How Otu Ita Toyo stopped Effiong Abia from being SSG

…Says he was imposed as PDP Chairman
…He stopped Effiong Abia from being SSG 

BY PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER

The recent interview with Hon. Ita toyo on Planet FM is sending dark smokes through the cloud as a number of people have expressed dissatisfaction with some utterances made by the former PDP boss concerning the role he played in the emergence of the ex-SSG, Mr. Umana Okon Umana. THE INK can authoritatively report that Otu Ita Toyo is in for a hot chase by an interest group known as Truth Vanguard which has taken on the former State Chairman of the PDP for having mortgaged the interests of Oro nation in the immediate past administration of the State. 

In a document signed by Ewa Edmund (esq) and Sifon Ayara, Secretary and Director, Media Affairs of the group respectively and made available to THE INK, the group acknowledged that although Hon. Ita Toyo admitted to have “nominated Obong Umana Okon Umana to Godswill Akpabio to become Secretary to government he did not tell the world that he stopped the appointment of another Oro son, Barr. Effiong Abia, as SSG.”

The document, in explaining how the events unfolded states that “on Thursday, 24th May, 2007, at about 6: 23 PM at Chief Godswill Akpabio’s residence in Ewet Housing, in the presence of Obong Umana Okon Umana, Slyvester Okonkwo, Chief Michael Afangideh, Barr. Effiong Abia and Bishop Samuel Akpan, the former State Chairman of PDP-Otu Ita Toyo rejected the appointment as SSG. Determined to give Oro the position, Akpabio, then Governor-Elect, offered to appoint Barr. Effiong Abia, then the coordinator of AKPF in Mbo LGA and Secretary, State Council of Chiefs in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. 

Otu Ita Toyo vehemently opposed the appointment of Barr. Effiong Abia, a lawyer and public servant who had acquired sufficient experience in the running of government as SSG, because he did not want anybody from Oro to occupy any sensitive position in the new administration or gain unfettered access to the Governor.” This they said, led to the choice of Umana as SSG.

According to the document, “Otu Ita Toyo wanted to be the only Oro son seen in Government House. Infact, his calculation was that he would continue to be the only Oro person seen and recognised by the Akpabio administration”. “By opposing Barr. Abia’s appointment as SSG, Otu Ita Toyo deprived Oro nation of the vantage position it would have occupied in the administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio from the beginning. Barr. Effiong Abia would have used that position to further the interest of Oro Nation. 

To compensate Barr. Effiong Abia according to the document, Akpabio appointed him the Secretary, Finance and General Purpose Committee (FGPC) and the Late Mrs. Grace Anwana as Head of Civil Service in order to pacify Oro Nation, which had no substantive position in his administration.

The document also has it that Ita Toyo has never been a partner in the Akwa Ibom project and was imposed on the PDP as the State Chairman. Among other revelations, the group described Ita Toyo as one whose “character trait reveals a man who is found wanting in all aspects of family; a man given to frivolities”. They therefore challenged Ita Toyo to come out and deny the facts gathered while charging Oro Nation to beware of self-seeking politicians. “Otu Ita Toyo scuttled Oro governorship aspiration and cannot today in all sincerity talk about Oro interest….We know who he is.” It reads. 

As at the time of going to press, all efforts to reach Ita Toyo proved abortive as his line could not be reached.