AKHA- Uduyok Aboh, Alice Ekpenyong, ors shun plenary session

 *as 9 members sit to discuss Akpabio’s budget 

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

All is not going down well with the Honorable members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly THE INK can report authoritatively.

This development was openly played out on Tuesday during the plenary session of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Our reporter who was at the House to attend the plenary session observed that out of 26 Honorable members representing different constituencies, only 9 members including the Speaker, Elder Sam Ikon attended the sitting.

The plenary session which was meant to deliberate on  the recent 2015 budget proposal as was presented by Governor Godswill Akpabio two weeks ago to the AKHA members, was observed inside the chamber of the House to have suffered  some level of setback as principal officers of the House did not attend the plenary session to move motions apart from the member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency who is also the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Udo Kieran Akpan and Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Emmanuel Akpan, who is representing the Governor’s State Constituency, Essien Udim.

Although, the bill was read for a second time in the House, our reporter also noticed that the plenary session lasted less than 30 minutes.

In their separate remarks, the member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Hon. Ime Okon said for the present administration to complete all the ongoing projects in the state, the House should do everything possible to ensure the bill is passed into to law urgently.

The Chairman House Committee on Appropriation and Finance who is the member representing Ibesikpo Austan State Constituency, Hon. Eyakeno Etukudo added that the bill will help Governor Akpabio’s led government to consolidate on its projects even as he appeal to leadership of the House to give full support to the smooth passage of the bill into law.

The speaker of the House, Elder Sam Ikon directed that the Committee on Finance and Appropriation should do their responsibility by studying the budget and must ensure and be ready to brief the House during the next plenary session which was adjourned to Thursday 29 January, 2015.   

     
Surprisingly, after the plenary session, our reporter sighted the member representing Ikot Abasi /Eastern Obolo State Constituency, Hon. Uduyok Aboh and member representing Mbo State Constituency, Hon. Alice Ekpenyong at the premises of the House of Assembly, chatting with some people as well as whiling away time with friends.     

Observers, while interacting with THE INK said this development have become very noticeable recently at the AKHA as most of the members have decided to stay back from plenary sessions and even not coming to their offices after losing their nomination during the just concluded People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.

A staff of the House who refused her name not be mentioned on the print, hinted that since some of the AKHA members lost out during the PDP primaries especially those who were seeking for re-election, the members are no more united as before as some have defected to opposition parties while some have vow to work against Akpabio;s government. This development according to her has lead to the members belonging to different camp which was openly played out during the Tuesday’s plenary session.     

Those who attended the sitting were: Eyakeno Etukudo, Ibesikpo, Udo kierian Akpan, Oruk Anam, Aniekan Akpan, Ukanafun, Emmanuel Akpan, Essien Udim, Paul Owo, Ini, Victor Udofia, Ikono, Abak , Friday Iwok, Ibiono, Ime Okon as well as the speaker of the House Elder Sam Ikon.