Ibesikpo Asutan political leader fetes community at Christmas

BY GODWIN SAM

The Political Leader of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area and the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to the Akwa Ibom State Government Hon. (Prince) Uwem Ita Etuk on Friday 26th December, 2014, hosted the people of the local government to a yearly end-of-the-year convention at his farm house in Nung Udoe.

Addressing the mammoth crown, the Honourable Commissioner pleaded with the people of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government not to engage in violence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a party that does not win elections through violence. He however warned those who think that violence is the best way to win elections that PDP will match them power for powers and money for money. “Whatever kind of power they want to bring out, we will also bring that same power ten times over. So when they shoot gun to scare you on the election days, don’t run, stand your ground, and victory will be yours.” He said.

The Crown Prince of Ibesikpo and the son of the Paramount Ruler of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area Obong Ita Bassey Etuk, used the occasion to thank the serving House of Assembly Member, Hon. Eyakeno Etukudo, for refusing the temptation to go for a second term, he also thank Hon. Nsikak Johnson for heeding the call of the party and stepped down from contesting the Uyo Senatorial District nomination. He assured the people that the PDP Government under Mr. Udom Emmanuel will create employment and therefore urged the people to key in and take the opportunities that will present themselves so that it will be well with them. He used the forum to set up a reconciliation committee headed by Rt. Hon. T. O. Akpan.

Also speaking on the fete champetre, the Chapter Chairman of PDP in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government, Obong Emmanuel Ukim thanked those who were aggrieved with the party and has now returned for coming back into the fold. He also called on those still angry with the party and those sitting on the fence to come and embrace the party as the party’s doors are opened to everyone. He assured the people that PDP will win elections for all their candidates beginning from Hon. Aniekan Uko for House of Assembly, Dr. Michael Enyong for House of Representative, Obong Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA) for Uyo Senatorial District, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for Governor Akwa Ibom State, and President Goodluck Jonathan for President of the Country.

High point of the occasion was the presentation of Hon. Aniekan Uko to the people as PDP flag bearer for the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Ibesikpo State Constituency with Hon. Etetim Ubom as the campaign D.G. for IboroAkam 2015, the campaign organisation of Hon. Aniekan Uko.

In his reaction, Hon. Aniekan Uko, thanked the people of Ibesikpo Asutan for having confidence in him and sending him to represent them in the house of assembly. He used the opportunity to call on the people to stand by Prince Uwem Ita Etuk as he is a peace maker for the Local Government to succeed politically. He promised the people of Ibesikpo Asutan that he will give them effective representation when voted into the office. He donated a cow and the sum of N200,000 as Christmas donation for the people of Ibesikpo Asutan. His wife donated twenty bags of rice and N100,000 to the women of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

The member representing Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government in the State House of Assembly and the Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Eyakeno Etukudo thanked Uwem Ita Etuk for financing the party and for hosting the people in the past thirteen years. He pleaded with the people to stay under the umbrella of PDP and deliver the five candidates of PDP in next year’s elections. He donated the sum of one million naira to support the political leader’s effort. 

However, the gathering was stunned into silence stark revelation by Rt. Hon. T. O. Akpan that he is the one who used to sponsor the Global Concord Newspaper. In fact, the elder statesman said that he is the one who sold the idea to the publishers of the tabloid to publish a newspaper that would tarnish the image of the State Government since the government refused to carry him along. “Ami nkesin ekpo usung idim, ami nyung nsio.” (I initiated the idea and I’m now withdrawing it). He therefore begged the people who know the publishers, as one of them, according to him, is from Ibesikpo Asutan, to desist from publishing damaging reports against the government from henceforth as  they will not knows what hit them when they are hit if they do not desist. “If they don’t desist, something terrible will happen to them and when that happens they will attribute it to witches because they won’t know what hit them,” he warned.    

The annual which has been held in the past thirteen years attracted the one who is who in Ibesikpo Assutan politics. Prominent among them were the Chief host of the occasion, Hon. (Prince) Uwem Ita Etuk, Hon. Eyakeno Etukudo, Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, AKHA, PDP Chpater Chairman for Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area Obong Emmanuel Ukim, Rt. Hon. T. O. Akpan, Elder statesman; Former Vice-Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Obong Donatus Noah, Obong Nsikak Johnson, a senatorial district aspirant in the just concluded PDP primaries, Prof. E. J. Etim.

Many groups also graced the occasion to include; Akwa Ibom Consolidation Alliance (ACA), Esop Mkparawa Ibesikpo Asutan, New Breed Initiative, Supreme Council of Youth Leaders, IborAkam Campaign Organisation, Think Right Initiative etc. 

Various people donated sums of money, cows, bags of rice for distribution to the people, greatest among the donations was seven Million Naira (N7 million) by the chief host, Prince Uwem Ita Etuk.