2015: Sen.Helen Esuene promises 50,000 Jobs Annually if elected Governor

Senator Helen Esuene, a strong contender in the Akwa Ibom Gubernatorial race come 2015 has vowed to create at least 50,000 jobs annually for the teaming unemployed youths of the State if elected as Governor.

Speaking to newsmen in Eket on Thursday, the distinguished Senator representing Eket (Akwa Ibom South) Senatorial District in the red chambers of the National Assembly said that her promise to create jobs will be made possible through her industrialization policy and the establishment of trading clusters in all the 31 Local Government Areas of the State. The Senator, who pundits describe as a possible successor to Governor Akpabio said further that the trading clusters will be built to encourage both skills acquisition and service delivery.

“Since it is almost impossible for government anywhere in the world to provide jobs for all of its people, we shall create the enabling environment through provision of facilities to our people to enable them start their own businesses”, she said, adding that industrialization will also play a prominent role in her employment plan.

“If elected, my administration will review the circumstances that led to the collapse and or abandonment of some industries in the State with a view to reviving them through the public private partnership (PPP)”.

“The collaboration of foreign investors would be sought to revive these industries while efforts will be made to take advantage of the enormous oil and gas endowments of the State to go into Petroleum related investments”, Senator Esuene said.

On how optimistic she is to emerge as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State, she said that there is an unanimity of political opinion that her public and community service records put her in a good stead as a front runner in the governorship race, adding that her hard earned antecedents of 18 years unbroken, dedicated and meritorious service to fatherland makes her the most preferred over others who are presently campaigning for the hilltop mansion come 2015.

Esuene who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Women and Youth Matters pointed out that the most Akwa Ibom people acknowledge the fact that she comes from a heritage known to offer quality service to mankind, stressing that no one can deny the fact that her late husband, the late Brigadier General Udoakagha Jacob Esuene established an enviable model of governance in the then South Eastern State, a feat only equaled in distinction and impact by the uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State, over 30 years after, by Obong Godswill Akpabio.

When asked if Chief Godswill Akpabio had given her the go ahead to aspire to the position of the next governor of the state, she said, “he has given me the go ahead. I discussed with him, he is not carrying me along right now”.

She disclosed that her desire to lead the State was further fired by the clear fact of her familiarity with the socio-political and economic terrain in the state, a prerequisite for good governance.

By Assam Abia

2015: Akpabio Insists on Eket Senatorial District

Says opposition spends an estimated N4m on campaigns daily...

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio says the next Governor of the state must come from Eket Senatorial district. Chief Akpabio made the disclosure during the 2014 Solemn Assembly of the state held yesterday in Uyo.

Dr. Akpabio said Akwa Ibom indigenes from any zone are qualified to vie for the Governorship seat, but assured the people that the next Governor will be an Ibibio man of Eket Senatorial District extraction.


He also said less than Four million naira is being spent by opposition on a daily basis to sponsor campaigns of calumny against him and his family through text messages and advertorials and advised the people to shun ethnicity and continue praying for the development of the state and nation at large.

Chief Akpabio who is from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district was elected Governor of the state in 2007 after Oblong Victor Attah from Uyo Senatorial District had served two terms from 1999 to 2007.

Feelers from some quarters in Uyo Senatorial district are demanding for a return of power to the majority in 2015, a situation that has witnessed huge criticism and resistance withing and outside the state.

The 2015 elections which is less than twelve months away will witness a stiff battle between Governor Akpabio and power brokers from Uyo Senatorial district, who are determined to wrestle power back to their fold.

PDP moves to keep majority in Senate

The aspiration by the All Progressives Congress, APC to take control of the leadership of the National Assembly is to be stoutly resisted in the Senate. It emerged, yesterday, that the Senate leadership could declare seats of defecting senators vacant.

While the APC has already taken the ascendancy in the House of Representatives with its members set to take over the control of the House later this month, the scenario in the Senate, Vanguard learnt, is being complicated by the determination of the Senate President, David Mark’s leadership to strictly enforce the rules. Strategy sessions to reinforce the domination of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is being coordinated by leading PDP senators from their holiday homes across the country.

The Senate is not due to resume until later this month. Despite alleged issues between Senator Mark and President Goodluck Jonathan arising from federal appointments from Benue State, and the supremacy battle between the Senate President and Governor Gabriel Suswam, Mark it was learnt, is determined to safeguard the dominance of the PDP in the Senate. Mark it was claimed is not unaware of the fact that safeguarding the dominance of the PDP is a way of keeping his own position.

Threats against the PDP control of the Senate intensified earlier this week after Senators Bukola Saraki from Kwara State and Magnus Abe from Rivers State disclosed their intention to defect to the APC.

Twenty two senators and 57 members of the House of Representatives had last December obtained a court order stopping the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Mark from declaring the seats of members of the then New PDP vacant should they choose to change parties on the floor of the two chambers of the National Assembly. Mark to enforce rules It was learnt that Senator Mark was being persuaded by partisans in the PDP to strictly enforce the provisions of the constitution which forbid members of the National Assembly from changing parties unless there is faction in the party through which they were elected.

Section 68 (1) (g) stipulating provisions for the declaration of vacancy in the seat of National Assembly members states thus: 68. (1) A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if - (g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected; Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.

Vanguard learnt, yesterday, that Senator Mark is being persuaded to strictly apply the provisions of the constitution as a way of deterring the rebellion against the PDP in the chambers.

A principal officer in the Senate spoke on the issue last night, saying the Senate leadership unlike the House leadership was not elected with the support of the APC. Besides, the principal officer disclosed that senators could not be swayed as members of the House of Representatives to defect from the PDP by their governors who have just left the PDP. “The fact is that the Senate unlike the House would be more strict in interpreting and enforcing the provisions of the constitution in the matter of defection,” the principal officer disclosed yesterday.

The senior senator also said assumptions that the APC would get a boost from the defection of five former PDP governors was far fetched. He said: “Senators are not like members of the House of Representatives who mostly are politically dependent on their governors. A number of senators are able to resist their governors and so the story about the five governors carrying all their senators to the APC is more like a tale”.

The senator nevertheless disclosed that the defectors’ seats may not be declared vacant, if the senators did not disclose their defection on the floor of the House. Presently, the PDP has 72 senators while the APC has 33 with Labour, Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance making the balance.

Source: The Vanguard

Ikono inducts Aloysious Etok as political leader, Ex Commissioner as Deputy

* Paramount ruler, PDP, APC, ors hail gesture

The people of Ikono local Government Area have unanimously adopted the senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Dr. Aloysious Etok as the political leader of the area. Elders, women and youths of the area said they had to undertake that formal action to put paid to insinuations and an impression making the rounds that some other person is the political leader of the area.

In an elaborate event which took place at Unity Secondary School, Oduk, the chairman of the occasion and secretary Ibibio Elders forum, Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong called on the people of Ikono to eschew all forms of bitterness, political hatred and rancor and join the boat of the political progress of Ikono which is being steered by senator Etok. Akpanobong who is the Chief Medical Director of St. Athanasius hospital in Uyo observed that the choice of Aloysious Etok as the political leader of Ikono is a welcome development.

He called on those who are still not in tandem with what is going on to retrace their steps and join the moving trend which he said is capable of protecting the political and all economic interest of Ikono people. He had kind words for Etok and however prayed God to grant the senator the grace to lead the people of Ikono in the right steps politically. Earlier, the chairman of the planning committee of the installation Sir Victor Etefia, KJW, in his address had said that the installation of Aloysious Etok and Clement Bassey as the Political Leader and Deputy leader of Ikono respectively was the beginning of a new era in Ikono Local Government Area. he added that with this exercise, Ikono politics is no more a child’s play and that the politics of the area can never again be left in the hands of misguided political persons or group of persons stressing that the area shall collectively say no to impostors at all cost. He said, “my message to the good people of Ikono is let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate and were necessary confront our oppressors so as to usher in a better image for the incoming generation.” Speaking further, Victor Etefia said, the political image of Ikono people for sometime now is not worth mentioning in any political gathering in the state. He said the people of Ikono have found themselves in a situation where their territory is under siege by the in laws and friends. He lamented that their views in the scheme of things are not considered. He solicited for the corporation of all indigenes of the area with a warning that freedom is indivisible and that when one man is enslave, all are not free.

The Guest speaker at the event and a former senate hopeful for Uyo senatorial district AbaiNsimaUmoh in his paper entitled, Ibibio EtimIbaba, EtimUsungafere lamented the enslavement of the Ibibio and the fact that the region is almost losing its pride of place in the comity of nations in the country. He expressed humility over his choice as the guest speaker at the event. He maintained that by 2015, he will support an Ibibio man from any senatorial district to emerge the Governor of the state. in his words, “permit me ladies and gentlemen to comment on this overflogged issue of Akwa Ibom state and 2015. All I hear in the political firmament is that of zoning and rotation of the leadership of our state. I must warn that it is so much of our loyalty to our region and tribe, and enthronement of mediocrity that has brought Nigeria to its present sorry state. For now however, it would appear there is already a consensus that our next Governor will be an Ibibio man or woman of whatever senatorial district, occupy the Hiltop mansion. But my ideal candidate should be someone who has something extra to offer in terms of integrity, broadmindedness and the fear of God” High point of the event was the administration of Oath of allegiance on the new political leader, Aloysious Etok and his Deputy Clement Adolf Bassey.

The administration of the oath was done by Barr Imo Akpan. Aside from the swearing in of Senator Etok as the political leader, Ikono Political Advisory council was also inaugurated with members drawn from all parts of Ikono local Government Area. those sworn in as members of Ikono political advisory council were Senator Aloysious Etok, Political leader, Dr. Clement Bassey, Deputy, DrEdemUsoro, His Excellency Chief UU OkorenEtefia Ikono and former Deputy Governor of then Cross River state , Obong Amadu Akpan Udede, Chief OkonAkpanusung, Obong IbangaUdo Akpan. Others were Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong, Elder Pius Eyo, Elder Eyo Akpan Udo, Prof Joe Unyanka, Obong KufreInyangette and Dr Augustine Umoh. Also inaugurated were special members of the political Advisory council. They were Hon IboroUdo, sir Obong Ntuk, Obong Mathew Ebong, Comrade Ephraim Obot, Chief EtimInyang, Engr Godwin Akang, Obonganwan Glory James, ObonganwanIma K D Inyang, Chief GM Uba and Sir Victor Etefia who was sworn in as the secretary of the Ikono political Advisory council.

In his acceptance speech after the inauguration, the Ikono Political leader Senator Aloysious Etok said, the history of that event will, in clear and strong terms open a new phase of our political participation with a drawn agenda of defined unity, sustainable leadership, democratic and due process in the selection of candidates for elections as well as visionary representations. He promised to ensure that the Ikono people are not shortchanged in the state and nation’s politics. He appealed for the cooperation of all Ikono sons and daughters. He promised to run an all- encompassing administration. Etefia Ikono in his goodwill message poured encomiums on Senator Etok and members of his team. He promised to always stand by them towards the growth of the local Government Area at all times.

Chief UU Okoren harped on peace and love amongst his subjects and called on the people of Ikono at home and in the diaspora to recognize SenatorAloysious Etok as the authentic Political leader of the area. The event received thumbs up from traditional rulers, all political parties, women and youth groups, even as Ntisong Ibibio the third, NtisongDr Essien Ekidem had kind words for the event, Aloysious Etok and the people of Ibibio whom he advised to guard what belongs to them jealously.

Source: The INK