NAAKISS frowns at lies against stakeholders

The President National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students,University of Uyo Chapter, Comrade David Effiong has complained bitterly about the calculated attempts by paid agents to create disharmony within the students’ community through reportage of totally false and fictitious stories with the aim of inciting students and deceiving the unsuspecting public.

He said this while interacting with journalists, in reaction to a publication in a state based Newspaper (not THE INK)  alleging that Prince Ukpong Akpabio was sponsoring thugs in the guise of student leaders and buying buses for people who are not student leaders.

He said that such wicked reportage could discourage other well intentioned citizens who are desirous of helping student unions. He said “for the ambiguity, the buses referred to were donated by friends of Prince Ukpong Akpabio to genuine student leaders who are either local government Chapter Presidents or SUG Presidents or leaders of ethnic based organizations which are well recognized by the school authorities. Specifically the trio referred to in this case are the leaders of Ibibio Students Union, Annang Students Union and Akpakip Oro Students Union in the University of Uyo. To describe them as faceless and non students is most uncharitable.

The said publication is not just wicked but barbaric and most ill intentioned. We are very pained, vexed and annoyed; we hope this will be the very last time such ill wind will blow in our direction”.

He further stated that the entire students’ community was in a total state of tranquility and harmony, with all the leaders working together to bring the uncommon transformation closer to Akwa Ibom Students. In his words “all our leaders are intact and cohesive, they work together without any rancor, so the report that the S.A on Students is at crossroads with Prince Akpabio is a figment of the imagination of the writer. There is no such thing and I can say so emphatically as the Chairman of Council of Chapter Presidents of NAAKISS. Even the bursary award which we will soon receive is a result of their joint effort. Maybe detractors want to see them fight so that the sheep can go astray. The students’ community is so tightly intact and totally in support of the Governor and I know opposition elements are experiencing frustration as no genuine student leader has joined their aimless opposition.”

In a related development, the Special Assistant on Students Matters’ Com. Ini Ememobong has stated that he has no opposition to the benevolence which the friends of Prince Ukpong Akpabio are showing in the students sector. He said “they are doing many things,not just the donation of buses, they pay fees, run scholarships among a lot more, but it’s just the buses people see and have chosen to rant about. For the avoidance of doubt there is no crack in the students structure or leadership, I voluntarily had set up upon assumption of office, an advisory board with Prince Ukpong Akpabio as Chairman, Hon. Onofiok Luke as member, Christy Edwards Usen Akpan as member, while I serve as secretary. That committee has done greatly well in the area of advocacy and benevolence. It is therefore foolhardy for anyone to think that we are working at cross purposes. 

I am not aware of any ammunition importation or amassment let alone recruitment and sponsorship of thugs in preparation for elections. I make bold to say that those allegations are totally false and unsubstantiated, fit only for a script for tales by moonlight in a primitive village in pre civilization era; smacks of negative journalism intended only to tarnish the image of two public officers and scores of student union leaders. I urge all right thinking people to discountenance the baseless allegations.”