Prof. Etok Ekanem
Over the last couple of weeks or so, the social media and local print media in Akwa Ibom State, South- South Nigeria, have been awash with stories - senseless and reckless stories, describing His Excellency, Obong Nsima Udo Ekere, former Deputy Governor of the State and the incumbent MD/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ), as an armed robber, kidnapper and all that. Armed robbery and kidnapping are very serious criminal offences, which carry the death penalty in our jurisdiction.
Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the man Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, rudely imposed as his successor , on Akwa Ibom people, through the criminal manipulation of the 2015 election, currently presides over the affairs of the State, from the Akwa Ibom Hilltop Mansion in Uyo, as Governor.
Those childish and nasty write-ups and coordinated attacks, which are directly, directed at unjustifiably, denting and damaging the image and reputation of Obong Nsima Ekere, by any standard, a great son of Akwa Ibom State and citizen of Nigeria, are authored by some attack dogs ( also called, aides) of this Governor of Akwa Ibom State, that Akwa Ibom people did not elect.
Obong Nsima Ekere, an armed robber and kidnapper? This is clearly, a new low for Deacon Udom Emmanuel and his Administration.
Beyond the social media, in which the baseless articles against Obong Nsima Ekere have gone viral, they have been conspicuously published in a number of local tabloids in the State.
These include the Nigerian Pulse, Anchor Express and Global Pilot Newspapers - all of them, well-known channels of serial blackmail and baseless attacks by agents of Deacon Udom Emmanuel, against his perceived enemies. Essentially, these “enemies” are persons who dare complain about the ongoing misdirection of the State and/or, whom the Administration sees as posing a threat to the continuation of the misrule of the State ( our common patrimony and heritage ) and the deception of the people. As is well-known, the tabloids named, are among those financed by the Akwa Ibom State Government through some aides of the Governor, who own and run them. Obong Nsima Udo Ekere , an armed robber, a kidnapper?
We recall, that Obong Nsima Ekere’s appointment and subsequent inauguration into Office as the MD of NDDC, early November, 2016, was received with exceeding joy, enthusiasm and gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, by Akwa Ibom people.
The people turned out in their masses, to celebrate Obong Nsima Ekere and the appointment, at his inauguration in Abuja, in November, 2016. Those who could not make it to Abuja, celebrated in their own ways back home and everywhere else.
All of these, because they knew what Obong Nsima Ekere’s appointment as MD of the NDDC held in stock for Akwa Ibom State and the Niger Delta Region, in general.
From every indication ( action and word ), the Akwa Ibom State Administration of Deacon Udom Emmanuel was not ( and is still, not ) happy and comfortable with the appointment of Obong Nsima Ekere as MD/CEO of the NDDC.
The Government of Akwa Ibom State did not identify with Obong Nsima Ekere’s appointment in any manner whatsoever, and was conspicuously absent at his inauguration. The Governor was neither present nor represented.
The Government’s action and behaviour were directly opposite the collective action and behaviour of the people.
Extreme joy and happiness on the part of the people, extreme sadness and bitterness on the part of the Government.
Expectedly, Akwa Ibom people reacted sharply (and massively ) to the Government’s negative posture and attitude to Obong Nsima Ekere’s appointment. Ditto for President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments of other Akwa Ibom citizens - including Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Ita Solomon James Enang, Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate ), Obong Umana Okon Umana, MD/CEO, Nigeria Oil and Gas Export Free Zone and others - to their positions in his Federal Government.
In its pure form, democracy had long been defined as “ the Government of the people, by the people and for the people “. The last time I checked, that meaning of democracy had not changed.
As is globally known, the present Government in Akwa Ibom State, led by Deacon Udom Emmanuel, was not democratically elected and placed by Akwa Ibom people, but by an individual, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of the State.
The Government was placed directly against the will and the interest of the people. It therefore, lacks the electoral mandate of the people.
The Head of the Administration, Deacon Udom Emmanuel is ,at all times, very conscious of this situation and haunted by the Truth.
From every available indication, however, he is not bothered by the burden of the this truth, and is neither prepared nor willing, to adjust, towards assuaging the feelings of the people, whose collective electoral action (in 2015 ), in defence of their right to democratically elect their leaders, he is unhappy, denied him and his Government, electoral legitimacy.
Clearly therefore, the present Government in Akwa Ibom State, is not a Government of the people ( Akwa Ibom people ), by the people ( Akwa Ibom people ) and for the people ( Akwa Ibom people ).
It can be anything else. Anything that is for Akwa Ibom people ( and gives them joy), anything that is beneficial to Akwa Ibom people (and gives them comfort ), anything that is delightful to Akwa Ibom people (and gives them pleasure), anything that is rewarding for Akwa Ibom people ( and gives them hope) - offends and hurts the Government.
Because it is anti-people, not by the people and/or for the people. For this Administration, Akwa Ibom people must suffer from inception to the end – for denying Deacon Udom Emmanuel electoral legitimacy in 2015.
Consider the current matter of the relocation of Mobil Producing Nigeria ( MPN ) Headquarters from Lagos to Akwa Ibom.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has, in recognition of the gross injustice and loss of economic opportunities ( including the all-important employment openings ) suffered by the State over the years, as a consequence of MPN locating its Headquarters in Lagos, recently directed that the Company moves its Headquarters to Akwa Ibom State, where it takes crude oil, solely. Akwa Ibom people are collectively very happy over the action of the Federal Government.
They have urged the Administration of Deacon Udom Emmanuel to move on the directive of the Federal Government and cause MPN to give serious and urgent consideration to the matter. There is massive agitation by Akwa Ibom people across the Land over the issue.
I have personally, written to Deacon Udom Emmanuel, the Governor, Rt Honourable ( Barr) Onofiok Luke, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Leader of the Akwa Ibom State Caucus in the National Assembly, urging prompt necessary follow- up actions on the directive of the Federal Government on the matter.
I have endorsed a carbon copy of that letter to each of the 13 Representatives of Akwa Ibom State in the National Assembly and the 26 Representatives in the State House of Assembly,also urging necessary action.
Characteristically, MPN and the anti -Akwa Ibom forces in South-West Nigeria have kicked against the move to cause the Company to relocate its Headquarters to Akwa Ibom.
In all of these, what is the attitude and action of the Akwa Ibom State Government and our Representatives in the Legislature? The Administration has ignored, both the directive of the Federal Government and the subsequent clamour of the citizens of the State.
All we have heard in the Media, is that Deacon Udom Emmanuel has asked MPN to give him 24 months to provide what the Company needs to relocate.
We have not been told what those needs are. The Akwa Ibom State Governor is now the person helping to find, and provide MPN with reasons and excuses not to relocate to Akwa Ibom State.
The momentum has been lost, and the move is about being killed by Deacon Udom Emmanuel, the Governor, because Akwa Ibom people are happy about the envisaged relocation , and stand to gain tremendously from it. The Administration truly, detests and loathes anything that gives the people joy and comfort.
I said this much in my humble contribution to the ( Akwa Ibom ) public outcry against the negative attitude of the Akwa Ibom State Government towards the appointment of Obong Nsima Ekere as NDDC MD, through my article : “ THE NARROW AND ILLIBERAL MIND IN THE MANSION ON THE HILL IN UYO”, published and widely circulated in November, 2016. As is characteristic, the attack dogs of the Hilltop Mansion were immediately released and unleashed on me.
Part of what I got, in consequence, from the Governor’s aides, was that I embezzled N12 billion of Akwa Ibom and World Bank funds, released to me, as Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, for the implementation of the Akwa Ibom State Accelerated Livestock and Fish Production Programme ( AK-ALFIPP), during the tenure of Chief Godswill Akpabio , as Governor.
I allegedly took the whooping sum of N12 billion from ABSOLUTELY ZERO RELEASE of any such money at all, to my Ministry, for AK-ALFIPP, or any other purpose whatsoever, by the Government or World Bank.
Those baseless stories were published by the same local tabloids engaged in the present meaningless publications, directed at tarnishing the good name and reputation of Obong Nsima Ekere - The Nigerian Pulse Newspaper, Global Accord Newspaper, etc.
For daring to exercise my constitutional right to express my thoughts and opinion regarding the affairs of my State, I was called unprintable names.
Right on the front pages of these tabloids, I was variously called and labelled : “Professor of Fraud”, “ Saboteur of Akpabio’s Government “, and all that, with my name and photographs, boldly printed by the headline stories.
As I indicated then, to the reading public, I am in Court with the persons involved in that libel. Let me leave the digression here, please.
Since his appointment and assumption of duties at the NDDC, in 2016, Obong Nsima Ekere has clearly shown that the confidence reposed in him by President Muhammadu Buhari, on behalf of the Nigerian people, was not misplaced.
Obong Nsima Ekere has clearly, shown that the great joy and enthusiasm with which Akwa Ibom people and the Niger Delta Region at large, received his appointment as NDDC MD, was not in vain.
He is, demonstrably, discharging his duties and functions, very creditably, across the nine States of the Region. In Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere’s NDDC is fixing infrastructure everywhere.
Scores of abandoned roads are being rehabilitated in Uyo, the Capital City, as well as various other parts of the State. Virtually all the hitherto abandoned earth roads in Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo, are being constructed by the NDDC, under Obong Nsima Ekere.
Many more projects have been lined up for execution in the State and Region in the coming months, by the Commission.
Having been deceived and fooled with endless project ground breaking ceremonies and road Billboard Industrialization by the Deacon Udom Emmanuel Government, since inception on May 29, 2015, having been stripped and starved - of joy, of pleasure, of comfort, and having lived without hope, since this Administration came on board - Akwa Ibom people are naturally, very excited and happy with Obong Nsima Ekere for his sincerity of purpose in the work he is doing for the State and Niger Delta Region in general, at the NDDC.
For relieving Akwa Ibom people of their sufferings and pains, for giving Akwa Ibom people joy, pleasure and comfort and for making Akwa Ibom people happy, Obong Nsima Ekere has hurt the Hilltop Mansion.
For showing that leadership can be honest and sincere with the people, and that public projects can be taken beyond ground breaking, Obong Nsima Ekere has embarrassed the Hilltop Mansion.
For showing Akwa Ibom people ( through his honest work in infrastructure development and improvement), that it is deceptive and immoral for the Government of the State to isolate, construct and beautifully tar, just about one kilometre of the Ikot Oku Ikono – Ekom Iman -Etinan road ( at the conspicuous Asan Ibibio axis), and cause its agents ( including a very senior Lawyer ) to take photographs of that isolated portion and post same on Facebook, with deceitful claims that the Government had completed the road project, and that the pictures posted represent the current state and condition of the entire stretch of road, when in fact and verifiable reality on ground, over 95% of the road stretch has not even been bulldozed, Obong Nsima Ekere has exposed the dishonesty and self-ridicule of the Hilltop Mansion.
For demonstrating that a leader can be humble, treat his people with respect, and not call them idiots, fools and illiterates, Obong Nsima Ekere has offended the Hilltop Mansion.
For beginning to chart a course of progress, out of their present state of hopelessness and helplessness, and giving Akwa Ibom people the hope of getting out of their bandage, Obong Nsima Ekere has seriously unsettled and destabilized the Hilltop Mansion.
For all of what Obong Nsima Ekere has done for Akwa Ibom people and the State, to the obvious displeasure of the Administration in Uyo, the Hilltop Mansion has released and unleashed its attack dogs on the NDDC Chief Executive.
They have, since his assumption of duties at the NDDC, engaged in continuous mudsligings against him. They have thrown all kinds of darts at him.
They have cast aspersions on his person to discredit him and his work. Now, they have called him an armed robber and kidnapper.
I know that there is obviously, some deep and palpable fear about Obong Nsima Ekere in the Uyo Hilltop Mansion.
I also know that Akwa Ibom people are fully aware of this fear. Armed robbers and kidnappers are hardened criminals who are ordinarily, feared.
The sole purpose of this write-up is to, respectfully, ask the Head of the Akwa Ibom State Administration a simple question.
Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, please Sir, is Obong Nsima Udo Ekere an armed robber and kidnapper? I thought I should ask, Sir, for the precaution and safety of your people – your Akwa Ibom people . Please, is Obong Nsima Ekere (ONE ) an armed robber and kidnapper? Most respectfully, please.
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