Thursday 27 June 2013

EXCLUSIVE: UNIUYO Security Chief says VC, Deputies Induced Deadly Students’ Protest to Conceal Fraud


A deadly student protest at the University of Uyo, UNIUYO, which left at least one student dead and key offices razed a fortnight ago, erupted after the Vice Chancellor and two deputies repeatedly ignored red flags, and indeed, fueled the crisis presumably to save their skin from a possible graft investigation, the school’s chief of security has told the National Universities Commission, NUC.

Wednesday 19 June 2013

NLC in Akwa Ibom State hasn’t commented on Uniuyo crisis? Why?

Protesting students
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Nigerian students, in time past, used to be partners in the struggle for democracy and protection of human rights in Nigeria.  

But the NLC, in Akwa Ibom State, as far as we know hasn’t made any public statement about the Uniuyo protest which led to the unfortunate killing of a student of the university.

Has the NLC in Akwa Ibom parted ways with the students in the state?
What’s your opinion? Are you bothered that NLC in Akwa Ibom State seems to distance itself from the current travails of Uniuyo? Do you think NLC should stay off the crisis in the school in order not to complicate matters?

Tuesday 18 June 2013

“Oron people would be better off with Umana Okon Umana” - Victor Iyanam, Akwa Ibom Ex-commissioner for justice

Mr. Umana Okon Umana

BY CLETUS UKPONG
Mr. Victor Iyanam, the former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Akwa Ibom State is very straightforward about his desire to see the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, SSG, Mr. Umana Okon Umana becomes the next governor of the state in 2015.

Victor Iyanam told Daily Independent in an interview, “Oron people would be better off with Umana”. He said what is at stake in 2015 is the Akwa Ibom project, and not the senatorial project.

Shocking story of homeless Akwa Ibom journalist, lives in the street for 3 years

Mr. Ubong Otong stepping out from his Nissan Sunny

By Cletus Ukpong
Mr. Ubong Otong, as a freelance photojournalist, works with several other media professionals – publishers, editors and reporters – in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, but surprisingly he remains the big story the press has not seen or has refused to see; he has been homeless for more than three years now, living in the streets of Uyo.

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Does eating garri and soup with hand, while others are using fork and knife, in a restaurant, gives one out as being odd?


A guy in a restaurant pushes away the fork and knife placed on his table, and starts using his hand to eat the garri and okro soup before him. Meanwhile, his friends on the same table with him are making good use of their utensils for their meals. Does that make him look odd – like some sort of village guy?  
Please kindly share your thought and opinion here. Thanks.

Frank Okon says he has escaped four attempts on his life because of his 2015 governorship ambition

Frank Okon

By Tobi Soniyi 

Ahead of the 2015 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant, Mr. Frank Okon Daniel, has alleged that he has survived four assassination attempts.

Ewa disagrees with Senate over performance

Prof. Ita Ewa, Minister of Science and Technology

by Mudiaga Affe
Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, has disagreed with an alleged under-performance assessment of his ministry by a senate committee.

Saturday 8 June 2013

Planet FM in Uyo begins commercial broadcast this Sunday, 9 June

File photo: Radio antenna
By Nse Peter

Planet FM, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, is set to begin commercial broadcast by 6 a.m this Sunday, 9 June, 2013, according to message posted by the new radio station on its facebook page.

“Hi Guys, THIS IS IT......Planet radio 101.1 fm Uyo jumps off into commercial broadcast on Sunday 9th June 2013. The microphones will come alive and an open mic will feature the On Air Personalities giving it up so you can live it up,” the post reads.

There has been so much excitement in Uyo and across the entire Akwa Ibom State since Planet FM, the first private radio station in the state hit the air waves few months ago.

The other radio stations in Uyo, Akwa Ibom FM (aka the Voice of Promise) is owned by the Akwa Ibom State government, while the Atlantic FM is a subsidiary of the Federal government-owned Radio Nigeria.

 

“In anger, the naval chief ignored Edeh’s plea, reached for his pistol holster, retrieved his service pistol and shot Edeh in the mouth. He died instantly.”



“In anger, the naval chief ignored Edeh’s plea, reached for his pistol holster, retrieved his service pistol and shot Edeh in the mouth. He died instantly.”


By Nse Peter
The above is an excerpt from a news report in Saturday Independent newspaper, about the naval chief, Felix Olanrewaju Odunlami whose life imprisonment for the murder of a commercial motorcycle rider in Lagos have been affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the General Court Martial and the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Nelson Mandela taken to hospital again

File photo: Nelson Mandela

Former South African President Nelson Mandela was taken to a hospital Saturday to be treated for a recurrence of a lung infection and is in "serious but stable" condition, the president's office said.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Governor Akpabio appoints 10 new permanent secretaries

Governor Godswill Akpabio

Governor Godswill Akpabio has tasked Akwa Ibom Civil Service Commission to evenly recruit officers into the civil service to avoid overloading some local government areas with staff to facilitate in the appointment of new permanent secretaries.

Chief Akpabio who stated this Wednesday after swearing into office 10 new permanent secretaries at the new Governor's Office, Uyo, decried a situation where some local government areas in the state could have more than 10 qualified persons to be appointed as permanent secretaries, others do not have even one qualified person.

''We had a problem in some local government areas because we could not find person in the civil service at the rank of a Director to be appointed as a permanent secretary. So, we had to go to State Secondary Education Board, Local Government Service Commission and the State Universal Education Board to look for very senior staff to appoint into the position to ensure fairness, justice and equity'', he explained.

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Breaking news: Governor Godswill Akpabio Appoints New Commissioners

Governor Godswill Akpabio
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio has submitted five names as nominees for appointment to the office of commissioners and special adviser to the Akwa Inom State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The letter dated 3rd June, 2013 and addressed to the Speaker, the governor said it has become necessary to effect some adjustments In the membership of the State Executive Council.

Man Arrested For Illegally transmitting DSTV signals to 500 homes In Ikot Ekpene

Illegal transmission equipment
Illegal transmission equipment
| credits: File copy


by Etim Ekpimah, Uyo

The Nigerian Copyright Commission has arrested one Mr. Ubong Obot for illegally transmitting broadcast signals of Multichoice (DSTV) to an estimated 500 houses in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
Obot is said to have installed the DSTV signals to different homes for N5,000 and charged N1,000 per month as subscription fee.
Uyo Liaison Officer, NCC, Mr. Amudipe Charles, who represented the Director-General, NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude, told journalists in Uyo on Monday that Obot was arrested with the  equipment he used to transmit the cable television signals illegally.
Ezekude said,“The operatives of the NCC have raided Obot’s house over illegal transmission of cable television signals in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
“Illegal transmitting decoders, transmission boosters, rolls of installation wires, and other accessories worth N20m were impounded during the raid at two different locations. The locations are No. 89 Atan Road, 32 Umuahia Road, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

Sunday 2 June 2013

“I am from Onna, and I am standing up for Umana Okon Umana” – PDP chieftain, Rev. Usoro Daniel Usoro

Mr. Umana Okon Umana

By Nse Peter
A chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Rev. Usoro Daniel Usoro has asked his kinsmen to ignore the romour that President Goodluck Jonathan told the Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, SSG, Mr. Umana Okon Umana not to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

“I and some political leaders in Onna have investigated the matter, and we have found out that it was a mere political propaganda,” Rev. Usoro Daniel Usoro who hails from Ikwe in Onna told reporters last Friday in Abat the local government headquarters when he came out from a meeting called to fashion out political direction for the area. “The truth is that there are politicians who feel so intimidated by the governorship ambition of Umana Okon Umana, and they are doing everything, including using Mr. President’s name to try to blackmail the SSG from contesting the PDP primaries.”