Opinion: The Intrigues That Produced Aniekan Uko as Speaker/ By Essien Ndueso

Aniekan Uko

By Essien Ndueso

I was in the house of Assembly when the sixth Assembly converged and I witnessed the emergence of Hon Aniekan Uko as the Speaker of the Sixth Assembly. There was no counter vote by the members except for the position of Deputy Speaker where the contest was between Hon Felicia Bassey of Okobo and Hon Effiong Asuquo of Oron. 


According to the Standing order, a lawmaker shall be elected into leadership positions based on preference for experience in lawmaking. The rule did not say a second term member of the house must be a speaker.

I am made to understand that my bosom friend and comrade may have been disadvantaged by the fact that the immediate past two speakers of the House are from his federal constituency which is Etinan. And with a former Speaker between 2007 and 2010 as well as senator for the senatorial district since 2011, Itu Federal constituency had quite a handful, and so it was the advice of the party that members should promote equity by allowing the Uyo federal constituency which has never produced a Speaker since the creation of the State, to produce one. 

In Uyo Federal Constituency, as guided by the Standing Rule of the House, Hon Uko who had been a two term councilor and a supervisor as well as serving as an exco member of the PDP was deemed more experienced than his colleagues from that Federal Constituency It should be clearly understood that in the politics of equity, justice and fairness, zoning supersedes seniority. That is why Hon Anietie Etuk as a first term member became Speaker in the fourth assembly, irrespective of the presence of two term members like Rt. Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, Rt Hon Jack Udota and Rt. Hon. Clement Bassey. Let's be more logical, the deputy Speaker Hon Effiong is a first term member and because he is from Eket Sen District which was asked to produce the deputy Speaker, he has been elected ahead of Rt Hon Udo Kierian because Udo despite being a ranking member, is not favoured by zoning.

A lesson I stand to draw from the overwhelming support on Barr Onofiok Luke by thousands of fans worldwide is that we must strive to touch lives in any position we find ourselves, so that people can bear us testimonies. Onofiok is an embodiment of goodwill and his day of glory is surely coming soon. As a lawmaker, he has used his position to add value to governance in the state and has been a brother to so many- a philanthropist par-excellence. Can other politicians boast of such goodwill?

Several friends have put up inflammatory remarks to discredit the emergence of this gentleman as the first among equals, and some have cast aspersions on the personalities of some prominent leaders in the state. But all these will do us no good. I can say with no mincing of words that the Governor of this State Mr Udom Emmanuel means well for us in his quest for wealth creation and more job opportunities for the people; all the members of the present state assembly share in this vision and had professed same during their statewide campaigns. But for political exigencies, anyone of them could have worked comfortably with the other members and still relate perfectly with the other arms of government.

Aniekan Uko has been elected by his colleagues to lead them, and it is left for members to xray his qualities and work with him in the overall interest of the state. Since we are not privy to their ekpuruikpu, let’s pray and support them to lead well in the overall interest of the state.

Ndueso, a journalist, was personal assistant (media) to the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio. He published this piece, with the original title ‘Aniekan Uko: Facts Behind His Emergence’, on his Facebook page.