Jonathan disappointed us – Governor Akpabio

Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State

By Nse Peter

Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has not yet recovered from the shocking defeat his party suffered in the just concluded presidential election, Think Akwa Ibom! has learned.

Sen. Ita Enang gambles with his re-election, declares support for Udom

Senator Ita Enang

By Nse Peter

Ita Solomon Enang, the Senator representing Uyo Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State has surprisingly declared his support for the 2015 governorship ambition of Gov. Godswill Akpabio’s protégé, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

Umana faults PDP’s decision on zoning

Mr. Umana Okon Umana standing besides Atuekong Don Etiebet when the permanent member of PDP BOT was addressing the crowd that came to welcome him at the Akwa Ibom International Airport yesterday, Thursday, 30 Oct., 2014. (PHOTO: Think Akwa Ibom!)

By Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

One of the leading governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Umana Umana, has faulted the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) National Working Committee’s (NWC’s) decision to zone the governorship ticket to Eket Senatorial District.

2015 governorship: Akpabio, other PDP governors may confront Jonathan

This news report published in The Nation newspaper of today, Saturday, 11 October, 2014 is revealing. It shows that PDP governors like Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State who is bent on imposing their stooges as their successors are indeed in trouble.

Read the story after the cut…..

2015 governorship poll: Oro give Udom Emmanuel red card

Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom SSG

It seems the Akwa Ibom SSG, Mr. Udom Emmanuel may have met a brick wall and may be pretty difficult to secure the political support of the Oro ethnic group for his 2015 governorship ambition, going by the position of Oro as reported in the Sensor, a community newspaper in Akwa Ibom State.

And yet the question is, if Udom Emmanuel, as it is, can’t get the support of Oro, and that of the majority of Ibibio in both Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts, including some parts of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District like Abak Five, Ini and Ikono local government areas, what magic will Governor Godswill Akpabio do to install him as the next governor of the state?

Time, only time, will tell.

Read the story after the cut…..

2015 Akwa Ibom governorship: I don't believe in zoning - Larry Esin

Did Senator Effiong Bob really say this of Udom Emmanuel?

Senator Effiong Bob

By Nse Peter

A political associate of Effiong Bob has told Think Akwa Ibom! that the former senator believes  Governor Godswill Akpabio is using the current Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG), Mr. Udom Emmanuel as a ‘decoy to deceive the political elites’ in the state, ahead of the 2015 governorship election.

Chris Abasi Eyo in 2015 governorship race: What does it mean for Oro ethnic group?

We came across this campaign material released by a group known as Chris Abasi Eyo Vanguard and we feel we should share it with our readers.

Mr. Chris Abasi Eyo is a young Nigerian politician from the Oro ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State. He has been active in politics and was once a commissioner for information in the state.

Eyo is one of the latest to join the growing list of aspirants interested in succeeding Gov. Godswill Akpabio in 2015. What do you know about him and the impact he is likely to cause in the forthcoming governorship election? Do you think he is the man to beat in the race?

A’Ibom 2015 Governorship: “Oro interest will be better served by candidate from Uyo Senatorial District.” – Chief Victor Iyanam, ex-commissioner for Justice

Chief Victor Iyanam, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Akwa Ibom State

Chief Victor Iyanam is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State. He served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state for two years under Governor Godswill Akpabio. In this interview with Kazeem Ibrahym of The Nations newspaper, he speaks on the politics of the state. Excerpts:

THE NATION: If you are to assess the government of Governor Godswill Akpabio in the last six and half years, what would you say?

IYANAM: I was part of the government for two years. From 2007 to June 2009 but if I am to assess the government, I will say the government started out on a very bright note. The governor was very enthusiastic and almost all the physical projects that are ongoing now were initiated in the first two years, most of which I participated in the drafting of the contract. Almost all the roads, the Tropicana, 20th anniversary hospital and so many of the roads in some of the local government areas. As it is now, since I left government, four and half years ago, some of the projects are yet to be completed.

2015: Oro Governorship Aspiration Divides Eket Senatorial District

“I very much doubt their sincerity…. I find it very difficult to ‘see’ or be persuaded to ‘believe’ that the current cream of political leaders of Ekid would sincerely support Oro to pick the 2015 governorship ticket.”

-          Mr. Ita Awak, from Oro, former commissioner for information.

“The argument that it is Oro's turn to produce the Governor in 2015 is puerile and not feasible. I am saying that it would serve Oro interest better if they showed greater commitment in their conducts and comments to respecting the Ibibio majority and dialoguing with them for more inclusiveness for Oro people rather than the current grandstanding and empty bragadacio”

-          Nsima Akpan, former chairman, Onna Local Government Council

 

 

 

Chief Ndueso Essien.....  Can they be trusted to support Oro governorship ambition in 2015

 

By Udeme Akpanta

The Oro ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State is convinced that they are the right people to produce the next governor of the state in 2015, and they have stepped up their political campaign to that effect through online, conventional media, and bulk sms. But that seems not to have gone down well with others, especially the Ibibio and Ekid, in the Eket Senatorial District.

“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.

“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.”

AK 2015 Guber’ Race: State PDP chairman, Paul Ekpo backs open contest

Mr. Paul Ekpo, Chairman of PDP, Akwa Ibom State

By Tony Ukpong

The chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Paul Ekpo has said the governorship in Akwa Ibom State come 2015 is going to be an open contest.

Speaking at the reception ceremony in honour of Aniefiok Thompson as a member of Cross River Basin Authority last weekend, Ekpo said it is only an open contest that can produce an acceptable governor in 2015.

2015 Akwa Ibom governorship race: Ex-Gov Attah snubs Nsima Ekere, Richard King

Nsima Ekere, former deputy governor, Akwa Ibom State

A news report published by Global Concord, a local tabloid in Akwa Ibom State, says the former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere and an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Professor Richard King have been unsuccessful in their attempts to get the former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah to endorse their aspirations to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

Global Concord says the former governor doubts if Richard King could be the ‘people’s governor’ if he wins the PDP primaries, because ‘his presence as presidential aide is hardly felt in Akwa Ibom’.

The paper, relying on an unnamed source, says Nsima Ekere wasn’t courageous enough to tell Attah about his governorship ambition when he visited him (Attah) because of the countenance of the former governor.

THINK AKWA IBOM! could not however independently verify the Global Concord story. Nsima Ekere and Richard King have not yet issued a response to the newspaper report.

One question nobody seems to have an answer yet: will Ekid back Oro for 2015 A’Ibom governorship race?

Chief Nduese Essien

By Nse Peter

Governorship aspirants from Eket Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom State appear reluctant to embark on state-wide political consultation ahead of the 2015 governorship election in the state, more than three weeks after political leaders in the area had urged their kinsmen seeking to contest for the position, to “unveil themselves and make their manifestoes known to the people of the state”. 

Chief Nduese Essien, a former minister of Lands and Housing was reported to have said during a recent meeting of the district political leaders, that “following Governor Akpabio’s flag-off of his interest in the 2015 senatorial race and announcement of a campaign manager, there was no need for the Eket aspirants to wait no further especially since the governorship election was superior to senate elections.”

2015: Eket group rejects zoning of governorship in Akwa Ibom

Mr. Samuel David, National President, Eket Senatorial District Consultative Assembly

“Politicians parading as governorship aspirants for 2015 who are advocating vigourously for zoning are self-seeking individuals with no known record of community service and positive political history and may eventually become a distraction and a nuisance for the (Eket) Senatorial District if not checked immediately.”

Eket had Clement Isong, U.J. Esuene, it’s now the turn of Oro to produce the next governor in Akwa Ibom – Effiong Eyo Snr,

Mr. Effiong Eyo Snr , from Udung Uko Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, voluntarily retired from the Nigerian army after serving the Nigerian nation for 20 years.  Today, he is very much into business and politics. In this interview with THINK AKWA IBOM!, Eyo, a PDP member, gives reasons why the governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015 must come from the Oro people within the Eket Senatorial District

Mr. Eyo Effiong Snr

 



 

 

By Nse Peter

In the world over, political debate has always been, and remains a part of democracy. How do you welcome the zoning debate in Akwa Ibom State?

Political debate should be embraced in Akwa Ibom State because in modern democracy, every citizen needs to know what a candidate can offer before casting his or her vote.

So, it can be assumed that you personally consider the zoning debate as being healthy for Akwa Ibom State?

Yes, I consider the zoning debate very healthy in a place like Akwa Ibom where we have other minority ethnic groups. If there is no zoning, some people will feel marginalised.

“Inside of me, I could feel Umana Okon Umana becoming the next governor!” - Eket youth, Edoho Godwin Edoho

Mr. Edoho Godwin Edoho

By Nse Peter

First, I'll like you to briefly tell us who you are.

I am Edoho Godwin Edoho, a native of Afaha Eket in Eket local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, a graduate of electrical/electronic engineering, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osura.  I am a PDP member.

2015: Eket Senatorial District Assembly says it has identified 12 governorship aspirants from the district

Chief Nduese Essien

By Nse Peter

Eket Senatorial District Assembly says it has so far identified up to 12 governorship aspirants from the senatorial district in preparation for having someone from the area take over from Gov. Godswill Akpabio in 2015.

The group in a communiqué endorsed by some politicians and opinion leaders from Eket Senatorial district last month, did not however mention the names of the ‘identified’ aspirants, even as the group stated that the aspirants are “working assiduously but quietly so as not to distract the governor (Akpabio) from his uncommon transformation programme in the state”.