Akan Okon lands in trouble

*Kinsmen warn Finance Commissioner over 2023 plot.

 Insist Itu man helping to distract Udom’s Government

* I know the brain behind this, I have surrendered him to God, Says Okon

This is actually not the best of times for some commissioners in the Udom Emmanuel administration. This is because they are swimming from one trouble to the other. THE INK understands.

The latest person is the Finance commissioner Mr Akan Okon who has been accused by Ibom Conscience Group as being a distraction and possessing unnecessary over bearing influence that may lead to the Governor’s downfall in the 2019 governorship elections.

A release from the group signed by Elder Bassey Ikang, National Chairman and Mr. Fidelis Ekwere Secretary General described Akan Okon as being unpatriotic in his services to Mr Udom Emanuel. The release also accuses the Finance Commissioner of being bossy and creating a strain in the relationship between his predecessor now Senator Obong Bassey Albert and the state Governor Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

Ibom conscience group observes that rather than focusing on his services to the government and people of Akwa Ibom State, that Mr. Akan Okon is going round the length and breadth of the country and beyond building and oiling political structures for his 2023 governorship ambition. 

Ibom conscience says, “the ambition of Akan Okon to become Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2023 to us is his inalienable right but the trend, manner of approach of his to that position is not only ridiculous and appalling but he is voyaging on a trend that has many trappings of illegality, dysfunctional, dangerous, ominous and an easy distraction to the Akwa Ibom State Government which he is supposed to be a very key player.

“To worsen matters, Akan Okon hardly stays in his office.  He is either in one meeting or the other, plotting not 2019 for Governor Udom Emmanuel but 2023 for himself.

Akan Okon must get rid of his impunity and inordinate ambition of 2023 and settle down to the duties of his office.

His inability to attend to duties of his office had made him to sometime ago deny the contents of the 2016 budget of Akwa Ibom State Government.   Akan Okon had said there was no provision made for Tropicana when actually there was and the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Etido Inyang had even made appeal for more finances for that purpose.

That is not all, Akan Okon’s finger has tampered with the funds in Akwa Savings and Loans Limited and he is yet to clear his name from that mud.  When the time shall be ripe, we will be left with no option than to invite EFCC and ICPC into the matter and he shall answer for himself.

“There were yet again reports on both national and state based newspapers on a certain amount of money the state collected in July allocation, the Finance Commissioner goofed when he made a response on that matter.  He went on rabble-rousing rather than argue for or against on the issues that were raised.  A yesterday’s Akan Okon would have been able to live above board but the distraction he has landed himself has beclouded his intellect.

“As a man who superintends over the finance/economy of Akwa Ibom State, Akan Okon is supposed to be versed with issues of finance that has to do with the state.  Today, the reverse is the case.  Akan Okon, our Finance Comissioner has since lost focus with governance and leadership.  In the face of the dwindling finances, Akan Okon has not shown enough commitment on increasing the IGR of the state. 

“If for anything the percentage of Akwa Ibom tax payers’ money accruing to his pseudo bank account is alarming. This makes the sincerity of Akan Okon to Udom Emmanuel become increasingly suspicious especially given the present realities on ground.

At the moment, Akan Okon prides himself as the Mr. Untouchable of Udom Emmanuel’s government.  At every fora of his political meeting, he does not spare the administration of Godswill Akpabio.  He sees that administration in bad light maybe because OBA was involved.

We are deliberately calling on Akan Okon to either concentrate on his service to Akwa Ibom State Government or resign his appointment and focus on his 2023 governorship plans.

But what we wish to assure Akan Okonis that he should learn from what befell Umana Okon Umana in 2015 despite Akpabio’s promise to him.  He has been saying Udom has promised him governorship of Akwa Ibom State; he should seek clarifications on which year because for 2023, the time is still far”.

The body however warned the seasoned Banker to stop sponsoring political battles against Bassey Albert.

But in his reaction Akan Okon said all the allegations levelled against him are false and baseless. He added that he knows the brain behind the allegations against him and that he has since surrendered him to God.

The Finance Commissioner speaking furthered said, he is aware of the person who is behind the group noting that God will not allow the person whom he referred to as his protégé to go scot free. 

“I have been a source of blessings to so many young men and women from this state. I encouraged their employment into the banking sector and today one of them whom I posted from Lagos to come and open a branch of the Co-Operative Bank here is moving against me. God will judge”

On the allegations that he is planting structures for his 2023 governorship, Mr. Okon still lived in denial and when reminded of the initial denials by OBA and UOU of their 2015 guber earlier before the 2015 election which they contested, the finance Boss said, he is not in the mould of Bassey Albert and Umana Umana.