Students of Itu Local Government extraction, under the aegis of; National Association of Itu Students (NAITS- Wordwide) have taken a swipe at the Chairman of Itu Local Government Transition Committee; Mrs Elsie Esara, accusing her of trying to illegally impose a stooge on the group.
In a stinging open letter signed by the Worldwide President; Comrade Asuquo Aniekan Ekanem and addressed to the Akwa Ibom State Governor; Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the group cried out over an alleged attempt by Mrs. Esara to bully the students into accepting her pawn as President, arguing that there is an authentic and subsisting executive committee led by by him.
Comrade Ekanem disclosed that earlier in a general congress of NAITS Worldwide, supervised by the Transition Chairman, duly represented by the Supervisor for Education; Hon. Udeme Utip, held at the Council secretariat and presided over by; the Chairman, Supreme Council of Chapter heads; Comrade Awah Bassey, it was unanimously resolved that the hitherto factional governments be dissolved and disbanded, which they did and an Electoral Committee headed by Awah was jointly set up by the student and Transition Chairman, with the express mandate to conduct fresh elections.
"However, on the agreed date for the election, the Transition Chairman unarguably informed the Eleco Chairman through calls that he should stop forthwith further actions until he, the Eleco chairman goes into an undertaking with her to enthrone someone who will gladly partner the Hon. Commissioner for Housing and Special Duties, Mr. Akan Okon, on his future gubernatorial aspiration. Upon the refusal of the Eleco chairman to accede to her request, she thereafter vowed not allow the Eleco Board has its way." he said
Checks revealed that on the 12th say of April, 2017, the elections was successfully conducted, in line with the groups's constitution and Comrade Asuquo Aniekan Ekanem, a student in Cross River State University of Technology emerged as President, NAITS-Worldwide.
The duly elected executive council was formally sworn in by Barr. Emem Akpanwa, a development which obviously did not go down well with the Transition Chairman who they say was irked by their actions and has since been plotting the removal of the authentic President.
While commending Governor Emmanuel and pledging their support for his administration, the students appealed to him to restrain Mrs. Esara and her proxies to desist from fueling inexistent crisis and halt the planned inauguration of a parallel exco, which he said could inevitably snowball into an unnecessary and avoidable conflict.
"We fervently believe that the transition Chairman should at this time be concentrating on how to bring in the government apparatchik to popularize your image, rather than open new vistas of crisis which the council would not contain" he added.
Comrade Asuquo Ekanem particularly appealed to Governor Udom Emmanuel to use his good office and ensure that Mrs. Esara does not create division among the students, he warned that they will resist any form of intimidation and subversive action emanating from her office, He assured Udom of Itu Student's loyalty and support beyond 2019.
It would be recalled that the Itu Transition has been embroiled in a cold war with some Supervisor also serving in the Council, which led to the petition sent to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
The petition which was signed by three Supervisors in the Transition Committee, including; Hon. Ubong Edem, Supervisor for Works, Hon. Kufre Emah, Supervisor for Special Duties and the Supervisor for Health, Hon. Emem Uboh, accuse the Transition Chairman of mismanagement of Council funds, especially the Internally generated revenue accruing to the local government council.
The Supervisors also accused the council boss of administrative recklessness and wanton disregard for due process, in the running of the Local Government Council.
The petition was read on the floor of the House on Tuesday by the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Justice, Human Rights and Public Petitions, Hon. Barr. Aniefiok Dennis.
He informed the Speaker and colleagues that the petition was forwarded to his office by the three Supervisors, and their prayers that the House wade into the matter.
Reacting, the Speaker, Barr. Onofiok Luke referred the petition to the chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and directed the committee to investigate the matter and report back to the Assembly within a period of two weeks.
Effort to reach the Transition Chairman for comments was unsuccessful, as she neither picked calls nor respond to messages.
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