Afaha Obong Youths restate claim for Abak Chairmanship seat

Youths from the 24 Villages of Afaha Obong Clan in Abak Local Government Area last Saturday converged at Afaha Essang Village to discuss the way forward for the area.  The well-attended meeting had in attendance, the National President, Afaha Obong Clan Youth Association, Prince Nsikan Ibanga, the Coordinator Afaha Obong Clan Youths, Comrade Iboro Udotong, National Executive members of the Association, Village Youth Chairmen and their executive members.

ABAK FIRST BANK: How Management, Staff conspire with criminals to rob, kill customers

The First Bank Abak branch, has allegedly indulged in plethora of robbery activities which make some customers to be scared of the Bank in recent time. Just recently, a river of tears flows freely in the farming village of Ikot Udo Mbang in Ukanafun L.G.A. Their inconsolable sorrow stems from the untimely death of one of their prominent sons who was a senior nurse with the State Ministry of Health, Mr. Sunday Effiong Inyang who died recently from bullet wounds he sustained when armed men attacked him near Obio Akpa bridge, shortly after Akwa Ibom State University campus.

Aniekan Etiebet joins Senate race * Says no to Akpabio’s ambition

Aniekan Etiebiet, Nephew to the former National Chairman of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, may have considered throwing his hat into the ring to vie for the Senate Position for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, THE INK gathered from impeccable sources. Etiebet’s decision to contest it was learnt is from the pressure on him by his family members and political associates who are the major factors of the senatorial district politics with the belief that the legal expert will deliver democracy dividends to the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district.

The junior Etiebiet is a lawyer, a son to the former Governor of Cross River State. He had once contested the governorship position of the state when Obong Attah was transiting and today he has seriously been linked to the senate ambition, a feat that is undeniable.

Aniekan Umanah escapes being lynched * I was not attacked, says info. com.

 

Akwa Ibom State commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah last week Monday escaped a mob action in Abak along Park lane and sources say it took the intervention of his mobile police security team to ferry him away to safety in the ensuing stampede that would have caused serious bodily injury to the state information commissioner.

But Aniekan Umanah in a phone chat with our reporter denied neither being attacked nor attempts to lynch him by a group or any group of people and described himself as a home boy who is always at peace with his people.

Those who witnessed the scene informed our reporter that on the said Monday, Aniekan Umanah had stopped by at a certain joint owned by BOYO, who is said to be a relative of Mr. Umanah and had ordered that drinks be given to the youths who were already enjoying themselves. The youths are said to hail from Abak/Ika and Etim Ekpo and have outrightly rejected Umanah’s drinks alleging that the information boss is stingy and that he is only giving them drinks because he wants their support for his 2015 House of Representatives ambition which he will not win. The youths are said to thereafter charged at him and went for his jugular.

Emmanuel Udosen and the strength of a vision BY SAMUEL AYARA

 

In a society where mediocrity was a legal tender and hooliganism a celebrated culture, little about hardwork and commitment was heralded and no mention was made of intellectual capability. Imminently established was moral decadence, restivesness and other such vices occasioned by the constant fall from acceptable societal values. 

Uncertainty had its hold and not everyone dared a change while the few who did, had so much to contend with the societal cancer of the pull him down syndrome; that had become a courted order. This had in ways more than few impaired growth and progress cos most people had rather appreciated maintaining the status quo instead of daring new heights that may engender a fall in the believe that “ a man who is already on the ground fears no fall”. And forgot all about the joy of attaining new heights.

The low culture of appreciation for excellence from the society had in no small measure added to the decrease in drive to attaining new heights. Since appreciation and acknowledgement are boosters to the culture of ingenuity, honesty, hardwork and land mark successes. It is worthy to note that despite the waning culture of appreciation, people from time immemorial have striven to live up to their dreams in confirmation to the words of Victor Hugo, who said, “nothing in the World is more powerful than an idea whose time has come”.

Kufre house wins TIS Inter Sports meet

Kufre House which adorned all blue colour has emerged the overall winner of the 2014 inter house sports competition of the Tower of Ivory Schools. The inter house sports which grand finale took place at the school premises in Ediene Abak had four houses, Enomfon, Ebong, Ayakeme and Kufre House challenging for medals.

Earlier in the day, there was a match past between the four competing houses. Other events for the day were discuss throw, long jump, relay race, 100 metres, 200 meters and marathon race. As well as dancing, choreography and other varieties which students and pupils participated while having a field day.

Chairman on the occasion Barr Okon Okon in his speech said, he is happy that the management of Tower of Ivory Schools have found it fit to host children to such a remarkable inter house sports competition. He hinted that the events that were lined up are the best of its kind in the history of the state and urged Parents to send their children to Tower of Ivory Schools which he described as a breed apart.

Money is yet to be released to AIDN - Aniekan Umanah

 

 Last week ANIEKAN UMANAH state Commissioner for Information and communications in the wake of recent scandals that rocked the Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network over financial issues addressed a section of the press were he described as total falsehood the allegations which he has been fingered. The information boss in his usual elements maintained to the press that he has instructed his lawyers to seek redress at a court of competent jurisdiction. He said, the said money has been approved but yet to be released. It was an interaction that had in company the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora matters. THE INK serves you excerpts.

Is it true that the governor has endorsed or announced Udom Emmanuel as his successor come 2015?
The Governor has not announced that he has anointed anybody, if Udom Emmanuel is interested in contesting for governorship is he not qualified? What I heard the governor said clearly is, I think he simply re-echoed what Akwa Ibom people said. During the thanksgiving of last Sunday he asked the people if they wanted the governorship to return to Uyo senatorial district I heard them say no, a resounding no, he asked them if they wanted Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district to retain it, I heard a chorus no and he asked them if they wanted Eket senatorial District I had them sing Yes, it rang like a cymbal. I also heard him say that in the interest of equity, justice and fairness Eket senatorial will be given an opportunity, but he did not say anybody should not contest. So I think it is very clear. Why all these anointing, anointment or no anointing? God will release the anointing at the appropriate time and the anointing will also pass through men at the appropriate time.

I am the political leader of Abak, I will run for second term

Hon. Friday Iwok is the House Member Representing Abak State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. He spoke with selected journalists during the week where he said Gov. Godswill Akpabio will present two or three persons to the people of Akwa Ibom to choose his successor from. He also stated authoritatively that he is the political leader of Abak and not Aniekan Umanah. He denied having any rift with the Commissioner for Information and Communications. Excerpts:

You won an election against an incumbent house member because there was a general belief that there was no second term in Abak. Has that changed?
 
Definitely, like you said I didn’t come to the State House of Assembly because of second term. I came to the House through God who stood by me and for my success and again through the people of Abak who saw reasons, who believed in me that if I’m in the state house of assembly I can do more to touch on the lives of Abak people and also that I can represent them effectively. That was how I was voted in to the House of Assembly. As at that time I was not interested and I didn’t even understand what people call ‘2nd term’. I only understood myself that I want to go to the House of Assembly and I here I am today.

So far, how has it been?
It has been very wonderful being here as a House member. It is very interesting because the experiences we never had, we have now. The House of Assembly is a comity of people that are really looking forward to making sure that where they represent have a test of good life and that is what we have been working on as a body. The functions of a lawmaker is quite different from what I used to experience when I was in the labour circle.

How the info boss tricked Iwok

In a near related development, major stake holders of Abak 5 have vowed to punctuate Aniekan Umanah’s House of Representatives ambition due to what they described as Aniekan Umanah’s uselessness to the division. One of the PDP stalwarts from Abak Local Government Area while acknowledging that the Area is seriously polarized however had submitted that Aniekan Umanah should forget about vying the House of Representatives position for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency.

Our source observed that the Information Commissioner is yet to prove beyond reasonable doubts that his ambition to the National Assembly is people-driven.

Youths of Abak Local Government Area, the paper learnt are waiting for Aniekan Umanah to officially declare his intention to contest the House of Representatives position so that they can use the opportunity to revenge Umanah whom they described as inconsistent and unreliable.
In a statement of position signed by Abraham Isonguyo and Cletus Ubong, Convener and Secretary of Abak federal constituency Youth Movement, the group condemned what they described as Aniekan Umanah’s greed in Abak. The youths of the area are particularly angry with the Information Commissioner due to what they allege as Aniekan Umanah’s short-changing them for his selfish interest.

ANIEKAN UMANAH IN A MESS

 

* Provokes Uwem Udoma against Akpabio’s 2015 senate bid
  * We are waiting to shock him to declare for House of Reps – Stakeholders

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah’s inability to keep his tongue sealed on certain information has thrown him into a deep mess and Governor Godswill Akpabio may be the one to pay for it with his 2015 senate ambition.

Umanah who is one of Governor Akpabio’s longest serving Commissioners had stepped on the toes of the former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Uwem Udoma and the Ex-Deputy Speaker was quoted to have told Abak Elders and stakeholders including the youths and women that he is ready to do everything to ensure that Akpabio’s 2015 senate ambition is botched due to what he described as Aniekan Umanah’s acts of going about blackmailing him.

Governor’s wife donates to orphanages, hospitals, prisons, ors

As part of the events marking the 26th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at 53, the wife of the Executive Governor of the state, Her Excellency Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio has once again donated food and other items worth thousands of Naira to Care centers, Hospitals and Prisons in the 3 Senatorial Districts of the state.

Among the items given out were bags of Rice, Beans, Yams, Tomatoes, Vegetable Oil; Toiletries such as Tissue, Soap, Detergent among other items. Presenting the gifts, the Honorable Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Edet who represented the First Lady said this was just a token from Her Excellency in the spirit of the State Anniversary and the Nation’s independence celebration, she urged the beneficiary homes to use the items efficiently and to the benefits of their respective inmates.

THE INK NEWSPAPER, UYO,AKWA IBOM STATE

THE INK NEWSPAPER, UYO,AKWA IBOM STATE

Onofiok Luke; the future is brighter

It was last Tuesday; my phone rang at exactly 10:08pm. I had just finished watching Chelsea’s thumping victory over Steaua Bucharest in the Champion’s League. It was not only a sweet victory, it was also a massive for yours truly after the shocking lost to Basel in the opener at Stamford Bridge.

Recently, my mum has renewed her struggle – a struggle to liberate me from the claws of bachelorhood. I have, or rather, my case has become her main prayer point these days. My kinsmen have paid me a courtesy call on the same matter; the elderly women in my village have offered a collection of spinsters for me to choose from without a charge. They say I am the oldest bachelor in the history of the village. My case is that pathetic, hence, they are giving me a waiver on bride price.

Arch-Bishop Elijah Mboho: Oro-nation will produce the next governor of Akwa Ibom

 

The President of the Assembly of Charismatic Bishops (ACMB) in Nigeria Arch-Bishop Dr. Elijah Mboho has said that the next Governor of the state will come from Oro nation come 2015.

The clergy man made this known at the weekend during the consecration and enthronement of Bishop Innyobong Enema at the Holy Ghost and Fire Cathedral Uboro-Oro city, Urue offong/ Oruko local government.
“Come 2015 the next governor of this state will come from Oro nation’. He said shortly after consecrating the new bishop.