RE: “AKWA IBOM STATE PDP DEPUTY CHAIRMAN IN SCANDAL MESS”

Our attention has been drawn to a publication at page 3 of the Guide Newspaper of Sunday, 13th October, 2013 with the above lead headline. Ordinarily, we would have ignored this write-up but as a Pan Oro Socio-Political Organization, we cannot sit back and watch desperate, mischievous and wicked political tools and jobbers destroy the hard-earned integrity and personalities of Oro extraction, through a story which is not only sensational, but false, malicious and disconnected with the details of the story.

Firstly, we wish to notify the innocent public that the said publication’s intention was to destroy the personality of our highly revered Deputy Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Hon. (Elder) Nse Ekpenyong and Rt. Hon. Alice Ekpenyong, Chief Whip of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Every well meaning citizen of Akwa Ibom state can attest to the records of these personalities. Elder Nse Ekpenyong is a very responsible, humble and amiable personality. He carries himself with so much decorum and his records shows that he is a very unambitious person. He had the opportunity of being re-elected as a member of Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly but he refused the offer as not to truncate the internal zoning arrangements in Mbo State Constituency. We in Oro Conscience believe, that it was due to his humility and civility that attracted the Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio to endorse his candidature first, as Vice Chairman Eket Senatorial District of PDP and now as Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom state, a position he has held with humility, integrity and with high sense of responsibility. We therefore wish to state categorically and very clearly that we totally disagree with the manner, style and techniques that some Mischievous Media Professionals and Politicians adopt in approaching the 2015 general elections with particular reference to Oro Federal House of Representatives. The fact that some elements have commercialized news does not in any way undermine the fundamental imperatives of news which includes objectivity, balancing and fairness. Our opinion is that, that published news by Guide Newspaper falls short of minimum standard of publishable news according to ethics and values of journalism, and therefore should be ignored by every sensible and patriotic citizen of both Oro and Akwa Ibom state.

Secondly, the said publication smacks off junk and yellow journalism. This is because the storyline is illogical, inconclusive and distorted. The headline says it is scandal, but the storyline does not show any correlation between the personality or the Deputy Chairman and the alleged offence as captured, from the Social Media. Our investigation shows that, Hon. Nse Ekpenyong’s picture is not at any Social Network site apart from that of his Facebook page. The question is, where did the publishers find his picture used to open a fictitious social media site?

Our conclusion is that the publication is just a malicious tool to incite these two personalities to be at war with each other to the benefit of their satanic sponsors. Their sponsors should bury their head in shame as these two personalities have remained cordial even after the said sponsored parochial publication. We dare say that Hon. Nse Ekpenyong should be held in high esteem as the number two citizen of our great party. His simplicity, humility and maturity should not be taken for granted. We also state that Hon. Alice Ekpenyong should not be linked to such a dirty, frivolous and scandalous reports, as they are capable of causing unnecessary tension and division, thereby stirring bad blood among the political class in Oro Nation.

Our investigations also reveal that Hon. Nse Ekpenyong has never used his office as Deputy Chairman of the party to the detriment of any body as exemplified when he played host to a contender for the office of the House of Representatives, Engr. Kiniyi Eduobio (Boyce) who came to consult him in his house. The Deputy Chairman has repeatedly stated that power belongs to God and He gives it to whoever pleases Him.

In view of the fore-going, we therefore state as follows:
I.    That the public should hereby discountenance such misleading, parochial and mischievous publications, as both the publishers and their sponsors will attract the wrath of God for the seed of discord they are trying to sow.
II.    That Hon. Nse Ekpenyong should not be distracted from his current engagement as PDP Deputy Chairman even as he is fully qualified to aspire to and contest any office if he so desires.

III.    That the Guide Newspaper and other Media Professionals should refrain from parochial and sensational journalism. We encourage them to seek further training so as to acquaint themselves with the professional expectation of their callings. Media as the fourth estate of the realm is not to destroy the fundamentals of democracy but to preserve it.

IV.    We also call on the National and State Leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors to take proactive steps of weeding professional misfits and miscreants from their fold.
V.    We also advice All Aspirants from Oro Extraction and Akwa Ibom state to any office especially that of Oron Federal Constituency seat to carry out their constituencies/campaigns with decorum. They know themselves better. They should search their conscience to ascertain whether or not they are fit by their record of service, character, integrity and their relationship with the people, to represent Oro and Akwa Ibom State anywhere.

For us in Oro Conscience Forum, we know God will choose for us a deserving representative.

Comrade Paul Bassey Bassey

National Coordinator

Anietie Okon

National Secretary

Collins Etteh Jackson

National Director Mobilization and Contacts