Wednesday 20 November 2013

How Uyo Senatorial District Youth Consultative Assembly meeting ended in fiasco

It started on a good and impressive note with a mammoth crowd in attendance; the Udo Udoma House of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio was filled to capacity with youths from all the local government areas that make up the Uyo Senatorial District.

The youth gathering was called at the instance of the Uyo Senatorial District Youth Consultative Assembly with Isantim Kenneth Okon who is also the Executive chairman of Etinan Local Government Area as the convener.
Notable among the youth leaders in government who attended the political gathering was the member representing Nsit Ubium state constituency at the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke, State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan, Commissioner for Environment, Prince Enobong Uwah, Obong Kufre-Abasi Etuk, member representing Uruan State Constituency in the State House of Assembly.
Also present was Otuekong Raphel Bassey, Akparawa Nse Ubeh and others including all the local government chairmen that makes up the Uyo Senatorial District in exception of Itu Chairman who was represented by the Vice chairman while Uruan Local Government chairman, Mr. Tony Akan was not represented and was not physically present.

It was physically noticed that Ekerette Ekpenyong is still at dagger drawn with Enobong Uwah as he refused to greet Enobong Uwah inspite the fact that he went in to meet Enobong Uwah and Bassey Albert who came in together.
The convener of the youth assembly and chairman of Etiann Local Government council who addressed the youths on why he called the meeting thanked the youths for turning out en masse to the event inspite of the short notice they got. 

He said that as the 2015 which is the next political dispensation draws near, it was important for the youths of Uyo Senatorial District to gather and discuss the future of the youths of the district so as not to be left out in the scheme of things.

He maintained that stakeholders and youths of other senatorial districts have also gathered in their own respective areas and a position reached.

The convener further said that the next Governor of the State must be somebody that will be presented and acceptable by the youths and must be a youth, adding that there will be no imposition of candidates on the people, and that the youths will resist any attempt to impose anybody on the State.
He called for more support for Governor Godswill Akpabio to have a glorious exit from Government House come May 29, 2015, and commended President Goodluck Jonathan on what he described as impressive leadership since assumption of office as President in 2011, and called for support to return Mr. President again come 2015 to complete his 8 years mandate.

On his part, the commissioner for Environment and mineral resources Prince Enobong Uwah had called on the youths to continue in their supports for Governor Akpabio whom he said has made the State proud through his uncommon transformation drive in the State, adding that everybody should support the Governor to the end to enable him have a successful ending for another one to begin. He said that in 2007 Godswill was done and repeated again in 2011, and that Godswill will be done again in 2015.

Also speaking was Obong Kufre-Abasi Etuk, member representing Uruan State Constituency said that the youths of Uyo Senatorial District will resist any imposition of a governorship candidate from anybody. He said that the youths should be ready to present a common ground on what they want during consultation meetings.

Thereafter the finance commissioner, Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan called for more support for the State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio so that he can have a successful ending come 2015.
He maintained that the Governor has performed well and deserved the support of all Akwa Ibom people.

On 2015, he said that nobody will be allowed to impose a governor on Akwa Ibom people, adding that God gave Moses a task of taking the Israelites from Egypt to Jordan and that ends his assignment, so who-ever God has called to lead the State, when his task is completed, his job is over.
Mr. Akpan further said that the leadership of the State come 2015 belongs to the youths and so shall it be because the Governor has given the youths a platform and identity in the State who before now were seen as cultists who could not be trusted with leadership.

Hon. Barr. Onofiok Luke in his address went spiritual. In his position of Love, Respect and 2015, he called on the youths of Uyo Senatorial District to unite with love for one another and prayed for the leaders maintaining that youths who started this present government in 2006 and brought in Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2007 should ensure that they all stand by him to complete what they started.

Hon. Luke warned that the youths should not in the process of installing a new government from 2015 abuse and disrespect leaders who are already on seat. He read Psalm 133: 1-7. With a charge on the youths to respect leaders as they were called by God who is the owner of all powers. On 2015, Barr. Luke simple read Psalm 52:7.

Speaker after speaker all solicited for prayers and with a charge to the youths to support the administration of Gov. Akpabio. But hell was let loose when the chairman of Ibiono Ibom Local Government, Obong Godwin Ekpo rose to speak. He started by saying that Governor Akpabio has said that the next governor will come from Eket, that singular comment attracted the anger of the youths who shouted “no! Who send you to come and say that here, are you stupid or you think that we are fools to come and score your cheap political point here”?

As if that was not enough the shouting continued with so many people abusing and using unprinted names on Hon. Ekpo, one of the youths who was furious charged at the high table shouting, “You are a very stupid person, do you people think you can use us to make your money?” immediately plastic chairs from the up-stairs of the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio hall started falling down, people started stoning others with chairs and other things while others were engaged with physical fight. Those who were outside the hall broke in to join the crisis and the crowd became uncontrollable.

The Ibiono chairman whose statement created the confusion was hurriedly ferried away for safety. As a matter of fact his dramatic escape from the angry mob was miraculous. It took only the intervention of Hon. Barr. Onofiok Luke, member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency in the State House of Assembly to jump into crowd and separate the fight and calm frayed nerves while also using the opportunity to plead with the angry youths to allow peace a chance so that the meeting could continue. After Onofiok Luke succeeded in calming down the youths to end the fight and other struggles, the convener, Isantim Kenneth Okon announced members of the communiqué drafting committee.

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