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| Comrade Ini Ememobong |
Governor Udom Emmanuel has finally sent his list of EXCO nominees to the AKHA after weeks of anticipation, ThinkAkwaIbom can report.
In a first list
forwarded earlier by the governor and read on Thursday on the floor of House
and plenary by the Speaker the following seven names were nominated for
confirmation as Commissioners & Special Advisers: Prof. Eno James Ibanga,
Hon. Frank Archibong, Comrade Ini Ememobong, Dr. Augustine Vincent Umoh, Dr.
Ini Nathaniel Adiakpan, Mrs. Enobong Mbobo and Elder Amanam Nkanga.
Prof. Eno
Ibanga, Frank Archibong, and Ini Ememobong are names that were earlier touted
months ago as prospective commissioner-nominees.
Prof. Eno Ibanga
who is currently the Acting Vice-Chancellor at the Akwa Ibom State University
and would likely replace the current Commissioner for Education, Prof. Nse
Essien.
Hon. Frank
Archibong is also touted as a possible replacement for the outgoing
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Udo Ekpenyong.
According to
sources, the governor’s wife wants a new person to take charge of the Ministry
of Women Affairs while Glory Edet remains in the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The Ministry
Agriculture and Women Affairs would be split into two. Dr. Ini Adiakpan is an
educationist and former board member. She is a nominee of the governor’s wife
and would most likely be posted to the Ministry of Women Affairs. She has been
involved in politics for some time now”, said our source.
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With Frank
Archibong getting the Eket slot, the embattled Commissioner for Health, Dr.
Dominic Ukpong may be relieved of his appointment. Dr. Augustine Vincent Umoh
from Ikono LGA is tipped as a likely replacement for Dominic Ukpong in the
Ministry of Health. Dr. Umoh is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology. He is
the 14th Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State.
Those who are
likely to be dropped to make way for their kinsmen in the new exco is the
current Commissioner for Environment,
Rt. Hon. Ekong Sampson from Mkpat Enin, Commissioner for Science and
Technology, Dr. Iniobong Essien from Ibiono Ibom, Dr. Dominic Ukpong from Eket.
As their LGAs slots have been taken up by Prof. Ibanga, Comrade Ememobong and
Hon. Archibong respectively.
It was learnt
that the governor sent in the name of Dr. Imo Moffat from Etim Ekpo to the house later on Thursday afternoon. We now have 8 commissioners/special adviser
nominees has sent an extra name to the House of Assembly for consideration as
Commissioner/Special Adviser.
Dr. Imo Moffat
is an old boy of Samuel Bill Theological College, Abak and Lecturer in the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Uyo.
According to reports monitored from
TheMail newspaper, it was hinted that the governor may create two more bureaus to
accommodate the new special advisers.
According to
TheMail, “Our sources say about three commissioners may be dropped, alongside
Ephraim Inyang and Udo Ekpenyong who are leaving the Ministries of Works and
LG/Chieftaincy Affairs respectively, which would make it five vacant positions.
With Prof. Ibanga possibly taking Prof. Essien’s position in the cabinet, two
more bureaus would be created making it a total of 8 new slots for the new
nominees. “
Meanwhile,
politicians and PDP stakeholders from Nsit Ibom LGA are irked by Air. Commodore Idongesit
Nkanga’s (retd) decision to channel all government appointments to his family.
Speaking to TheMail
on Thursday night, some of the party stakeholders who pleaded anonymity said
Nkanga’s action is quite disturbing and should not be tolerated by the current
governor and future governors of the state.
“First, he
nominated his wife to be considered as commissioner. We rejected it. It seems
he has made himself the only cock that crows in Nsit Ibom. He takes virtually
everything allotted Nsit Ibom. Governor confers with him on almost everything
that concerns Nsit Ibom. After his wife’s nomination created much furor and the
governor asked him to nominate another person other than her, he still went and
nominated his younger brother who is currently SSA to the governor. Elder
Amanam Nkanaga was the governor’s SA and was later promoted to Senior Special
Assistant. One of his other brothers is the PDP Vice Chairman in Nsit Ibom
Chapter. Now that Amanam would relinquish his position as SSA, that slot might
not come to Nsit Ibom again. Is that not greed? Such nepotism is only possible
because the governor has too much respect for him”, one of the stakeholders
said.
It’s been also confirmed
that the nominees would likely be screened and confirmed during House plenary
next Thursday. This is after they must have all gone through the mandatory
security screening.
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