The story as told by Senator Aloysious Etok

 

Thank you very much gentlemen of the press, my brother (referring to Bassey Inuaeyen) has said it all, what I want to add is that we were informed by the venue committee members who went to set up the canopies and the podiums that the police who came in some truck load of ADUMA police formation said that the order came from the government house, the governor who claimed we didn’t consult him properly or we didn’t consult him or inform him before the event. 

What I want to say is that as a law abiding citizen of this country and from the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 that we have freedom of Association and Assembly, what have we done wrong? That we have decided to work together and come together to make sure we reduce or completely eradicate political crises in our area so that we can work together to chat our future and make sure that we liberate our people from the shackles of ignorance, misunderstanding and the present political oppression to chat our course and also be an entity as a federal constituency where we will contribute our quota to the development of the state.

Full story of the shutting down of Ntippe Ibibio Socio political Organization as told by Obong Bassey Inuaeyen

Gentlemen of the press, we just said we should call you to share our experience today with you so we can leave it for the court of Public opinion to analysis and let us see whether what happened today should have happened or shouldn’t.

About a year ago, majority of the citizens of Ini- Ikono federal constituency decided to come together under one socio political bloc. Before this time, there has been so much rancour and diversity of interests which has always led to heightened tension among the political classes in the federal constituency which we believed had not helped in the development of the area.

UNIUYO students in fresh protest

BY VICTOR UFOT

Students mainly of the faculty of Engineering in the University of Uyo last Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest at the Permanent site of the University of Uyo over what they described as “unfriendly policies of the University’s management.”

The school management had ordered all students that are staying in the hostel to vacate their various hostels once they are through with their second semester examination.

Life in Maitama after Unoma Akpabio’s invasion

KENNETH JUDE reports that night life has not been the same again in Maitama axis of Uyo metropolis ever since the Governor’s wife and First Lady, Unoma Godswill Akpabio invaded the place on a rescue mission of returning sexual sanity to that community.

In the morning hours through the afternoon period, the atmosphere and ambience is genial and convivial. Nothing suggests to a casual observer of the activities that envelope the place at night. It is like every other location in the State where normal movement of both human and vehicular traffic holds sway.

During the day time, most of the shopping outlets remain under lock and owners only open for business mostly at night where activities and customers stream in to the expansive and breezy area in torrents.

State APC Chair boasts: We will take over Govt. House by 2015

The Chairman of the state All Progressive Congress Dr. Amadu Attai says the party is committed to internal Democracy and that he will do all within his powers to ensure that he unites all warring factions of the party. 

He stated this during a press conference which was held yesterday at the Party’s secretariat along Atiku Abubakar way in Uyo. Atai in his press text, a copy which was made available to THE INK commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for registering APC and also observed that from the way the party was being received in the state the people Akwa Ibom state are ready for a change. He said, we in Akwa Ibom state commend the Independent National Electoral Commission for registering this great party and Akwa Ibomites for the warm embrace of this agent of change. From the membership registration exercise conducted in the state, it is very obvious that Akwa Ibomites want change and the confidence they repose in our great party as the driver of that change process cannot be over emphasized.

Lawmaker Nsit Atai Ward 5 backs Sarah Elijah for 2nd Term

…Re-affirm Chief Sunday Elijah as authentic political Leader

The people of Eastern Nsit Ward 5, Nsit Atai Local Government have unanimously endorsed Mrs. Sarah Sunday Elijah, the Member Representing Nsit Atai State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for 2nd term and as well re-confirmed Chief Sunday Elijah Akpan as the authentic Political Leader for Nsit Atai.

The people of the ward declared their stand during the visit of the Lawmaker and the political leader to the area on Sunday 27th April, 2014.

On their arrival to the area, the lawmaker and the Political Leader who first visited the ward executives of the Peoples’ Democracy Party was received by the 13 ward Executives of the party and other political stakeholders from the ward including; the Chapter Vice Chairman, Mr. Christiantus Effiong, and the Ward Chairman, Mr. Ime Utok, the political leader of the ward, Chief C O Akpan, the Councilor representing the ward, Hon. Iqwo Etim Akpan and the former Councilor of the ward, Elder Ekpenyong Etim among others.

Anger in Oro over attack on Robinson Uwak

It has been discovered through the grapevine that enemies of the progress of Oro Nation have put spanners in the works to paint in bad light the many successes recorded by the member representing Oron Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.

No sooner than Hon. Robinson Edet Uwak ended his constituency briefing over three weeks ago has forces seeking to wrestle his seat in the National Assembly in 2015 turned their blackmail searchlight on the sagacious legislator alleging that he brought in the Speaker of the House of Reps, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, who came as a special guest of honour as a subterfuge of his plan to turn Oro nation into an APC enclave.

Ekpoudom’s heart of kindness

First and foremost, we are thankful to God Almighty for making this day a success. We also accord to you our father DIG, Udom Ekpoudom (Rtd.) due respect and our mother, Noble Lady Dorathy Udom Ekpoudom and every other person here present. We are here to deliver a message of appreciation and to honour you as our father. It is conspicuous that you have made the maxim that says, “There is no hiding place for a golden fish” to come true by your gesture of generosity and kindness to humanity. Sir, you have distinguished yourself specifically to us as a father by doing what some parents cannot do to even their biological children despite golden opportunities at their disposal.

The politics of Gulak’s sack

It is no longer news that Barr Ahmed Gulak the Political Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan was relieved of his appointment last Tuesday. What is however not clear especially in some quarters is the reason why the former Presidential aide was removed in the wake of the controversy that has engulfed the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic party. Pronto Ahmed Gulak had been in the state a fortnight ago to inaugurate the South-South Advisory region of the Elders Council of the Goodluck Support Group, GSG. Gulak arrived and was well received by the state Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio. The Adamawa state born politician did his assignment and left after creating controversial issues that today has contributed to swallowing him up.

Ibesikpo Asutan student’s get Caretaker Committee, pass vote of confidence in Ekpe James

A new Caretaker Committee has been in stalled to take charge of the affairs of the Federated Ibesikpo Asutan Students Association, FIASA. The Caretaker Committee in a release endorsed by the Council Chairman and made available to our Newsroom include,  RAPHAEL EMMANUEL OKON (UNIUYO) CHAIRMAN),      ELIZABETH VICTOR ESSIEN (UNICAL) SECRETARY, MFONISO LUKE (UNIMAID) MEMBER, ANEIFIOK STEPHEN BEN (UYOCITY), and MARY INYANG EDEM (HEALTHEC).      

           
While Constituting the Committee, Ibesikpo Asutan Council Chairman, Apostle Ekpe James, charged the new leadership of FIASA to display the highest sense of duty, patriotism and discipline in leading the students body. Emphasizing that, there is no room for truancy, unnecessary radicalism and activism, Hon. James promised to run an open door policy and be accessible to FIASA leadership so that, the interests of students and their welfare which are of paramount importance to his administration are considered and addressed.

PDP youth group pledges unflinching support to Goodluck Jonathan

BY VICTOR UFOT

Youth group under the aegis of PDP National Youth Reap, Akwa Ibom state Chapter have given their unalloyed and unflinching support to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office.

The group also commended the uncommon transformation projects/programmes of the executive Governor of the state, His Excellency, Obong Godswill Obot Akpabio and declared their total loyalty to party at all levels.

These were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting held last Monday in Uyo.

Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda

BY IDRIS MABADEJE

One major characteristic of the press is that it mirrors society. Thus, to effectively reflect the true image of the society where it functions, a wide latitude of operational freedom is often sought by its members and other stakeholders.

From time immemorial, the quest for press freedom, in whatever degree, has remained at the centre of conflicts between journalists and governments in every society. Thus arose different theories of the press, viz, Authoritarian, Libertarian, Social responsibility, Soviet-Totalitarian and Development.

It was with a view to raising awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and reminding governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.