* Says, No force from outside can remove Onofiok Luke as Speaker
* As Aniekan Uko will return as member
* As Aniekan Uko will return as member
The member representing Ikono State Constituency in the House of Assembly; Rt Hon Victor Udofia is an interviewer’s delight anytime. In this explosive interview, Udofia who is the Chairman, House Committee on Security, Youth and Sports, speaks on salient issues in the House as well as his constituency. Excerpt!
There has been an agitation that Barrister Onofiok Luke should step down for Elder AniekanUko as soon as Uko returns to the sixth Assembly. What’s your opinion?
That Onofiok should step down for who? Na him papa seat? Is Aniekan Uko the owner of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly? Look, I don’t have any problem with my friend and brother; Aniekan Uko, as a matter of fact he is one of my treasured colleagues, so I don’t want to believe he would stoopso low or even nurse the idea. And, I want to use this privilege to warn some selfish groups and individuals to desist from clashing brothers’ heads together. As far as I know, I don’t want to believe Aniekan Uko has any challenge with Speaker Onofiok Luke or the current House, so people should stop spreading impossible rumour because the House does not belong to Aniekan Uko and just like any principal member; Aniekan Uko does not own a permanent speakership seat in the House.
That Onofiok should step down for who? Na him papa seat? Is Aniekan Uko the owner of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly? Look, I don’t have any problem with my friend and brother; Aniekan Uko, as a matter of fact he is one of my treasured colleagues, so I don’t want to believe he would stoopso low or even nurse the idea. And, I want to use this privilege to warn some selfish groups and individuals to desist from clashing brothers’ heads together. As far as I know, I don’t want to believe Aniekan Uko has any challenge with Speaker Onofiok Luke or the current House, so people should stop spreading impossible rumour because the House does not belong to Aniekan Uko and just like any principal member; Aniekan Uko does not own a permanent speakership seat in the House.
But people are saying there was an arrangement which Onofiok and Aniekan signed that as soon as the later returns, the speakership should be handed over to…
(Cuts-in)…Gentlemen, take this from me and quote me anywhere; there was no such thing. There was nothing like arrangement, and there was nothing like understanding. It was the decision of the entire members of the House that Onofiok Akpan Luke should be made the speaker and Aniekan Uko was in that meeting; he was part of it; the four returning members were also in the meeting. We all nominated Barrister Onofiok Luke to become the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly just as we nominated Aniekan Uko to become the Speaker before his election was nullified. But as God would do it, he is back as a member and I believe coming back, he will be very vibrant, energetic and a dependable member. And let me remind those that spread the false rumour that, in the legislature you don’t hand over, you only impeach and elect.
This is not a State or Federal Ministry where you hear those at the helm of affairs have been swapped and they hand over. No sirs, this is the legislature and there are processes that must be followed. And let me sound this warning to the uninformed; we the members of the sixth assembly are satisfied with Onofiok and let whoever that cares to listen be informed that no force from outside can remove Onofiok Luke as the Speaker, in fact, such a person does not have the right, the strength and powers to remove the Speaker, except the members that elected him. For now, we are comfortable with him and if he sustains the tempo, he will join the league of speakers who completed their tenures without any hitches. So, let’s believe all these ramblings here and there are beer parlour chats, okay?
But the people are of the opinion that it would be unfair for two persons to hold two sensitive positions from one Federal Constituency; the Speakership and the Chairmanship of your party-PDP. What’s your take?
Now listen to this and take note, it is my personal opinion as Victor Udofia. To be very honest, I am one person that looks at what you as a person can offer, I don’t believe in what others feel is right or wrong. Let’s assume that you have a company and you need the services of a professional driver. Let’s assume I am your brother and I came lobbying to get the job when I am a learner, please if you refuse to offer me the job, my brother I won’t be furious at all, instead I would put more effort and complete the learning process and then, wait for the right time. To answer your question, let me ask you, why that same school of thought not bothered that since the return of democracy in 1998 till now, Ikot Ikpene Senatorial District has not produced the State Chairman of the PDP, why? Oh, have they not noticed that Chairmanship of the party always rotate between Uyo Senatorial District and Eket Senatorial District? So, if the party which is always supreme says Onofiok has done well and we give him vote of confidence, then Obong Paul Ekpo has also done well, then those that complain must not be members of our party and should not be taken serious.
Let’s go to your constituency. Recently we heard PDP held stakeholders meeting and only bonafide political leaders were invited by the party and in Ikono there’s this hullabaloo vis-à-vis who the authentic political leader is. So, who represented Ikono at the meeting?
It was the former Commissioner for Finance, a knight, a revered elder statesman from Ikono Local Government Area; Sir Sunday Udo Akpan that represented Ikono. He is a member of the State caucus of our party the PDP. He however took over from Late Prophet Monday Udoinyang. Sir Sunday Udo Akpan, apart from being an authentic member of the State Caucus of our party is also a member of the Elders’ Advisory Council that was constituted by His Excellency the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
What happens to those still parading themselves as political leaders in your Constituency; what’s your advice?
I am afraid if you are saying I should begin to force people to give support to government. Can you force? For me, I will always dance on the side of government and give respect to whom the government says this stays on the throne because the Bible says that God himself is the one who appoint the government, meaning that if we refuse to obey the government, we are refusing to obey God. As the mouthpiece of my people in the House of Assembly don’t also forget that I am a government official and at all times, I should be obedient to the constituted authority and I should also expect same from my constituents. For the people of Ikono, they now know the truth and I can tell you, they are not rebelling at all.
Is the rumour that there is no age-long zoning arrangement in Ikono LGA, true?
I am the member representing Ikono State Constituency in the State House of Assembly and I was given the mandate to speak the truth no matter any vicissitude, and people know I am not afraid of anyone except God. So, what are you talking about? There is an existing zoning in Ikono before now and now. Let me start by saying that the immediate-past Chairman; Honourable Emmanuel Innocent Ukpong was from Ikono South in ward 7. Ukpong took over from Barrister David Udoh from Ikono Middle zone in ward 2. Barrister Udoh took over from Engineer Edet Umotong from ward 10 in Ediene Itak zone.
But the people are of the opinion that it would be unfair for two persons to hold two sensitive positions from one Federal Constituency; the Speakership and the Chairmanship of your party-PDP. What’s your take?
Now listen to this and take note, it is my personal opinion as Victor Udofia. To be very honest, I am one person that looks at what you as a person can offer, I don’t believe in what others feel is right or wrong. Let’s assume that you have a company and you need the services of a professional driver. Let’s assume I am your brother and I came lobbying to get the job when I am a learner, please if you refuse to offer me the job, my brother I won’t be furious at all, instead I would put more effort and complete the learning process and then, wait for the right time. To answer your question, let me ask you, why that same school of thought not bothered that since the return of democracy in 1998 till now, Ikot Ikpene Senatorial District has not produced the State Chairman of the PDP, why? Oh, have they not noticed that Chairmanship of the party always rotate between Uyo Senatorial District and Eket Senatorial District? So, if the party which is always supreme says Onofiok has done well and we give him vote of confidence, then Obong Paul Ekpo has also done well, then those that complain must not be members of our party and should not be taken serious.
Let’s go to your constituency. Recently we heard PDP held stakeholders meeting and only bonafide political leaders were invited by the party and in Ikono there’s this hullabaloo vis-à-vis who the authentic political leader is. So, who represented Ikono at the meeting?
It was the former Commissioner for Finance, a knight, a revered elder statesman from Ikono Local Government Area; Sir Sunday Udo Akpan that represented Ikono. He is a member of the State caucus of our party the PDP. He however took over from Late Prophet Monday Udoinyang. Sir Sunday Udo Akpan, apart from being an authentic member of the State Caucus of our party is also a member of the Elders’ Advisory Council that was constituted by His Excellency the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
What happens to those still parading themselves as political leaders in your Constituency; what’s your advice?
I am afraid if you are saying I should begin to force people to give support to government. Can you force? For me, I will always dance on the side of government and give respect to whom the government says this stays on the throne because the Bible says that God himself is the one who appoint the government, meaning that if we refuse to obey the government, we are refusing to obey God. As the mouthpiece of my people in the House of Assembly don’t also forget that I am a government official and at all times, I should be obedient to the constituted authority and I should also expect same from my constituents. For the people of Ikono, they now know the truth and I can tell you, they are not rebelling at all.
Is the rumour that there is no age-long zoning arrangement in Ikono LGA, true?
I am the member representing Ikono State Constituency in the State House of Assembly and I was given the mandate to speak the truth no matter any vicissitude, and people know I am not afraid of anyone except God. So, what are you talking about? There is an existing zoning in Ikono before now and now. Let me start by saying that the immediate-past Chairman; Honourable Emmanuel Innocent Ukpong was from Ikono South in ward 7. Ukpong took over from Barrister David Udoh from Ikono Middle zone in ward 2. Barrister Udoh took over from Engineer Edet Umotong from ward 10 in Ediene Itak zone.
We have 3 zones in Ikono; comprises Ikono Middle, Ikono South and Ediene Itak zone. Now, if Umotong from Ediene Itak Zone handed over to Barrister Udoh from Ikono Middle and the immediate-past elected Chairman who stayed for 3 and a half years; Hon Emmanuel Ukpong was from Ikono South, which zone should start the circle again? For fairness, justice and equity it should go to Ediene Itak zone where you have ward 11, 10 and ward 9 where the current chapter chairman of the party in Ikono hails from.
I have heard as a rumour, though I don’t believe it, that the chapter chairman is standing alone to say there is no zoning. Well, if he said so, it’s very unfortunate because he cannot say he did not constituted a committee that came up with zoning arrangement. What happens is that the Chapter chairman alone cannot be said to own the party it is the entire people; card carrying members who are the owners. No one can give what he does not have.
In fact, the State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel is aware that there is zoning in Ikono LGA, the SA on Political and Legislative Affairs is also aware that there is an age-long zoning arrangement of Chairmanship of Local Government in Ikono, so I ask, who should we stand with? And again, what is the locus standi of a man who sits at beer parlour and spread the rumour that there is no zoning in Ikono, has he got the blessing of the entire Ikono to say it? That is food for thought, though!
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