Friday, 8 August 2014

2015: Youths beg Ukanafun lawmaker to run

The Member representing Ukanafun State Constituency, Honourable Aniekan Akpan, our reporter learnt, is under intense pressure from youths of the area to re-contest for the Ukanafun State Constituency seat in the upcoming 2015 general elections.   

The youths’ stance is said to have been as a result of the lawmaker’s excellent performance in the 5th Assembly of the State House.

It was gathered that youths of Ukanafun Local Government Area, under the auspices of ‘Inwek Ukanafun’ have reaffirmed their ‘total’ loyalty and support to the member representing Ukanafun State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Akpan and unanimously endorsed him to run for a second term in office.

Uduak Hanson, the group head, dropped the hint during a solidarity visit to the lawmaker last Thursday. They disclosed that their decision to endorse Mr. Akpan punches on the fact that he has performed creditably well in the area of infrastructure, massive empowerment of Ukanafun people from the two political blocs in the area - Ukanafun and Afaha, scholarships to Ukanafun students studying in different Nigerian tertiary institutions and abroad, financial and other assistance to the people, vocal/effective representation in the floor of the house, illuminating political track record as well as sterling human character, spiced by the fear of God .

The youths while describing the recent media attack on Mr. Akpan as a perfect show of cowardice and furious attempt to drag the age long good image of elder Akpan to the mud, urged the lawmaker to pay deaf ears and close eyes from distractions of those they described as disgruntled and intimidated elements in Ukanafun and  referred to the authors of those publications as faceless cowards with none-existent names in Ukanafun. 

Inwek Ukanafun particularly distanced themselves from allege threat to life as reported in one of the false publications, describing it as frantic efforts of a drowning man for survival. 

According to Mr. Hanson, “the author of the publications became intimidated when we published the outstanding record of Mr. Akpan’s performance. They remembered and described his tenure as the chairman of Ukanafun Local Government as a turning point in the political history of the area.

Responding, Hon. Aniekan Akpan thanked the youths for their solidarity, love and loyalty. He particularly appreciated them for acknowledging his efforts to serve and drag the dividends of democracy to the area. 

The lawmaker maintained that no amount of blackmail or distraction will deter him from serving his people effectively. He said he has forgiven his blackmailers and saboteurs but charged them to turn a new leaf for the overall good of Ukanafun and Akwa Ibom people at large.

On his agenda for second term, Hon. Akpan promised to continue in life touching bills, infrastructural development and more empowerment of Ukanafun people especially the youths and women. 

Also speaking, a Former Councilor from Afaha, demised insinuations about zoning in the state constituency. 

Hon. Isaac Ukutt disclosed that in 2004, Bishop Moswill Umoh from Ukanafun contested with Obong Okon Uwah, from Afaha in 2003, Obong Eno Akpan from Ukanafun contested with Vitalis Unang. In 2007, Godwin sandy from Ukanafun contested with Okon Uwah from Afaha. Still in that 2007, Obong Udo Abraham from Afaha contested with Sabath Obot from Ukanafun. 

He stated that the issue of zoning is a lazy excuse and diversionary tactics, noting that “credibility and experience are the yardsticks for the choice, not zoning!
He supported the call on Mr. Akpan to run second term; adding that it is not an award but a reward for good performance.   

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