Desperate days in AKHA

These are not the best of times for the Speaker and the leadership of the State House of Assembly following that stampede that occurred at the legislative quarters where members expressed grievances at the actions of the Speaker, Elder Sam Ikon which they described as inactive and walked away, dumping that day’s sitting and rejecting the One Million Naira bribe issued to each of them by the Speaker. This incidence happened barely one month ago.
A House member in defense of the action taken by himself and his colleagues decried the inability of the Speaker to attract personnel development to them despite their contributions to the Godswill Akpabio led administration even to the point of being labeled an inactive and a rubber stamp Assembly.

Another Assembly man said that the House has not been proactive in their duties because the Speaker is always frightened and has become an object for usage in the hands of Akpabio. He maintained that but not for the closeness of some of them to the Governor, they would have always been left at the mercies of their salaries.

Most House members who spoke to this reporter at different times last week maintained that the Speaker is afraid of insisting on the right of members because he is afraid the Governor may thwart his efforts to become the next Federal House of Representatives member for Etinan Federal Constituency, a position being keenly eyed by the former Speaker and member representing Nsit Ibom State Constituency in the Assembly Hon. Anietie Etuk and his kinsman, David Etuk who is Governor Akpabio’s SA on projects monitoring.

The alleged One Million Naira bribe was said to have been offered by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts and Member representing Ukanafun State Constituency Hon. Aniekan Akpan but the insistence of the Assembly men led by the Deputy Speaker, Udo Kerian Akpan and others proved to Sam Ikon that if he doesn’t tame the rising tide, his position may be on the line. Although in a chat with newsmen Aniekan Akpan had denied being the route through which the bribe money which was rejected by the members were channeled. Aniekan Akpan speaking to newsmen had maintained that he did not offer any bribe to any member of the House.

To save the moment for Sam Ikon, the Governor is said to have met with the Assemblymen the penultimate week after the aborted sitting and the meeting which lasted deep into the night was held at the Governor’s lodge at Wellington Bassey Way end. Top on the meeting agenda was the financing of the House Members and an embargo was placed on all positive activities from the House members relating with Umana Umana; the sacked secretary to State Government. At the meeting attended by almost all the House members, Governor Akpabio is alleged to have gotten what he never bargained for as the Members murmured when he mentioned the issue of Umana Umana.

On the hot seat of the speaker, Akpabio is said to have said nothing and thereafter what our source described as big cash was given to each of the members of the Assembly.

A very reliable government house source confirmed the meeting between the Governor and the lawmakers when he said “Da nto uso edibo udeme mkpo mmo, eya etteke eduk ndion.