By Dr Akaninyene Efiok
As an indigene of Itu Local Government, I had never had the opportunity to meet Mr Idongesit Ituen not until the 14th of March 2014.
The event was the Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency leg of the townhall meeting organized by the then Executive Governor of Akwa ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio across the 10 Federal constituencies in the state. At the time, I had just completed my compulsory House officer training in one of the Hospitals in the East and I came home to my village - Mbak Atai village to relax and spend a little time with my parents.
My decision to attend the town hall meeting that day was to listen to the government policy statements and efforts in managing the healthcare delivery sector in the state, and if given the chance, offer some contributions on ways I feel the government of the day can help the sector.
When the time for interaction came, many of the speakers cutting across Itu and Ibiono Ibom Local Governments took their turns to appreciate the then Governor for the projects he has sited in the two Local Government areas while also reminding him of areas that need urgent government attention. But something strange happened when it was Idongesit Ituen’s turn to speak.
When he got the Microphone, Idongesit Ituen attempted and sadly, succeeding in changing the ongoing conversation about the collective development of the area to seek for his personal end.
Ituen told former Governor Akpabio at that townhall meeting that the youths who stood at the window outside the hall were actually contracted by one of his Commissioners - Mr Bassey Albert (Who was the Commissioner for Finance) to come and foment trouble at the meeting.
He added that it took his financial intervention to “pacify” the boys and dissuade them from carrying out their sinister aims.
Governor Akpabio responded by saying he has taken judicial notice of his report and will act on it later. A few days later, news broke that Chief Akpabio had sacked Bassey Albert!
Days later after the announcement of the sack of Bassey Albert, I got to learn from one of my cousins who is a member of the Village Youth Council that the boys which Idongesit Ituen claimed were hired by Bassey Albert to disrupt the townhall meeting were not hired by Bassey Albert. Rather, it was Idongesit Ituen who hired the boys with a view to giving Bassey Albert a bad name, giving that Mr Albert was gunning to contest for the Governorship election.
That town hall meeting and the negative events that followed a few days after became the first raw material that helped me to form an impression about Mr Idongesit Ituen.
Over the years, events that have occurred and the series of crisis and controversies he has orchestrated have helped to position him in my mind and the minds of many of our people in Itu as someone who believes that pushing others down is the easiest way to get ahead politically.
Situations of peace and unity tend to upset Idongesit Ituen. And this is quite understandable because crisis and situations of strife are his routes to making headway.
It doesn’t matter to him if the larger interest of Itu people will be affected when he orchestrates these crises. His political interest is all that matters.
For instance, in a local government that has an elder statesman like Senator Anietie Okon, has a serving House of Representative member like Hon. Henry Archibong, a serving commissioner, like Hon Akan Okon, and with him being a House of Assembly member, wouldn’t it be preposterous for a House Assembly member to aspire to the position of the political leader of the Local Government? Well, to Mr Idy Ituen, this doesn’t amount to a preposterous aspiration.
For Idy Ituen, the peace of Itu Local Government is not a cherished ideal and so it could be sacrificed for his ambition. The series of strife he has stirred since this aspiration began is a proof to this fact.
As an indigene of Itu and someone who has been following developments in the political scene in Itu Local Government, I make bold to say that you will hardly find any politician of Itu descent that Mr Ituen has not had a faceoff with.
The former House of Assembly lawmaker in Itu, Dr Ekaette Ebong Okon has had a bite of his rebellious nature.
The former Chairman of Itu Local Government Mr Michael Joseph, Aka MacJoe has had his fair share of Idongesit Ituen’s proclivity for trying to pull people down.
At the moment, the Commissioner for Housing and Special Duties is his latest victim. And typical of Mr Ituen, he seems to be willing to give all it takes to the task of trying to pull the Commissioner down. And what are the crimes of Akan Okon?
Well, from my findings, Mr Ituen’s faceoff with Akan Okon began shortly after the commissioner insisted that it was wrong for him to sit down alone and draw up the list for those to be appointed into the transition committee and asking Senator Anietie Okon, Jon. Henry Archibong and Hon Akan Okon to send in their nominations.
That rather, the list should be a fallout of consultation with the people of Itu Local Government in a bid to ensure fairness and equity in the distribution of appointments.
That singular incident that triggered his animosity with the Commissioner!
Why would the commissioner talk about fairness and equity for Itu people when Idy Ituen needed to benefit from something? Who told the Commissioner that the larger interest of Itu people was a factor in the books of Mr Idy Ituen?
Things got to a head when the people of the Local government insisted again that transparency and fair play has to be the watchwords in the constitution of the Youth Council.
In Mr Idongesit Ituen’s head, it is Mr Akan Okon standing on his way. So the commissioner needs to be pulled down for him to get ahead.
It doesn’t matter if the crisis he is fomenting will affect the overall peace of the party in the state, and in extension, His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel’s chances at the poll in 2019. If Idongesit Ituen needs a thing, other people’s interests and wellbeing can wait!
In one fell swoop, we are witnessing series of uncoordinated media attacks on the commissioner. But I think it is important to let Mr Idongesit understand that I and hundreds of thousands of other Itu people can see through his penchants for rebellion.
As things stand, Hon Akan Okon in league with Hon Henry Archibong and Senator Anietie Okon are the current leaders who understand the need to put the interest of the people of Itu Local Government area first. These three are always preaching the gospel of Governor Udom Emmanuel in every meeting they convened.
I challenge Mr Ituen to come up with an evidence of any sort that showed that he had drummed up support for Governor Emmanuel as the leader of the party. Non! Because he is always thinking about himself.
One would have hoped that Mr Idongesit Ituen would have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Senator Okon, Hon Archibong and Hon Okon to make efforts in contributing to the success of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration as well as pushing for the interest of Itu Local Government.
One also wonders why he has failed to understand that to be a good leader; he needs to have a good record of followership in his kitty.
To crown it, Mr Ituen should remember that rebellion is an ill wind that blows no one any good. The good book likens rebellion to sin of witchcraft.
*Efiok, a surgeon and an indigene of Mbak Atai Itam, wrote in from Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.
No comments: