BY EMMANUEL AKPAN
Aides to Governor Udom Emmanuel have fired back at Senator Nelson Effiong following his Saturday’s interview on radio program, community views on planet FM, Uyo. It could be recalled that Senator Nelson Effiong who is the Senator representing Eket Senatorial District in the Senate, had on Thursday during the plenary of the upper chamber defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A development that has generated political controversies both in Eket Senatorial District and Akwa Ibom State in general. Senator Nelson Effiong had on Saturday appeared as a guest on community view, a radio program on Planet FM 101.1, Uyo, made so many unacceptable comments on the State Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel and the Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang.
Speaking with this reporter in Uyo, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Re-orientation, Mr. Joseph Okon said the defection of Nelson Effiong couldn’t have had anything to do with him since he is not from Eket Senatorial District, but the utterances of Sen. Nelson Effiong on Governor Udom Emmanuel and Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang during the radio program was unacceptable by Akwa Ibom people.
Joseph Okon, while expressing anger over some of the comments of Sen. Effiong, noted that in the said radio program, the senator had claimed that the Governor Udom Emmanuel has not done anything in the State, a statement he described as a total attempt to discredit the modest performance of the Governor whom he said has performed very well in less than two years in office.
According to the Governor’s aide, “When I hear a man who supposed to say the truth cooking up lies and falsehood it’s very disappointing. This is the same Senator who spoke glowingly about the Governor some months ago. When things like this happen, I wonder what legacy our Elders are leaving for the younger generation. If a man who should better inform the people turn to tell lies and falsehood just to score cheap political points, I wonder how far this kind of blackmails can take Senator Nelson Effiong to.”
The Governor’s aide stated that Deacon Udom Emmanuel has provided infrastructural developments across the entire State, adding that for Senator Nelson Effiong to say that the Governor has done nothing is pure blackmail and a calculated attempt to discredit Deacon Udom Emmanuel. Udom Emmanuel is the only performing Governor in the current recession that is rocking the country. “Akwa Ibom people knows that Sen. Nelson Effiong’s problem is that of his selfish political interest. Go and see the massive work done on Ibeno/ Eket road, Etinan/ Uyo road, Ekwere Azu road, Ikot Udom, and many other road projects scattering in the state”.
Furthermore, while condemning the utterances of Nelson Effiong, who claimed that the Commissioner for Works Akparawa Ephraim Inyang is building a mansion in ONNA, Mr. Joseph Okon emphasized that the works Commissioner is a tested professional with integrity who invested his huge resources both financially and intellectually, built structures, traversed the entire State during campaigned to ensure that Deacon Udom Emmanuel emerged Governor in the 2015 general elections.
The Udom’s aide noted that whatever structure the Works Commissioner has put up in ONNA is from his personal resources who had a lucrative job with Nigerian Custom Service and not from government resources as claimed by Nelson Effiong. He added that there is no way work would have reach the level it is now in the state if Ephraim Inyang had diverted government money. All the road constructions and other infrastructural developments spread across the entire state are evidence of Ephraim Inyang’s honesty and transparency in handing government resources. He maintained that the Works Commissioner is a honest man that has brought sincerity to bear in the present administration.
While asking the contributions of Nelson Effiong to the emergence of Governor Udom Emmanuel in 2015, Okon hinted that Nelson Effiong who was relegated to his political graveyard, was sent for by the former Governor where a Toyota Hilux and a Jeep with millions of naira was given to him after the his nomination form had been purchased.
“It was Governor Udom Emmanuel and Ephraim Inyang that he (Nelson Effiong) is attacking today, sponsored his campaigns, and went around the entire Oro Nation with him because he was not loved by his people. I know what we passed through during campaigns because Nelson Effiong did not performed when he was the speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Nelson Effiong is coming out now to say that Ephraim Inyang is building a mansion in ONNA, and I want to set the record straight, because as much as I know, Ephraim Inyang is a man of integrity. He brought his integrity into the public service. He has worked in one of the lucrative government agencies in the country at the senior level, so he is a rich man. He can afford to build any house of his choice.”
He described Sen. Effiong’s comment on Ephraim Inyang as jealousy taken too far. The SA described Nelson Effiong’s defection from PDP to APC as a blind political decision, adding that the Eket Senator has no integrity and should not be trusted with any leadership responsibility. In his words, “Nelson Effiong is a blackmailer. He’s a dishonest man and a liar who is trying to weep unnecessary sentiments to get attention of Akwa Ibom people.” Joseph Okon stated.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Essien Ndueso said Nelson Effiong has done a great disservice to the people of Eket Senatorial District by going through the backdoor with the mandate given to him on the platform of the PDP, adding that the action of the Senator is a broad daylight robbery and a great insult on the people of the Senatorial District.
Mr. Essien Ndueso who is from Eket Senatorial District, said unfortunately Nelson Effiong has been overwhelmed by the red chambers and has failed the people by his ineffective representation. “What really struck us is that during the Christmas period, our Senator did not come to meet with his people, while we were still wondering, unfortunately we had the news that he has defected from the PDP to APC. His defection is for personal gains. We are very disappointed and it’s an act of ingratitude to the people of Eket Senatorial District.”
While calling on the people to remain calm, the media aide stressed that the defection of Sen. Nelson Effiong will not cause any effect in the party, rather it will make the party stronger and be more conscious in electing people into any political offices in future elections. He however said that the PDP will use all the judicial powers to reclaim the mandate give to Sen. Effiong.
“The Senator’s utterances during the radio program really brought shame to the party as well as us as a people. He was elected on the platform of the PDP and it is unfair for him to take the mandate to another party. We are going to make sure that the mandate is reclaimed.” He assured.
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