Youths of Oruk Anam local government area have vehemently kicked against the third term aspiration of their lawmaker in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Udo Kierian Akpan, describing such ambition as selfish and oppressive.
The groups including the Youth Council of Nigeria (YCN), Dakkada Youths, Christian Youths and Village Youths Council from the area asked Mr. Akpan to throw away his third term agenda.
Members of the groups who carried placards with different inscriptions written on them, and numbering more than two hundred, gathered at the state Government House gate on Friday, to register their grievances.
Although the youths did not say who they are supporting to replace Mr. Kierian Akpan by next year, but they asked the lawmaker, who is currently the House Leader, to withdraw from the race at the end of his tenure in 2019, with some threatening to truncate his ambition on the grounds that he had served them for eight years without commensurate results.
Some of the inscriptions read: “Oruk Anam people reject Udo Kierian’s 3rd term ambition. 2019 is Oruk’s turn. In zoning we stand”, “Spending 12 years in the state house of assembly does not equal effective representation. Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan no third term for you”, and “Oruk Anam people want another representative in the state House. Udo Kierian Akpan, your tenure has elapsed. Go home, no third term”.
While declaring their support for Governor Udom Emmanuel’s second term aspiration and urged him to keep to all zoning arrangements for peace to reign in the state, the youths said they would not want the type of security crisis currently plaguing Etim/Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas of the state to affect their area.
The youths frowned at what they described as political monopoly aimed at oppressing the “Oruk” people who are the majority by the one person who wants to perpetuate himself in power to the detriment of Oruk people and promised to defend PDP in her effort to keep to zoning so that one man would not have any reason to repeat himself in one office against the wish of the people.
Speaking, Vice Chairman Youth Council, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Comrade Sylvester Ebong, said the youths of Oruk Anam Local Government Area are proud of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s excellent strides and transformation in the state, and are ready to support Governor Emmanuel’s second term to complete the good works he has started in the state.
Ebong recalled that at several for a, the Governor has emphasized the principle of zoning and rotation which everyone must abide. He said that for almost eight years, Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian from Anam, has occupied the House of Assembly seat and it was time for him to step down for Oruk with seven clans.
In his words, the Village Youth President Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Mr. Ubong Udo James harped on the total support of Governor Udom’s second term ambition but vowed that the village youths will never support the third term ambition of Udo Kierian as it it the turn of Oruk to occupy the seat.
Also speaking, the Youth Caucus Chairman, Oruk Anam Mr. Caleb Sylvanus Albert said, “we don’t want third term in Oruk Anam Local Government. Oruk Anam is a peaceful local government and we don’t want what is happening in Ukanfun and Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas to happen in our local government.
“In the history of Oruk Anam, nobody has occupied House of Assembly seat for second time. It is therefore unthinkable for Udo Kierian to nurse third term ambition. For the sake of equity and fairness, youths of Oruk Anam are saying there is no third term.
“As we are speaking the All Progressives Congress, APC, has zoned the House of Assembly seat to Oruk because they know the truth. We don’t want to fight but all we are saying is we don’t want second term.”
Sir Imoh Sylvanus Udoh KSM, Youth Council Chairman, Oruk Anam also said the youth cannot support any elder who wants to sit forever in power without giving chance to the youths.
He noted that Udo Kierian has not empowered youths of the area and promised that 2019 election will not be business as usual.
The representative of female youths, Miss Adada Enobong Jacob said second and third term is found in secondary school not in politics and urged that for peace to reign in the local government there should be no third term.
Other youths leaders who also voiced their third term rejection included Mr. Ifiok Ituen, Coordinator Christian Youth, Oruk Anam; Pastor Power Ukpe, Dakkada Coordinator, Oruk Anam among others.
The people of Oruk and Anam clans are bound in one local government area. Akpan who hails from Anam Clan has held the seat since 2011.
The Oruk people are currently clamouring that the seat should shift to their area for justice to be seen to have been done by the leadership of the PDP in the state.
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