By Etido Umoh
As tension continues to mount over Itu local government and her political crisis,a group known as " Itu concern friends" ,has warned the political fighters in Itu to leave the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Barr Onofiok Luke out of Itu crisis.
Speaking to this reporter,Mrs Eshiet Effiong the coordinator of the group,said the political crisis in Itu local government is as a result of Injustice ,orchestrated by one family in Itu,who are not interested in what happens to the people at the grassroot.
She further stated that Itu local government has people who suppose to speak for them ,and bring development to the local government,but they rather stay in uyo and control the local government, without meeting the people who goes out on the election day to vote ,and bring in a government.
On the issue of trying to drag a man of integrity, a focus politician,a grassroot man,a friend of the Itu people,the speaker Rt. Hon.Onofiok Luke, into what is currently happening in Itu,she maintained that the act is uncall for ,and that the concern friends in Itu are aware that it is Sen Anietie Okon ,Mr Akan Okon ,and others who do not think about the welfare of the Itu people,are behind the blackmail.
Mrs Effiong while reacting to an article written by one Lawrence Ekpo to tarnish the image of the Peoples Speaker,a friend of the Itu People,she " I am so sad that some people could pay somebody to come and write lies about the involvement of the Speaker in Itu political crisis,thereby misleading the people about the real factors behind thee political issues in Itu.
" we only hear we have a commissioner call Mr Akan Okon and his brother Senator Anietie Okon from Mbiatok Itam,but we hardly know them,all they do is to come to their village during festive period and share rice in their village,while other people in the local government are cut off. She said.
Another person who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Mr Akan Okon as the Commissioner from ITU local government is a waste of Itu Slot. " How can we say we have a commissioner who has served in this state since when Governor Akpabio was the Governor, till now,yet no development has come to Itu through him",he went on to say that Senator Anietie is not carrying the people along,all he does with his brother , is to stay in uyo,collect what is meant for the local government by the State government and eat,share with a few people at their home at mbiatok Itam,while Itu local government needs serious infrastructural development.
Another member of the group Mr Sammy Emah,said the people of Itu Will protest if the Governor refuses to inaugurate the the Transition Committee in the area,because Itu local government can not afford to stay with a local government administration.
" If the Governor loves Itu local government and wish for the development of the area,he should call an elaborate meetings of elders,youths, stakeholders of PDP in Itu,and decides who will be inaugurated as the chairman of Itu,because gone are the days that the funds of the local government was misused, instead of development, but settle hotels bills and other bills for some politicians" he said.
While still reacting to the issue of bringing in Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke into Itu crisis,Mrs Nseabasi Effiong, a member of the group, stated that ,she was so shocked that Prof Etok Ekanem could also join the cheap blackmail of dragging Barr. Onofiok Luke into ITU crisis ,without getting in touch with the man in question, to hear his side of the story.
" I have read a memorandum by Prof Etok Ekanem on Itu political crisis,where he tried putting up an analysis on the story behind the political issues in the area, to form a balance. But dragging in Rt. Hon. Barr Onofiok Luke, Rev Ntia.I.Ntia into the crisis, is unfounded and untrue" she added.
She further lamented that, she expected to read where Prof Etok Ekanem was quoted that he either spoke with Barr. Onofiok Luke or Rev Ntia. I. Ntia about the crisis rocking the local government, and their alleged involvement, and published their response,than misleading the people on the assumption,brought by a misleading article published a week ago by one Lawrence Ekpo about the Speaker's involvement in Itu political crisis.
" As for Senator Anietie Okon,I am very surprise to see and heard that he is struggling with Hon. Idongesit Ituen to control the political structures in Itu. What has Itu benefited from him as a stakeholder in the area? She asked.
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