Nse Essien dedicates flag to his people * He will give us good representation – Onna Chairman

BY GODWIN SAM

The quiet community of  Ikot Akpan Nkor, in Awa Clan of Onna Local Government Area on Friday 16th January, 2015 became a beehive of activities as their son Otuekong Nse Essien return with the PDP flag to give to his people.

Nse Essien popularly known as indomitable was among the twenty five (25) House of Assembly candidates handed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag by the Party’s chairman Obong Paul Ekpo at the Uyo township stadium earlier the same day. But while most of the other candidates ended the occasion in Uyo, the State capital, Otuekong Essien headed to his village, Ikot Akpan Nkor, to hand the flag back to his people as the wise son of the community that he is, accordingly to the Chairman of the Local Government Council, Honourable Uffot Sunday.

Speaking at the country home of the candidate where the reception took place, the Chairman of Onna Local Government Council Honourable Uffot Sunday said that Nse Essien having served under his administration as the Secretary of the Local Government Council, he (the Chairman can vouch for the candidate to give his people good representation, describing him as a wise son of the Local Government. “When a wise child goes to war and wins, the first place to go and present himself is his father’s house. Otuekong is a very wise son for bringing back the flag to you people,” he said. The Chairman further described him as a selfless individual who could go to the extent of borrowing to solve another man’s pressing problem and therefore promised to stand by him to the end. He however pleaded with the people to turn out at their different wards and vote for him en masse come February 28th 2015.

Also speaking, the Village Head of Ikot Akpan Nkor, Eteidung Imo Udo Johnson said that the blessing of the whole community is upon him and encourage him to go and succeed and promised the House of Assembly hopeful that himself and the whole community will stand by him to see him in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. 

Interestingly, the most exciting thing that happened at the occasion was when some supporters of Bishop Samuel Akpan, the Accord Party Governorship candidate who is also from Onna Local Government Area declared that they have decamped from the Bishop’s camp and announced their support for Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and Otuekong Nse Essien for Governorship and House of Assembly positions respectively. Mr. Ibanga Isaiah who spoke on behalf of the de-campees described the PDP House of Assembly candidate as the Moses of Ikot Akpan Nkor who will take the village into the Promised Land and therefore reaffirmed their total support to the PDP family in Onna.

Other speakers at the occasion included the Akwa Ibom Consolidation Alliance (ACA) coordinator for Awa War 4, Mr. Abraham Duff Tom; the PDP Ward Chairman Mr. Anietie Ekpa; the Youth President Mr. Dan Nwa; the wife of the House of Assembly candidate Deaconess Ndifreke Nse Essien; and the Secretary Central Working Committee of the “Hope 2015 Organization” the campaign Organization of Otuekong Nse Essien, Hon. Imo Attat. They all paid glowing accolades to the candidate and promised to support and stand by him to the end. Deaconess Ndifreke Nse Essien specifically thanked the woman for coming out to receive her husband and for always standing by him and promised to carry them along when he finally becomes the House member.

Responding to all the speakers, the man of the moment Otuekong Nse Essien said “I brought this flag to you because the flag does not belong to me, it belongs to all of us. This journey is not about me alone but about all of us. A good thing has finally come out of Ikot Akpan Nkor. Like Nehemiah in the Bible I come out because of the broken walls of my father’s house which is Ikot Akpan Nkor. This village is one of the smallest villages in the whole world, with only two families and God has chosen to bring me out of this village just like Bethlehem in the Bible to prove to the world that He can use the weak things of this world to confound the strong. I present this flag to you people promising you that I will always give account of my stewardship throughout my stay in the House.”

He used the occasion to present his scorecard on the positions held before and promised to do more, especially in the area of human capital development and empowerment. He also said that he now believes that God stopped him form being the chairman of the Local Government those two times he tried because God was preparing him for a time like this. “I don’t want to own ten houses, if I have two let the other eight go to other people and that is what I call live and let’s live. What do I need ten house or ten cars for! When my fellow brothers and sisters do not have a house or car of their own?” he asked rhetorically.

The Otuekong Awa used the occasion to call on his people to go out and collect their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs) for those who did not and go out en masse to vote for him as this is the only way their collective dreams could be achieved. “On the 14th of February, stay back from the market and don’t go to the farm that day, go out and vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and Mrs. Owoidihe Ekpoattai and two weeks after that you should all vote for me and Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel,” he pleaded. He thanked Governor Godswill Akpabio for spotting the potentials in him and appointing him first as Board Member Akwa Ibom State College of Agriculture Obio Akpa, and later Secretary Onna Local Government Council, positions which prepared him to be able to serve the people well as their representative in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly come May 2015.