntekpre said it was now clear that the youths were taking their future seriously since the theme of the Youth Day is Justice and Equity. According to him, except there is justice and equity in Akwa Ibom State, peace will constantly elude the people. In this season of politics, the council chairman warned against politics of sentiments adding that even if there is going to be war, it should be joyous war, war without arms. The Commissioner for Environment in Akwa Ibom State, Prince Enobong Uwah said all the gathering against Governor Godswill Akpabio is targeted at ensuring youths remain in perpetual slavery and poverty. “Since 1960 until 2006, youths of Akwa Ibom State remained leaders of tomorrow. It took Governor Godswill Akpabio to break the jinx. Until 2006, Akwa Ibom youths had only one representative in government, Emmanuel Ukoette. We had to come out and fight for your children and grand children. They wanted to put us perpetual slavery. For the first time in Akwa Ibom politics, Governor Godswill Akpabio appointed over one hundred Personal Assistants, fifty Special Assistants, who are youths. Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Local Government Chairmen, National Assembly members, commissioners who are youths. This is what those gathering against Governor Akpabio do not want. You must fight against this to protect the future of your children and grand children” Uwah explained. He maintained that since God knows the heart of youths seeking the Governorship to be zoned to Eket Senatorial District in 2015, they will succeed. “I am from Uyo and I married from the same Senatorial District. But let us leave sentiments alone. In 1992 to 1993, Uyo Senatorial District produced Governor through late Obong Akpan Isemin, from 1999 to 2007, Uyo through Obong Victor Attah produced Governor again, from 2007 to 2015, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district took its turn; is it not just right in the spirit of equity for Eket Senatorial District to be allowed to produce Governor in 2015? Now some people are gathering and talking of Uyo because it has been zoned to Eket. I advise youths to come together and let us support Udom Emmanuel as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State” he stated. Special Adviser to Akwa Ibom government on Technical Matter, Engr. Etido Inyang while stating that Governor Godswill Akpabio has lifted the possibilities of investing in Akwa Ibom State by building quality infrastructure all over the state, added that the pursuit of enterprise is what should engage youths. “We now have good roads and infrastructure in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Eket and all parts of the state. The next level for us is industrialization and sustainable development; only one man can take us to this future. His name is Udom Emmanuel. Although Isantim Kenneth Okon, Chairman Etinan local government council believes the zoning of the Governorship should be to Eket Senatorial District, he however opined that it should have been to Oro nation. He was of the view that the support for Ibibio speaking part of Eket Senatorial District is also a way of pacifying the Ibibios who want the Governorship back. “Governorship should have been zoned to Oro nation. However, if we think it is not the right time to do so yet, we must be careful to negotiate properly with them, hear them, so that they wont lose faith in Akwa Ibom project” Okon warned. He said that for there to be peace, unity and equity in Akwa Ibom State, the minorities should be allowed to govern the state. “It is not that we dont have qualified persons in Uyo Senatorial District but it is the turn of Eket Senatorial District.” He stated According to Okon, it was he and other youths that fought for what he described as the “freedom of youths”. “We had the vision to fight for youths freedom from the state to Federal levels and we succeeded in 1998 by getting one of our own, Godwin Moffat appointed as NDDC Commissioner. We continued the struggle to get the kind of relevance we have now” he explained. The Etinan Council Chairman advised youths to work hard and improve on what has been achieved so far by them in politics adding that because of the succession plan, Elders are bringing up issues to make it look as though there was a crisis. He said that there is no crisis anywhere in the state. “Today they are talking about cultists here and there but I can tell you there is nothing like that. When people group together and have similar interest, that is cult, NUJ, other professional groups are cults. They are causing all these problems because of succession. Once we succeed to put somebody, Annang, Ibibios Oron, will start enjoying together again. That is the truth” he explained. Governor Godswill Akpabio who was the Guest of Honour at the event advised the youths not to allow themselves to be enslaved again. The Governor who was represented by the Special Adviser, Bureau of Political and Legislative Affairs, Otuekong Emmanuel Ibiok noted that before 2007, when he assumed office, youths were only used during elections and dumped saying that he has taken steps to improve their status politically, economically and socially. Maintaining that youths are major unifying factor, he said government will continue to partner them for the overall development of the state. “Since 2007, youve been given leadership roles. In all the elections and appointments, past and present, youths have received over 98%. As 2015 beckons I urge you to insist on equity, justice and fairness. Shun merchants of lies who are only interested in disuniting us for their selfish gains” Akpabio added. The Governor reminded the youths that the present administration has put in place quality infrastructure necessary for industrialization calling on them to support the agreement of the entire state for power shift to Eket. According to him it is only through justice and fairness that a greater Akwa Ibom can emerge. “Ignore people who want to be local champions by using you as thugs. Tell them to employ their sons, daughter and other relatives. Ensure there is an atmosphere of peace before, during and after the election” he admonished. In a goodwill message, the special Assistant to governor Akpabio on Students Matters, Mrs. Christy Akpan said all the campaign of calumny against the Governor will fail. “I am here to tell you all that the entire story of students not supporting Governor Akpabio are all lies. The students of Akwa Ibom support him totally. There is no way an education friendly governor will not have students total support” Akpan noted. To prove her point she called on the large number of students in the hall to rise if they supported the Governor and they did. The representative of National Association of Nigerian Student (NANs), Aquila Akpan, movie star, Ime Bishop Okon and NAAKIS President, David Effiong called on Akwa Ibom to unite, support equity and justice. NANs and NAAKISS said they fully support Governor Akpabio. To add academic flair to the youth meeting, the former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Uyo and delegate to the just concluded National Conference, Prof. Isongoruwua Udombana speaking on the theme “Justice and Equity” is timely because of the political fire some people are stoking in the state. He recalled that the march 22, 2011 election violence and other crisis in Akwa Ibom has led to under-development urging youths to avoid actions that could lead to violence. The Don regretted that the political class in the state exploit political, clannish and religious differences of the people to create divisions in the state. According to him, it is regrettable that despite the developmental strides of Governor Akpabio, some persons, even educated ones antagonize him because he is not from their tribe. Those attacking Akpabio for not establishing industries he explained are not conversant with the realities of the twenty first century which advocates government providing infrastructure for the private sector to set up industries. Miss Emem Dominion in her paper on the role of free education in development of Akwa Ibom State urged the youths to take advantage of the education policies of the present administration to improve themselves. Dominic, a lecturer at the Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden urged the youths to have attitudinal change and stop pursuing politics alone. “Instead of chasing after being PAs or SAs, you can go to school, improve yourselves become professionals and entrepreneurs to build Akwa Ibom State. In his paper at the event, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Aniekan Brown reminded the youths of the tragedy of the past in which, youths were enslaved by vices. He called for a moral rebirth which will make youths productive, saying the Akwa Ibom youth must have faith in the unity of the state and love one another for any progress to be achieved. He also said that hope is a strong virtue necessary for success, urging the youths to imbibe it. The Chairman of National Youth Council, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Esse Umoh said the youths of the state were fully mobilized to support justice and equity which Governor Akpabio stands for. According to him, youths of the state support the shift of the Governorship seat to Eket Senatorial district because it was the only way to ensure peace in the state. The youth leader said youths were grateful to Governor Akpabio for giving them various opportunities to participate in governance adding that, youths of the state have not had it so good. Thousands of youths from the thirty-one local government areas thronged Ibom Hall, venue of the gathering. Also present political office holders were in attendance.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:12:34 +0000
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