Special Adviser to the Governor on Research and documentation, Mr. Usoro Usoro has faulted the attack on Nduese Essien’s reception. He said the publications carried by a section of the media (not THE INK) was misleading and pure speculations.
According to him, “First, I state here clearly, as the chairman of the Media/Publicity sub-committee of the reception by Eket Federal Constituency in honour of Udom Emmanuel, that the event was to appeal to the governor to release the SSG to contest the governorship ticket. As was clearly mentioned during the event, Emmanuel is a proud son of the Eket Federal Constituency. And democracy and natural justice demand that his people support his aspiration. It is also traditional, particularly in Africa, that the community must send one of its own on errand. Such communal quest for leadership and representation is bound to yield more common dividends than those emanating from inordinate ambitions of individuals”.
“The event also called on the SSG to resign his appointment before October 20, 2014 in line with the guidelines, so he can contest the said governorship ticket. It would therefore sound unreasonable to say that the governor sponsored or “ordered” some people to urged him to release one of his key lieutenants for the purpose of an election.
Chief Usoro maintained further that as the Chairman of the Planning Committee of that event, that Governor Akpabio did not give any money towards the organization of that reception. As a matter of fact, no government official donated towards the event, either as a representation of government or in individual capacities. The financial support and logistics of the event were pooled locally by friends, associates, former colleagues, etc of the celebrator. The story of N50million government sponsorship must have been a malaria-induced hallucination.
He said, “It should also be noted that the reception was not to counter anybody or group of persons. As I stated at various interviews before the actual event, the reception was necessary because we felt it was right to appreciate those who have done-well for our communities, state and nation while they are still alive. Even God almighty appreciates appreciation. Gratitude encourages productivity. Nduese Essien has done so much for Akwa Ibom and Nigeria to be ignored. The NDDC we have today came from his contributory effort in the House of Representatives, among many others. It therefore follows that the reception was well-deserved and was not a counter to Obong Attah’s reception.
He submitted that, to even say that Essien’s reception was to prove that Ekid is not Ibibio and therefore not under Attah’s command is an insult to Eket people. Clearly, Ekid Nation does not need a reception to claim its autonomous identity. Eket is as much Ibibio as Annang, Oro, Obolo, he submitted.
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