HAND OF ESAU; AS UKANA DEMI-GOD RULES AKWA IBOM FROM HOME

Immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio has allegedly perfected plans to cage his predecessor and political godson, Udom Emmanuel, in order to direct and control the running of the state affairs, even while, he is representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the senate, MIDWEEK RADAR can report authoritatively. Sources close to the Akpabios’ family alleged that a clandestine meeting took place on Monday evening in the Ukana, Essien Udim’s residence of Emem Akpabio, where persons alleged to have been hand-picked by the former governor’s family for would-be commissionership positions attended. Our sources hinted that in the meeting, two sects of people were allegedly administered with oaths of allegiance to the ex-governor and his family members. We learnt from our informants that in the said meeting, 13 persons who have been allegedly penciled down for various commissionership positions in Udom’s administration by the Akpabios allegedly took the oath of allegiance, while Udom allegedly was allowed to pick the remaining 3 persons to form his 16-member cabinet.

The sources who claimed to be privy to the said meeting alleged that in the same meeting, 20 out of the 26 Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Members-elect allegedly took the oath of allegiance to the ex-governor and his family. The 20 state lawmakers-elect which include one who was allegedly anointed by the Akpabios for the position of the Speaker of the 6th Assembly are those that will form the House of Assembly Caucus, this paper gathered. According to our sources, those who have been allegedly penciled down for commissionership slots are: Emmanuel Enoidem, Etim Ekpo (Annang); Aniekan Umanah, Abak, (Annang); Don Etim, Ikot Ekpene (Annang); Monday Uko, Obot Akara (Annang); Uwemedimo Nwoko, Ika (Annang); Senas Ukpanah, Ukanafun (Annang); Etido Inyang, Ikot Ekpene (Annang). Others are; Enobong Uwah, Uyo, (Ibibio); Glory Edet, Ini (Ibibio); Comfort Etuk, Ibesikpo Asutan (Ibibio); Godwin Ntukude, Uruan, (Ibibio) and Victor Antai, Mbo (Oro).

Our sources alleged further that to ensure that Udom is properly caged, Akpabio imposed the newly appointed Secretary to State Government, Etekamba Umoren (Akpabio’s cousin from Ukana, Essien Udim) and Aniekpeno Mkpanang, as Permanent Secretary, Special Services Department, Ukanafun, (Annang) on him. While Umoren was former governor Akpabio’s Chief of Staff, Mkpanang was his Permanent Secretary (Protocol). The sources argued that if Akwa Ibom people allow this arrangement scale through and the Akpabios foist these arrangement on Udom Emmanuel that the power sharing formula amongst the three major ethnic groups of Ibibio, Annang and Oro would have been dastardised in favour of Annang ethic group and to the Akpabio’s cronies.

We gathered, in order to make Udom feels he is in charge of his government, he was allowed to appoint himself the Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee (FGPC), which is supposed to be one of the functions of the SSG. When MIDWEEK RADAR contacted the newly appointed Senior Special Assistant (Media) and Chief Press Secretary to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Ekerete Udoh, for reaction, he dismissed it as a vile report, saying; “this is a fabricated lie. There is no truth to this satanic and vile manufactured lie.”

CULLED FROM Radar papers