Gov Akpabio

Akwa Ibom Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has called for prevalence of justice to allow the emergence of his successor from Eket Senatorial District in the state during the 2015 general elections.

Chief Akpabio, who made the call Sunday during the state Inter-Religious Service of the 26th anniversary creation of the state held at the Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo, urged the people to shun monetary considerations to allow the will of God to prevail to enhance the unity and harmony in the state.

Akpabio remarked “The choice of the next Governor would be the choice of the people. The will of God for the people in 2015 is peace and justice, for living in peace has to do with justice. In the cause of the next elections, come 2015, the youths of the state must shun social vices like kidnapping, drug addiction and other negative vices to attract the favour of God and no monetary considerations should bring disunity and disharmony to the state. The youths must not be negatively influenced with money to take wrong decisions towards 2015 governorship bid”.

The Governor, who took the scripture reading from Isaiah 60:1-6, pointed out that the the service was to celebrate the state at 26 and to thank God for the great things He has done for the state throughout his administration.

In his homily, the Primate of The African church, Most Rev. Emmanuel Josiah Udofia, who spoke on the theme,”Season of His Glory”, said that God is the reason for the season of glory in the state and that the gathering of all Akwa Ibom people in the service was to thank God for what he has done for the state.

BY Alabo Booby Jack

The report reaching JackalaboReports, a soon to be launched online news portal, from an insider in the camp of Tompolo, a well-known former Militant leader, now one of the Federal Government Contractors handling the policing of oil pipe lines in the Niger Delta who feel uncomfortable with the manner the so called New PDP are going about their activities, particularly for stating that President Jonathan a son of Niger Delta is not entitled to run for second term has threatened to wipe out four of their chieftains.

According to the Insider who pleaded anonymity revealed to JackalaboReports that some of them have been detailed to track down four of the key members of the NPDP. Top on the list to be assassinated are, Alhaji Kawu Baraje the National Chairman, Prince Oyinlola, Mr Timi Frank’ the Youth Leader and Chief Eze Chukwuemeka, the garrulous/noisy National Publicity Secretary who has been releasing almost on daily basis scathing press statement considered to be disadvantageous to the Goodluck led-administration.

For the plotters, the operation will absolutely dispatch the likes of Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Eze Chukwuemeka, Timi Frank and Prince Oyinlola to their early graves to teach them not to insult a heaven-sent President like Jonathan in their next world.

They threatened that there will be no peace should President Jonathan fail to win the 2015 election adding that nobody should contemplate of stopping him from contesting.

Efforts to reach Chief Eze C the Publicity Secretary of the new PDP on this dangerous development proved abortive as his phone was put off!

Source: Alabo Booby-Jack

By Thompson Essien

Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State New SSG

Godswill Akpabio is laying the ground-work for his successor. It’s no longer a secret that he wants a politically unknown person (Udom Emmanuel) to succeed him. But what Akpabio has never discussed in public is who will be the running-mate of Udom Emmanuel.

Reliable sources have confirmed that in the wee hours of October 9, 2013, a meeting was held at the residence of Emem Akpabio. Among those in attendance were all members of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKSHA) of Annang extraction and all the Annang Local Chairmen.

Reports have confirmed that a fresh oath (mbiam) was administered to all the attendees by the Chief Whip of AKSHA—-Elder Emmanuel Akpan. The oath commanded them to pledge allegiance to the Udom Emmanuel in order to frustrate the emergence of a stronger Ibibio candidate from Uyo, or anywhere else.

At the meeting, the attendees, who were all indigenes of Annang, were persuaded to inform people in their respective Wards to support the emergence of an Annang person as the next Deputy Governor of AKS because, according to them, the Annangs cannot afford to be out of power for eight (8) years.

It was immediately decided that Emmanuel Enoidem, who was also at the meeting, should be supported as a running mate or a Deputy to Udom Emmanuel.

At the end of the meeting, each of the attendees was given N2.5 million. It has also been confirmed that very soon, a similar meeting of all the PDP Wards in the entire State will be convened.

Essien writes from Portland, Oregon
Follow-up Notes:
Nobody is mudslinging Udom. Ibibio people have learned a lesson; we are not going to allow any mad man to impose on us another square peg in a round hole. We cannot afford Akpabio coming to kill Ibibio people and then turn around to thumb his chest that it is an Ibibio person who is the governor.

It may interest you to know that Ibibio people are working behind the scene to bring one of its own, who will be a consensus candidate of the Ibibio, chosen by the Ibibio, to represent the Ibibio.

Akpabio is an Annang man, let him go and chose one of his own people to come and contest for the governorship. Ibibio people do not want and do not appreciate his patronizing attitude.

Akpabio can go to hell. At the appropriate time, Ibibio will foist its own candidate and when the right time comes, every Ibibio people will rally around whoever he or she may be. When there is a united strength, money becomes trivial. If money could have been a surety for attaining the governorship, Umana Okon Umana would never have parted company with Satan Akpabio.

No we are talking about collective strength of the people. When there is an existence of such strength, no individual can break through. Remember, Akwa Ibom State is too big for Akpabio and I think the time has come to let Akpabio realize this fact.

Mr. Udom has done no wrong? Well, let that be regarded as entitled opinion.

But there is an old adage which says that show me your friend and I can easily tell who you are.

When Akpabio was killing, kidnapping, and assassinating the Ibibio what did Udom say? When Akpabio was laundering Akwa Ibom State money, was it not Udom who used his position at Zenith Bank to facilitate all the transactions for Akpabio?

Udom Emmanuel is Akpabio’s stooge. Who wants a stooge as a governor?

By James Azania,

Former Director General, Centre for Democratic Studies, Prof. Omo Omoruyi

A former Director-General of Centre for Democratic Studies, Prof. Omo Omoruyi is dead. Omoruyi it was learnt died on Sunday in Benin, a month after returning from overseas treatment for cancer.

Undisclosed source, said Omoruyi died at Mediplex Hospital, Benin. He had been battling with cancer for years. He had in frustration told the media that his friend, including the line granted interviews saying friends, including former military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida abandoned him.

Meanwhile, one Edo businessman, identified as Dr. Iyaye had two of his wives kidnapped in Benin, on their way from church.

It was also gathered that the finger(s) of the freed Justice Daniel Okungbowa was allegedly chopped of by his alleged kidnappers before his release on Sunday.

By InsightNews

SSG Udom Emmanuel

_
Akwa Ibom Bishops, who were invited to the government house shortly after the solemn assembly organized by Christian Association of Nigeria and the Akwa Ibom state government, during the Akwa Ibom state creation anniversary, turned down a request by the Akwa Ibom state governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, to pray for the Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel as his successor. 
One of the Clergy men present at the meeting hinted Weekend Insight that the governor had invited the clergy to the Hiltop Mansion for an after prayer luncheon. He stated that after entertaining the clergy men, the governor invited the SSG, who was present at the lunch to the center of the gathering. He was said to have introduced the SSG to his guests and extolled his qualities and his exploits at the banking sector. He told the men of God that he had “searched far and wide for a worthy successor and have fortunately seen a man that would be able to continue with what God is doing in Akwa Ibom State”. 
The governor told the clergy men that he had to listen to the voice of justice and equity against the aspiration of his former SSG and was directed “by God to do justice for God to continue to bless our state”. The governor, we learnt said he had to seek for ways of stopping Umana in a most beneficial manner by nominating him for the position of the Managing Director of the NDDC. He said that after introducing him to the presidency, Umana simply declined and went ahead to declare for the governorship race. He said that at that point, he asked him to resign. 
After a long and winding time on the desirability of a man like Udom Emmanuel, the governor was said to have requested the CAN chairman in the state, Bishop Cletus Bassey to pray for the aspiration of Mr. Udom, as that “was the will of God for the state”.
Weekend Insight learnt that Bishop Bassey and other clergy men in attendance were taken unawares by the governor’s request. Our source noted that Bishop Bassey, who in 2011, anointed Chief Akpabio as the one God had chosen to win that year’s election, composed himself and looked directly at the governor and told him that that was not the reason they were there for. He told the governor that he had not heard from God and therefore, he could not do what God has not directed him to do.
Bishop Bassey’s answer elicited wide acceptance among those present. The clergy men, however, agreed to pray for Akwa Ibom state, which they did, calling on God to continue to bless the state and make the state steadily experience peace. 
Meanwhile the Akwa Ibom state governor, worried by the spate of negative prophecies against him had in a marriage ceremony of Prelate Isaiah Issong of The Believers Assembly Church at Mbiabong Etoi, Uyo, cautioned against believing such prophecies that God had already chosen a successor for him.
“Akwa Ibom people should make sure that they are not misled by fake prophecies from some clergy men who claim that God has anointed this person or that other person as Governor in 2015, rather we should all seek the face of God through prayers and allow God to take charge of the affairs of the state”, he observed. 
There have been an increasing number of prophecies alleging that the governor’s anointed successor would be defeated. 
It will be recalled, however, that Akpabio was the beneficiary of Bishop Cletus Bassey’s prophetic utterance, to the effect that he had been chosen to win the 2011 election, a prophecy that Akpabio believed and was to later come to pass.

By Dave Emma

Abubaka, Police IG

Akwa Ibom State: The Paramount ruler of Esit Eket, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Ubong Peter Assam has been kidnapped by unknown gun men who stormed his palace about 2: 00 am Nigerian time today, Tuesday.

The gun men who were about  seven  in number stormed the royal palace while shattering bullets into the air, dragged Edidem Assam out of his bed room into a waiting unidentified car and drove to Unyeghe, in Mbo Local Government Area, where he  was again picked up by a speed boat into the Oron high sea.

An eyewitness  told GlobalVille News that though, no casualty was recorded during the operation, but several people sustained injuries in varied degrees while scampering for safety

“The gun men surrounded the chief’s compound shooting gun into the air. One of the gun shots sounded like a bomb blast. I thought it was a war. My daughter and I ran into the bush. She sustained some injuries while running. We saw them dragged the chief like a goat. I thought the came to kill him. But they put him into a waiting car that was steaming and sped off to the Unyighe area of Oron. The police came very late while they have already gone.” Mrs Ime Akpe, a  quivering  mother of three told this reporter.

The Esit Eket Police Divisional Officer was not available for comment as he was said to have travelled to Uyo since yesterday for police weekly briefing. But a senior police officer who merely gave his name as Inspector Ogar said he got distress calls from different sources around 2:00 am this morning but before they arrived the scene, the kidnappers have already gone with the royal father.

“There were a lot of  calls from different quarters informing us of the operation of the kidnappers, but before we could mobilize our men from Uquo to Akpa Utong, they had already fled the scene with the chief. But we are going to send our men to comb the community in search of the abducted chief.” Mr Orga said.

Gov Akpabio

Umana Okon Umana, Ex-Akwa Ibom State SSG

A recent survey by a team of political analysts shows that the approval rating of the Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, skyrockets as soon as the ex-Secretary to the State Government,  Obong Umana Okon Umana was booted out of office. The survey was conducted between August and September 2013
Umana’s removal which was greeted with a thunderous storm as major beer parlors and pubs ran short of supplies even as people took to the streets in high jubilation and ecstasy has compelled even Akpabio’s arch critics to pause for a while and say “thank you” for removing Umana Umana,
Contrary to the belief that Umana was a very popular candidate,  random sampling in some streets across Akwa Ibom State indicates that Umana was never an acceptable choice of the people. A good number of people only thought that he was Akpabio’s anointed candidate for the Akwa Ibom State top job. That’s why some locals decided to join the bandwagon in singing his praises.
In Uyo Senatorial District,  75% of the people spoke to, said they never wanted Umana as a governor and the governor did the right thing to remove him, 10% remained neutral while 15% still believed in him
In Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, 91% of voters believes he overstayed his welcome and gave the governor a pat on the back for his action, 4% remained neutral while 5% believed he should be allowed to run.
The Eket Senatorial District Axis, though was greeted with divergent views, the survey shows the following results. 80% believes the governor’s  action was a directive from God, 10% of potential voters took a neutral ground, while 10% thinks he  should be allowed a chance to test his popularity in the poll
The general approval rate of Governor Akpabio was pegged at 85%. Observers believes that despite the siege on economy and dire poverty turmoil in many families as a result of unprecedented and damning unemployment rate, Akpabio’s action has placed him on a high pedestal, during the survey.

It will be recalled that the former SSG, Umana, was smoked out of office on July 29, barely four days of his declaration to run for the governorship position in 2015.

By Dr. Tom Mbeke-Ekanem

The process of overhauling the broken Nigeria’s political system has commenced, I’d say, in earnest. To a great majority of us, it is a period we’ve been waiting for. The actual Conference will be based mostly on representations from ethnic nationalities. Below, I have listed 462 ethnic groups in Nigeria. I really doubt if representations will come from all the 462. With this many groups, one can appreciate the onerous task of overhauling Nigeria.

Out of this number, Akwa Ibom can boast of 16 of them. Pardon me if I’ve left out yours. However, for those who have copies of Beyond the Execution, they can find all the ethnic groups with languages and dialects listed in Appendix B, pages 311 – 328 and local governments where they can be found. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Annang,

Ebughu,

Efai,

Ekid,

Etebi,

Ibibio,

Ibuno,

Ibuoro,

Idere,

Iko,

Ilue,

Itu Mbon Uso,

Obolo,

Okobo,

Oron,

Uda.

 Nigerian Ethnic Groups, Languages and Dialects

1. ABINSI Benue State, Makurdi, Iharev; Gongola State, Wukari LGA.

2. ABONG,Taraba State, Sadauna LGA, Abong town.

3. ABUA, Rivers State, Ahoada and Degema LGA’s.

4. ACIPA, Kaduna State, Birni Gwari LGA; Niger State, Kotangora

    LGA.

5. ADUGE, Kwara State, Oyi LGA.

6. AFADE Borno State, Ngala LGA.

7. AGATU, Benue State, Otuko Div.; Plateau State, Awe, Nasarawa

    LGA.

8. AGOI, Cross River State, Obubra LGA.

9. AGWAGWUNE,Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA.

10. AKE, Plateau State, Lafia LGA.

11. AKOKO, Ondo State, Akoko North LGA.

12. AKPA, Benue State, Otukpo LGA.

13. AKPES, Ondo State, Akoko North LGA.

14. ALAGO, Plateau State, Awe and Lafia LGA’s.

15. ALEGE, Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

16. AMO, Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA; Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

17. ANNANG, Akwa Ibom State, Abak, Essien Udim, Ikot Ekpene,

      Oruk-Anam, and Ukanafun LGA’s.

18. ANGAS, Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam, and Langtang LGA’s.

19. ARABIC SHUWA Borno State, Dikwa, Konduga, Ngala, and

      Bama LGA’s.

20. ARUM-CESU, Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

21. ATEN, Plateau State, Barakin Ladi LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

22. ATSAM, Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

23. AUYOKAWA, Jigawa State, Keffin Hausa and Auyo LGA’s.

24. AWAK, Bauchi State, Billiri-Kaltungo LGA.

25. AYU, Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

26. BA, Adamawa State, Numan LGA.

27. BAANGI, Niger State.

28. BACAMA, Adamawaa State, Numan and Guyuk LGA’s, Kaduna

      State.

29. BADA, Plateau State, Kanam LGA; Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa

      LGA.

30. BADE, Yobeo State, Bade LGA; Jigawa State, Hadejia LGA.

31. BAGIRMI, Borno State, Maiduguri LGA.

32. BAKOR, Cross River State, Ikom LGA.

33. BAKPINKA, Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA.

34. BALI, Taraba State, Numan LGA.

35. BANA, Adamawa State.

36. BANGWINJI. Bauchi State, Balanga and Billiri-Kaltungo LGA’s.

37. BARAWA, Bauchi State.

38. BARIBA, Kwara State, Borgu LGA; Niger State.

39. BARIKANCHI, Niger State, Chanchaga LGA; Plateau, Nassarawa

      LGA.

40. BASHAR, Plateau State, Langtang and Wase LGA’s.

41. BASSA-KONTAGORA, Niger State, Mariga LGA.

42. BATA, Adamawa State, Numan, Song, Fufore, and Mubi LGA’s.

43. BATU, Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Batu town.

44. BAUSHI, Niger State, Rafi LGA.

45. BEGBERE-EJAR, Kaduna State, Kachia LGA, Plateau State, Keffi

      LGA.

46. BEKWARRA, Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

 47. BELE, Bauchi State, near the Bole.

48. BEROM, Plateau State, Berakin Ladi and Jos LGA’s; Kaduna State, Jema’a

      LGA; Bauchi State.

49. BETE, Taraba State, Takum LGA.

50. BETE-BENDE, Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

51. BILE, Benue River, Adamawa State, Numan LGA’s.

52. BILIRI, Bauchi State, Billiri-Kaltungo and Akko LGA’s.

53. BINA, Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

54. BISENI Rivers State, Yenagoa LGA.

55. BITARE Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

56. BOGA Adamawa State, Gombi LGA.

57. BOGHOM Plateau State, Kanam, Wase, and Shendam LGA’s.

58. BOKO Niger State, Borgu LGA; Kebbi State, Bagudo LGA.

59. BOKOBARU Kwara State, primarily Kiama LGA.

60. BOKYI Cross River State, Ikom, Obudu, and Ogoja LGA’s.

61. BOLE, Bauchi State, Dukku, Alakaleri, Darazo LGA’s; Borno State, Fika

      LGA; Plateau State, Wase LGA.

62. BOSO, SOROGAMA Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states, Lake Kainji.

63. BUDUMA, Borno State.

64. BUMAJI Cross River State, Obudu LGA, Bumaji town.

65. BURAK Bauchi State, Billiri-Kaltungo LGA.

66. BURA-PABIR, Adamawa State, Borno State, Biu and Askira-Uba

      LGA’s; Adamawa State, Gombi LGA.

67. BUSSANCHI Niger State, Borgu LGA.

68. CARA Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

69. CHE Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

70. CIBAK Borno State, Damboa LGA.

71. CISHINGINI, Niger State, Borgu and Agwara LGA’s, Kebbi State.

72. COMO KARIM, Taraba State, Jalingo, Karim Lamido LGA’s.

73. DADIYA Bauchi State, Balanga LGA; Gongola State, Numan LGA.

74. DAFFO-BATURAPlateau State, Mangu LGA.

75. DASS, Bauchi State, Toro and Dass LGA’s.

 76. DAZABauchi State, Darazo LGA, a few villages.

77. DEFAKA, Rivers State, Bonny LGA.

78. DEGEMA, Rivers State, Degema LGA.

79. DENDI Kebbi State, Argungu and Bagudo LGA’s.

80. DENO Bauchi State, Darazo LGA. DERA Gongola State, Guyuk

      LGA; Borno State, Biu LGA.

81. DGHWEDE Borno State, Gwoza LGA.

82. DIJIM Bauchi State, Balanga LGA; Gongola State, Numan LGA.

83. DIRI Bauchi State, Ningi and Darazo LGA’s.

84. DIRIM Taraba State, Bali LGA.

85. DOKA Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

86. DOKO-UYANGA Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA, several towns.

87. DONG Taraba State, Zing and Mayo Belwa LGA’s.

88. DUGURI Bauchi State; Plateau State, Langtang LGA.

89. DUGUZA Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

90. DUKANCI Kebbi State, Wasagu, Yauri LGA’s; Niger State, Rijau

      LGA.

91. DULBU Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

92. DUNGU Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA, Dungi town.

93. DUWAI Yobe State, Bade LGA; Kano State, Hadejia LGA.

94. DZA Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA, and Adamawa State,

      Numan LGA.

95. EBIRA Kwara State, Okene, Okehi, and Kogi LGA’s; Plateau State,

      Nassarawa LGA; Bendel State, Akoko-Edo LGA.

96. EBUGHU Akwa Ibom State, Mbo and Oron LGA’s.

97. EDO Bendel State, Ovia, Oredo, and Orhionmwon LGA’s.

98. EFAI Akwa Ibom State, Mbo LGA.

99. EFIK Cross River State, Calabar Municipality, Odukpani and

      Akamkpa LGA’s.

100. EFUTOP Cross River State, Ikom LGA.

101. EGGON Plateau State, Akwanga and Lafia LGA’s.

 102. EJAGHAM Cross River State, Akampka, Idom, Odukpani, Calabar LGA’s.

103. EKAJUK Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

104. EKIT Akwa Ibom State, Uquo Ibeno and Eket LGA’s.

105. EKPARI Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

106. EKPEYE Rivers State, Ahoada and Yenagoa LGA’s.

107. ELEME Rivers State, OTELGA.

108. ELOYI Plateau State, Awe, Nassarawa LGA’s; Benue State, Otukpo LGA.

109. EMAI-IULEHA-ORA Edo State, Owan LGA.

110. ENGENNI Rivers State, Ahoada and Yenagoa LGA’s.

111. ENGLISH Used in government, education. National language.

112. EPIE Rivers State, Yenagoa LGA.

113. ERUWA Bendel State, Isoko LGA.

114. ESAN Bendel State, Agbazko, Okpebho, Owan, and Etsako LGA’s.

115. ETEBI Akwa Ibom State, Uquo Ibeno LGA.

116. ETULO Benue State, Gboko LGA; Taraba State, Wukari LGA.

117. EVAND Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

118. FALI OF BAISSA Taraba State, Falinga Plateau region.

119. FAM Taraba State, Bali LGA.

120. FIRAN Plateau State, Barkin Ladi LGA.

121. FULFULDE, ADAMAWA Taraba and Adamawa States.

122. FULFULDE, SOKOTO Sokoto State.

123.FUNGWA Niger State, Rafi LGA.

124. FYAM Plateau State, Jos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu LGA’s.

125. FYER Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

126. GA’ANDA Adamawa State, Gombi LGA.

127. GADE Federal Capital Territory and Plateau State, Nassarawa LGA.

128. GALAMBU Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

129. GAMO-NINGI Bauchi State, Ningi LGA.

130. GANA Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

131. GBAGYI Niger State, Rafi, Chanchaga, Shiroro, Suleija LGA’s;

132. Kaduna State, Kachi LGA; Plateau State, Keffi, Nassarawa LGA’s;

        Federal Capital Territory.

133. GBARI Plateau State, Nassarawa LGA.

134. GBAYA, NORTHWEST Taraba State, Bali LGA.

135. GBIRI-NIRAGU Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

136. GEJI Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

137. GENGLE Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa and Fufore LGA’s.

138. GERA Bauchi State, Bauchi and Darazo LGA’s.

139. GERUMA Bauchi State, Toro and Darazo LGA’s.

140. GEVOKO Borno State, Gwoza LGA; Adamawa State.

141.GHOTUO Edo State, Owan and Akoko-Edo LGA’s.

142. GIBANAWA Sokoto State, Jega LGA.

143. GIIWO Bauchi State, Alkaleri, Bauchi, and Darazo LGA’s.

144. GLAVDA Borno State, Gwoza LGA

145. GOEMAI Plateau State, Shendam, Lafia, and Awe LGA’s.

146. GOKANA Rivers State, Gokana, Tai-Eleme LGA’s.

147. GUDE Adamawa State, Mubi LGA; Borno State, Askira-Uba LGA.

148. GUDU Adamawa State, Song LGA.

149. GUDUF Borno State, Gwoza LGA.

150. GUN-GBE Lagos State, Badagry LGA.

151.GURMANA Niger State, Shiroro LGA.

152. GURUNTUM-MBAARU Bauchi State, Bauchi and Alkaleri LGA’s.

153. GWA Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

154. GWAMHI-WURI Kebbi State, Wasagu LGA, Danko-Maga area,

        and Niger State, Magama LGA, Dusai and Kwimu.

155. GWANDARA Niger State, Suleija LGA; Federal Capital Territory;

        Kaduna State, Kachia; Plateau State, Keffi, Lafia, Nassarawa, and

        Akwanga LGA’s.

156. GWOMU Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

157. GYEM Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

158. HAM Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGA’s; Plateau State, Keffi.

159. HAUSA Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and Bauchi states.

        Spoken as a second language in the northern half of Nigeria.

160. HEDI Borno State, Gwoza LGA; Adamawa State, Michika LGA.

161. HOROM Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

162. HUBA Adamawa State, Hong, Gombi, and Mubi LGA’s.

163. HUNGWORO Niger State, Rafi LGA.

164. HWANA Adamawa State, Gombi LGA.

165. IBANI Rivers State, Bonny and Degema LGA’s.

166. IBIBIO Akwa Ibom State, Itu, Uyo, Etinan, Ikot Abasi, Ikono,

        Ekpe-Atai, Uruan, Onna, Nsit-Ubium, and Mkpat Enin LGA’s.

167. IBUNO Akwa Ibom State, Uquo-Ibeno LGA.

168. IBUORO Akwa Ibom State, Itu and Ikono LGA’s.

169. ICEN Taraba State, Takum, Sardauna, Bali, Wukari LGA’s.

170. ICEVE-MACI Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

171. IDERE Akwa Ibom State, Itu LGA.

172. IDOMA Benue State, Otukpo and Okpokwu LGA’s.

173. IDON Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

174. IDUN Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

175. IGALA Benue State, Ankpa, Idah, Dekina, and Bassa LGA’s; Edo

        State, Agbazko and Oshimili LGA’s; Anambra State, Anambra LGA.

176. IGBO Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo State; Rivers State,

        Ikwerre-Etche, Bonny, and Ahoada LGA’s; and Delta State,

        Oshimili, Anoicha, Ika, and Ndokwa LGA’s.

177. IGEDE Benue State, Oju, Otukpo, and Okpokwu LGA’s; Cross

        River State, Ogoja LGA.

178. IGUTA Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

179. IZON, Rivers State, Yenagoa and Sagbama LGA’s; Delta State,

        Burutu, Warri, and Ughelli LGA’s; Ondo State, Ikale, Ilaje

        Ese-Odo LGA’s.

180. IJAW, Rivers State, Brass LGA.

181. IKA Delta State, Ika and Orhionmwon LGA’s.

182. IKO Akwa Ibom State, Ikot Abasi LGA

183. IKPESHI Bendel State, Etsako LGA.

184. IKU-GORA-ANKWA Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

185. IKU Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

186. IKWERE Rivers State, Ikwerre, Port Harcourt, and Obio LGA’s

187. ILUE Akwa Ibom State, Oron LGA.

188. IRIGWE Plateau State, Bassa and Birikin-Ladi LGA’s; Kaduna

        State, Saminaka LGA.

189. ITSEKIRI Delta State, Warri, Bomadi, and Ethiope LGA’s.

190. ISOKO Delta State, Isoko and Ndokwa LGA’s.

191. ITO Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA.

192. ITU MBON UZO Akwa Ibom State, Ikono LGA.

193. IVBIE NORTH-OKPELA-ARHE Edo State, Etsako and

        Akoko-Edo LGA’s.

194. IYAYU Ondo State

195. IZERE Plateau State, Birikin Ladi LGA, Jos LGA; Bauchi State,

        Toro LGA; and Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

196. IZI-EZAA-IKWO-MGBO Anambra State, Abakaliki, Ezza, and

        Ishielu LGA’s; Benue State, Okpokwu LGA; Abia State, Ohaozara LGA.

197. IZORA Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

198. JANJI Plateau State, Bassa LGA.

199. JARA Borno State, Biu LGA; Bauchi State, Akko LGA.

200. JARAWA Bauchi, Adamawa, and Plateau States.

201. JERA Plateau State, Bassa LGA; Bauchi State, Toro LGA; Kaduna

        State, Saminaka LGA.

202. JIBU Taraba State, Gashaka LGA.

203. JIDA-ABU Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

204. JILBE Borno State, Jilbe town

205. JIMBIN Bauchi State, Darazo LGA.

206. JIMI Bauchi State, Darazo LGA, Jimi village; Adamawa State, Song LGA.

207. JIRU Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

208. JJU Kaduna State, Kachia and Jema’a LGA’s.

209. JORTO Plateau State, Shendam LGA.

210. JU Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

211. JUKUN TAKUM Taraba State, Takum, Sardauna, and Bali LGA’s.

212. JUKUN WURKUM Taraba State, Bali, Jalingo, Karim Lamido

        LGA’s; Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGA’s.

213. KADARA Kaduna State, Kachia LGA; Niger State, Chanchaga LGA.

214. KAGOMA Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

215. KAIVI Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

216. KAKIHUM Niger State.

217. KALABARI Rivers State, Degema and Bonny LGA’s.

218. KAM Taraba State, Bali LGA

219. KAMANTAN Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

220. KAMKAM Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

221. KAMO Bauchi State, Biliri-Kaltungo and Akko LGA’s.

222. KAMUKU Niger State, Rafi and Mariga LGA’s; Kaduna State,

       Birnin Gwari LGA.

223. KAMWE Adamawa State, Michika LGA, in the Mandara Mts.

224. KANTANA Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

225. KANUFI-KANINGDON-NINDEM Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

226. KANURI, MANGA Mainly Yobe, Jigawa and Bauchi states.

227. KANURI, YERWA Borno State, Kano State, Hadejia LGA.

228. KAPYA Taraba State, Takum LGA.

229. KAREKARE Bauchi State, Gamawa and Misau LGA’s; Borno

        State, Fika LGA.

230. KARFA Plateau State, Akwanga LGA, Kerifa village.

231. KARIYA Bauchi State, Darazo LGA.

232. KATAB Kaduna State, Kachia, Saminaka, and Jema’a LGA’s.

233. KIBALLO Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

234. KINUKU Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

235. KIONG Cross River State, Odukpani and Akampka LGA’s.

236. KIR-BALAR Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

237. KITIMI Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

238. KOANA Rivers State, Khana, Gokana, and Oyigbo LGA’s.

239. KOENOEM Plateau State, Shendam LGA.

240. KOFYAR Plateau State, Shendam, Mangu, and Lafia LGA’s.

241. KOHUMONO Cross River State, Obubra LGA.

242. KOMA Adamawa State, Ganye and Fufore LGA’s.

243. KONA Taraba State, Wukari and Karim Lamido LGA’s; Plateau

        State, Langtang and Wase LGA’s; Bauchi State, Alkaleri and Akko

        LGA’s.

244. KONO Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA, Kona village.

245. KORO IJA Federal Capital Territory, south of Abuja.

246. KORO ZUBAFederal Capital Territory, near Zuba.

247. KOROP Cross River State, Odukpani and Akampka LGA’s.

248. KPAN Taraba State, Wukari, Takum, and Sardauna LGA’s.

249. KPASAM Adamawa State, Numan LGA.

250. KPATI Taraba State, Wukari, Takum LGA’s.

251. KUBI Bauchi State, Darazo LGA.

252. KUDU-CAMO Bauchi State, Ningi LGA.

253. KUGAMA Adamawa State, Fufore LGA.

254. KUGBO Rivers State, Brass LGA.

255. KUKELE Cross River State, Ogoja LGA; Anambra State, Abakaliki

        LGA; Benue State, Okpokwu and Oju LGA’s.

256. KULERE Plateau State, Bokkos LGA.

257. KULUNG Taraba State, Karim Lamido and Wukari LGA’s.,

258. KUMBA Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa and Fufore LGA’s.

259. KUPTO Bauchi State, Dukku LGA; Bakpga. Borno, Gujba states.

260. KURAMA Kaduna State, Saminaka and Ikara LGA’s; Kano LGA.

261. KUSHI Bauchi State, Biliri, and Kaltungo LGA’s.

262. KUTEP Taraba State, Takum LGA.

263. KUTURMI Kaduna State, Kachia LGA.

264. KUZAMANI Bauchi State, Toto LGA.

265. KWAAMI Bauchi State, Gombe LGA.

266. KWANKA Plateau State, Mangu LGA; Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa

        LGA. KYAK Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

267. LABIR Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

268. LAGWAN Borno State, Dikwa and Ngala LGA’s.

269. LAKA Taraba State, Karim Lamido and Yola LGA’s.

270. LALA-ROBA Adamawa State, Gombi LGA, and Borno State.

271. LAMANG Borno State, Gwoza LGA; Adamawa State, Michika

        LGA.

272. LAME Bauchi State, Toto LGA.

273. LAMJA Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa LGA.

274. LAMNSO Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

275. LARU Niger State, Borgu LGA.

276. LEELAU Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

277. LEGBO Cross River State, Obubra LGA; Abia State, Afikpo LGA.

278. LELA Kebbi State, Zuru, Sakaba, and Donko-Wasagu LGA’s; Niger

        State, Rijau LGA.

279. LEMORO Plateau State, Bassa LGA; Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

280. LENYIMA Cross River State, Obubra LGA.

281. LEYIGHA Cross River State, Obubra LGA.

282. LIBO Adamawa State, Guyuk, Song, and Numan LGA’s.

283. LIJILI Plateau State, Awe and Lafia LGA’s.

284. LIMBUM Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

285. LO Bauchi State, Kaltungo LGA, Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

286. LOKO Cross River State, Obubra LGA.

287. LONGUDA Adamawa State, Guyuk LGA; Bauchi State, Balanga LGA.

288. LOPA Niger State, Borgu LGA,Niger River; Kebbi State, Yauri LGA.

289. LOTSU-PIRI Adamawa State, Numan LGA; Bauchi State, Kaltungo LGA.

290. LUBILA Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA.

291. LUFU Taraba State, Takum LGA.

292. LURI Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

293. MAAKA Borno State, Gujba LGA.

294. MABAS Adamawa State, Michika LGA.

295. MABO-BARKUL Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

296. MADA Plateau State, Akwanga LGA; Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

297. MAFA Borno State, Gwoza LGA.

298. MAK Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

299. MALA Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

300. MAMBILA Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Mambila Plateau.

301. MANGAS Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

302. MARGHI Borno State, Askira-Uba and Damboa.

303. MASHI Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

304. MBAI Borno State. Mainly in Chad.

305. MBE Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

306. MBEMBE, Cross River State, Obubra and Ikom LGA’s; Anambra

        State, Abakaliki LGA.

307. MBEMBE TIGON Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Kurmi district.

308. MBOI Adamawa State, Song, Fufore, and Gombi LGA’s.

309. MBULA-BWAZZA Adamawa State, Numan, Guyuk, Song, Demsa LGA’s.

310. MINI Rivers State, Brass LGA.

311. MISHIP Plateau State, Pankshin, Mangu, Shendam LGA’s.

312. MIYA Bauchi State, Darazo LGA.

313. MOM JANGO Adamawa State, Yola and Fufore LGA’s.

314. MONTOL Plateau State, Shendam LGA.

315. MPADE Borno State.

316. MUMUYE Taraba State, Jalingo, Zing, Karim Lamido, Yoro, Bali,

        Ganye, Fufore, Yola, Numan, and Mayo Belwa LGA’s.

317. MUNDAT Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

318. MUNGA Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

319. MVANON Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

320. MWAGHAVUL Plateau State, Barakin-Ladi and Mangu LGA’s.

321. NANDU-TARI Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA.

322. NDE-NSELE-NTA Cross River State, Ikom LGA.

323. NDOE Cross River State, Ikom LGA.

324. NDOOLA Taraba State, Bali, Gashaka, Sardauna LGA’s.

325. NGAMO Yobe State, Fika LGA; Bauchi State, Darazo and Dukku LGA’s.

326. NGGWAHYI Borno State, Askira-Uba LGA.

327. NGIZIM Borno State, Damaturu LGA.

328. NGWABA Adamawa State, Gombi LGA and Hong LGA.

329. NINZAM Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

330. NJERUP Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

331. NKOROO Rivers State, Bonny LGA.

332. NKUKOLI Cross River State,Ikom, Obubra and Akamkpa LGA’s,

        Iko Ekperem Development Area.

333. NKWAK Kaduna State, Birnin Gwari LGA.

334. NNAM Cross River State, Ikom and Ogoja LGA’s.

335. NUMANA-NUNKU-GWANTU-NUMBU Kaduna State, Jema’a

        LGA; Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

336. NUNGU Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

337. NUPE Niger State, Lavun, Mariga, Gbako, Bida, Agaie, and Lapai

        LGA’s; Kwara State, Edu LGA; Kofi State, Kogi and Bassa LGA’s;

        Federal Capital Territory.

338. NYONG Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa LGA.

339. NZANYI Adamawa State, Maiha LGA.

340. OBANLIKU Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

341. OBOLO Rivers State, Bonny LGA; Akwa Ibom State, Ikot Abasi LGA.

342. OBULOM Rivers State, Okrikaa LGA.

343. ODUAL Rivers State, Ahoada LGA.

344. ODUT Cross River State, Odukpani LGA.

345. OGBAH Rivers State, Ogbah-Egbema-Ndoni LGA.

346. OGBIA Rivers State, Brass LGA.

347. OGBOGOLO Rivers State, Ahoada LGA.

348. OGBRONUAGUM Rivers State, Degema LGA, Bukuma village

        near Buguma. OKOBO Akwa Ibom State, Okobo LGA.

349. OKODIA Rivers State, Yenagoa LGA.

350. OKO-ENI-OSAYEN Kogi State, Okene LGA, Ogori and Magongo towns.

351. OKPAMHERI Edo State, Akoko-Edo LGA.

352. OKPE Edo State, Okpe LGA.

353. OKPE-IDESA-OLOMA-AKUKU Edo State, Akoko-Edo LGA.

354. OKRIKA Rivers State, Okrika, Opobo, Bonny, and Degema LGA’s.

355. OLULUMO-IKOM Cross River State, Ikom LGA.

356. ORING Benue State, Okpokwu LGA; Anambra State, Ishielu LGA.

357. ORON Akwa Ibom State, Oron LGA.

358. ORUMA Rivers State, Brass LGA.

359. OSOSO Edo State, Akoko-Edo LGA.

360. OTANK Cross River State, Obudu LGA; Benue State, Kwande LGA.

361. PA’AWA Bauchi State, Ningi and Darazo LGA’s.

362. PAI Plateau State, Pankshin LGA.

363. PEERE Adamawa State, Ganye LGA.

364. PERO Bauchi State, Alkaleri LGA.

365. PIDGIN ENGLISH Southern states and in Sabon Garis of the

        northern states.

366. PITI Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

367. PIYA Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA, Bauchi State.

368. POLCI Bauchi State, Bauchi and Toro LGA’s.

369. PONGU Niger State, Rafi LGA.

370. PSIKYE Adamawa State, north and east of Michika.

371. PNAM Kebbi State, Zuru LGA, Fakai District.

 372. PUTAI Borno State, Damboa LGA.

373. PYAPUN Plateau State, Shendam LGA.

374. RESHE Kebbi State, Yauri LGA; Niger State, Borgu LGA; Kebbi

        State, Niger State.

375. RON Plateau State, Bokkos, Barakin-Ladi and Mangu LGA’s.

376. RUBASA Kogi State, Bassa and Ankpa LGA’s; Plateau State,

        Nassarawa LGA; Federal Capital Territory, Yaba and Kwali LGA’s;

        Benue State, Makurdi LGA.

377. RUMA Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

378. SAMBA DAKA Taraba State, Gashaka, Jalingo, Bali, Zing LGA’s,

        and Adamawa State, Ganye and Mayo Belwa LGA’s.

379. SAMBA LEKO Adamawa State, Ganye LGA.

380. SANGA Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

381. SASARU-ENWAN IGWE Edo State, Akoko-Edo LGA.

382. SAYA Bauchi State, Tafawa Balewa LGA.

383. SETO-GBE Lagos State, Badagry LGA.

384. SHA Plateau State, Mangu LGA, Sha town.

385. SHAGAWU Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

386. SHALL-ZWALL Bauchi State, Dass LGA.

387. SHAMA Niger State, Rafi and Mariga LGA’s; Kaduna State, Birnin

        Gwari LGA.

388. SHANGA Kebbi State between Kaoje and Yauri.

389. SHAU Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

390. SHENI Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

391. SHIKI Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

392. SHOO-MINDA-NYEM Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

393. SIRAWA Bauchi State, Darazo and Ningi LGA’s.

394. SOMYEWE Taraba State, Sardauna LGA.

395. SUKUR Adamawa State, Michika LGA, Mandara Mts.

396. SURUBU Kaduna State, Saminaka LGA.

397. TAL Plateau State, Pankshin LGA.

398. TALA Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

 399. TAHOUA (TUAREG) Few in Nigeria.

400. TAMBAS Plateau State, Mangu LGA.

401. TANGALE Bauchi State, Billiri, Kaltungo and Akko LGA’s.

402. TAPSHIN Bauchi State, Dass LGA; Plateau State, Pankshin LGA.

403. TAROK Plateau State, Kanam, Wase, and Langtang LGA’s; Gongola

        State, Wukari LGA.

404. TAURA Bauchi State, Toro LGA.

405. TEDA Few in Nigeria.

406. TEME Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa LGA.

407. TERA Bauchi State, Gombe and Akko LGA’s; Borno State, Biu LGA.

408. TESHENAWA Jigawa State, Keffin Hausa LGA, Teshena town.

409. THIR Adamawa State, Gombi LGA, north of Ga’anda.

410. TIBA Adamawa State, Ganye LGA; Tiba Plateau.

411. TITA Taraba State, Jalingo LGA.

412. TIV Benue State, Makurdi, Gwer, Gboko Kwande, Vandeikya, and

        Katsina Ala LGA’s; Plateau State, Lafia LGA; Taraba State, Bali,

        Takum, and Wukari LGA’s.

413. TSAGU Bauchi State, Ningi and Darazo LGA’s.

414. TSIKIMBA Niger State, Magama and Mariga LGA’s.

415. TSISHINGINI Niger State, Magama and Mariga LGA’s.

416. TULA Bauchi State, Kaltungo LGA.

417. TURKWAM Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

418. TYENGA Kebbi State.

419. UBAGHARA Cross River State, Akampka LGA.

420. UBANG Cross River State, Obudu LGA.

421. UDA Akwa Ibom State, Mbo LGA.

422. UHAMI Ondo State, Akoko South an d Owo LGA’s.

423. UJIJILI Niger State, Chanchaga and Suleija LGA’s.

424. UKAAN Ondo State, Akoko North LGA.

425. UKPE-BAYOBIRI Cross River State, Obudu and Ikom LGA’s.

426. UKPET-EHOM Cross River State, Akamkpa LGA.

427. UKUE-EHUEN Ondo State, Akoko South LGA.

428. UKWA Cross River State, Akampka LGA.

429. UKWUANI-ABOH Delta State, Ndokwa LGA; Rivers State,

        Ahoada LGA.

430. ULUKWUMI Delta State, Aniocha and Oshimili LGA’s.

431. UMON Cross River State, Akampka LGA.

432. UNEME Edo State, Etsako, Agbazko, and Akoko-Edo LGA’s.

433. URHOBO Delta State, Ethiope and Ughelli LGA’s.

434. USAKADE Cross River State, Odukpani LGA.

435. UTUGWANG Cross River State, Obudu and Ogoja LGA’s.

436. UVBIE Delta State, Ethiope LGA.

437. UZEKWE Cross River State, Ogoja LGA.

438. VIN Adamawa State, Mubi LGA.

439. VUTE Taraba State, Sardauna LGA, Northeast Mambila Plateau.

440. WAJA Bauchi State, Akko, Biliri, Kaltungo LGA’s; Adamawa

        State, northern Michika LGA; Borno State, Gwoza LGA; Taraba

        State, Bali LGA.

441. WAKA Taraba State, Karim Lamido LGA.

442. WANDALA Borno State, Damboa, Bama, Gwoza, and Konduga LGA’s.

443. WAPAN Taraba State, Wukari LGA; Plateau State, Shendam, Lafia,

        Awe, and Langtang LGA’s.

444. WARJI Bauchi State, Darazo and Ningi LGA’s; Jigawa State,

        Birnin Kudu LGA.

445. WASE Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGA’s.

446. WEDU Plateau State, Pankshin, Kanam, and Langtang LGA’s.

447. WOM Adamawa State, Fufore LGA.

448. WUTANA Bauchi Emirate.

449. YALA Cross River State, Ogoja, Obubra, and Ikom LGA’s.

450. YAMBA Taraba State, Sardauna, Gashaka LGA’s.

451. YASHI Plateau State, Akwanga LGA.

452. YEKHEE Edo State, Etsako, Agbako, and Okpebho LGA’s.

453. YENDANG Adamawa State, Mayo Belwa and Numan LGA’s;

        Taraba

454. State, Yoro, Jalingo, Zing, and Karim Lamido LGA’s.

455. YESKWA Kaduna State, Jema’a LGA; Plateau State, Keffi LGA.

456. YIWOM Plateau State, Shendam and Langtang LGA’s.

457. YORUBA Oyo, Ogun, Ondo Osun, Kwara, and Lagos states; and

        western LGA’s of Kogi State.

458. YUKUBEN Taraba State, Takum LGA.

459. YUNGUR Adamawa State, Guyuk, Gombi, and Song LGA’s,

460. ZANGWAL Bauchi State, Bauchi LGA.

461. ZARI Bauchi State, Toro and Tafawa Balewa LGA’s.

462. ZARMA Kebbi State, Argungu, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza LGA’s; Niger

        State.

posted by,

Dr. Tom Mbeke-Ekanem, REA
Moderator
Author, Beyond the Execution -
Understanding the Ethnic and Military Politics in Nigeria
Los Angeles, California
Tel: (951) 640-0737
Email: tedey@aol.com

Reply via web post

r

By Thompson Essien

New Akwa Ibom SSG, Udom Emmanuel

As soon as Godswill Akpabio was sworn in as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2007, sources say Mrs. Emem Etuk, who was the Deputy General Manager in charge of Victoria Island (3) Branch of Bank PHB at the time, and having known the governor ever before his election into office in her days as an employee with Zenith Bank Plc., lobbied Akpabio and won the state government account for Bank PHB.

According to the letter of complaint to President Jonathan by the Campaign for Probity and Integrity, “On the 11th day of November 2009 at about 0900hrs, one Mrs. Emem Etuk who claimed to be travelling to Abuja through the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos was arrested by the Aviation Security on duty in possession of $3.1 million and handed over to the Airport Police Command on the suspicion of money laundering. She was taken to the divisional headquarters of the police at the airport.” (http://saharareporters.com/letter/re-bank-chief-nabbed-over-possession-31-million-lagos-airport-0).

The arrest of Mrs. Emem Etuk raised eye brows and projected negatively on the image of PHB Bank, especially when the rumor linked Akpabio to the money. As a means of distraction and as a measure to repair the damaged image of Godswill Akpabio and his administration, sources say some key members of his administration suggested that Akwa Ibom State Government should withdraw its business with PHB Bank.

Akpabio agreed with the suggestions and contacted Zenith Bank, which was not doing well at the time, for the possibility of moving the state account from PHB to Zenith. Zenith Bank was very happy to have a customer with an account large enough to revamp their ailing business. The management sent a letter to Akpabio that the bank would be very glad to do business with the government.

But for Akwa Ibom State Government to transfer its business from the PHB Bank to Zenith Bank, Akpabio gave one condition; The Executive Director of the (Zenith) bank must be an indigene of Akwa Ibom State. The bank agreed. Mr. Udom Emmanuel, who was at the time the General Manager of Zenith Bank, was immediately promoted to the Executive Directorship. Since then, the partnership for the two to engineer the laundering of the people’s money became perfected.

Those who know what is going on have confirmed that if there is anyone who knows where Akpabio hides his stolen loot, that person must be Udom Emmanuel. With this type of relationships, it is now clear why Godswill Akpabio is defying the wishes of the people to be left alone to choose their next governor and why he is adamant that Udom Emmanuel must be his successor.

Anyone who has access to the biography of Udom Emmanuel will quickly conclude that the man has no inclination for politics, at any level (http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Udom-Emmanuel/399458877). And those who are acquainted with him, or have known him for several years, have come to the same conclusion that he would be the wrong choice to succeed Akpabio. One of them commented; “Udom will be a professional terror. Perhaps if he had come out on his own, he would have gained a lot of support. But after so many years of using his knowledge of banking to aid Akpabio launder and hide his stolen loot, allowing Udom to succeed Akpabio will be a disaster and what even makes it worst is that he is being fronted by Akpabio.”
Some members of Akpabio’s (PDP) party are not happy with him for trying to foist Udom Emmanuel as stated in a recent published report; “Currently, party members are beginning to grumble about a grand design to impose the newly sworn in Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Emmanuel Udom, as its next gubernatorial flag bearer. Sources who spoke to us explained that while many of those who are close to the governor agreed with the sack of the former SSG, due to the blatant and aggressive way in which he went about pursing his ambition, members would see it as a slap on their faces if the Governor dare suggests the imposition of Udom… to tell you the truth the new man also carries himself like he is over and above every other political appointee in the state, you know this ‘I am governor-in waiting’ kind of thing. He is here bragging about how much money he has made in the past and his profile as a banker but how does that concern us? We are politicians and we have invested all of these 14 years into the PDP in the state, it would be unacceptable for the Governor for whom we have a lot of respect to bring anyone here to come and lord it over us. Our sources informed that they were mainly concerned about the chances of the PDP in the coming election especially with the newly registered All Progressive Congress (APC). And presenting a candidate who has not contributed anything to the development of this party would be a major insult on the work that we have done all these years and I am afraid that our people would not want to have any of that” (http://orijoreporter.com/akwa-ibom-2015-disquiet-brewing-in-pdp-over-new-ssg/).

But Godswill Akpabio is not worried about all the complaints and resentments raised by those who claim to be his supporters. As far as he is concerned, Udom Emmanuel is his hand-picked successor. Akpabio is also not interested in the truth that Udom himself is not interested in politics, has never been, because politics is not his calling. When Udom accepted Akpabio’s offer to become the Secretary to the Government, he thought his work would revolve around shoveling of papers, writing of memos, and dealing with a bunch of bureaucrats. He never anticipated the mess called politics in which Akpabio is pushing him into.

When confronted to give the rationale for parading a man who has no inclination for politics as his successor, Akpabio would gloat that he has “searched far and wide for a worthy successor and have fortunately seen a man that would be able to continue with what God is doing in Akwa Ibom.” Every time Akpabio advances this reasoning, everyone would immediately recognize that he is telling lies and extremely irrational. And that prompted a comment from one of Akpabio’s successor, who said; “The way I see things unfold, I don’t think Akpabio likes Udom. Because Akpabio is a fixer, he just wants to use Udom, unfortunately, Udom is falling for it.”

What Akpabio does not tell people as his reason for pushing Udom Emmanuel down the people’s throat is that Udom is the only man who might be willing to succumb to Akpabio’s ritual of administering an oath (mbiam) of allegiance that he (Udom) would do everything to thwart every efforts and attempts by Akwa Ibom people to probe all of Akpabio’s illegal activities, including money laundering, inflating the cost of contracts, involvement in political assassinations, kidnappings, bribery, and illegal detentions during his tenure in office. Akpabio tried the mbiam thing with Umana Okon Umana (Udom’s predecessor), but failed; Umana got his behind kicked out of the administration.

Written by
Ikpafak Essien is an Oregon based  political analyst

Ambassador Assam Assam

IFREKE NSEOWO hooked up with Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia, Chief Assam Assam, SAN in his office at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow where he spoke on a number of very interesting issues including his intention to run for the 2015 guber position in the state and why Governor Godswill Akpabio will not be able to produce his successor. He also shared his experience in Moscow, how is working on improving the Nigeria/Russia bilateral relations, while also dropping that Governor Akpabio has not zoned the guber seat to Eket Senatorial District but that the topmost position has simply just rotated to the senatorial district. Excerpts:

As someone who spent most part of his life in Nigeria, how are you coping with the extreme weather condition in Russia?
The extreme weather condition exists, people who are not Russians do come here and they cope with it. All you need to do is to be properly dressed and don’t go where you don’t need to go. That’s all. We are all fine. You can see we are in a room, you are wearing a tropical shirt (referring to the interviewer), the weather outside may be about nine degrees and you won’t have any problem because the room is very warm.
In terms of development, how do you compare Nigeria and Russia?
You really cannot compare both countries in terms of development. Nigeria is still in a primary state of development. We don’t have power which is a major source of development, our infrastructure is very low and we have largely undeveloped territories. Our educational system is not technologically driven, the social fabric of our society is basically dominated by people who are predominantly poor but here the situation is different. Russia is a country that has a very well developed infrastructure. There is electricity, there is water, it is an energy-driven country, people have cars which are basic infrastructure facilities. The university system is very well moderated and well managed. The social class is very well satisfied and you have many rich people here. This country is investing only 2.5% on employment. There is no comparison between the two countries in terms of development.
In how many years will it take Nigeria to reach where Russia is?
We will not compete in terms of years because what Russia has now, by the time we reach there they too will be improving. Catching up is a problem but if we get our basic infrastructure right, we have our roads well laid out, a rail system that reduces the complete reliance on roads, we have uninterrupted electricity that enables people to generate jobs and our artisans well employed and people could be thinking in terms of developing their technology, we have our educational system devoid of intervention by government, then there will be improvement in our thoughts, in our psyche, in our understanding of the needs for us to grow, not on the basis of the direction of government but on the basis of individual achievements and that is what is driving every society. I think we can reach this stage not in terms of years but in terms of how much we can put in to our system.
What are you doing to improve the bilateral relations between the two countries?
Nigeria and Russia have a very good bilateral relationship. The relationship between the two countries is very strong. We have been friends for 53 years, since our independence. It was 50 years ago that we opened our doors here in Moscow. And when you look at it Nigeria has trained about 10,000 of its citizens from Russian institutions by direct sponsorship or supported sponsorship by the Russian government. Very many of our military officers have been trained here, particularly those in the Airforce because as you will recall almost all our primary aircrafts were manufactured from Russia so we need to have the officers trained here. So we have had good relationship with Russia. But our trade relationship has been very poor. We have no economic relationship at all. As part of the 50th anniversary of opening our doors here in Moscow, we had to organize a business forum to put Russian and Nigerian businessmen in one room to discuss and make friends because Nigerians don’t know Russians and Russians don’t know Nigerians. And when you don’t know each other it is difficult for you to do business. So that is what we have started. And from the report of the forum, I think we have done well. It was very well received. What we now need to do is to follow up on the achievements we have had as a result of the forum. So I believe that with that start we have had a great start and if we can sustain it we can surely be having a solid relationship with Russia and Nigerians will be doing business in Moscow.
Apart from the first ever Nigeria/Russia Business and Investment Forum, what are the other achievements in your over a year stay here as Nigerian Ambassador?
First of all as a diplomat you are not expected to do business, you are expected to encourage people to do business and that is what we have been doing. We have a couple of Russian companies operating right now in Nigeria. Some are seeking to invest in small scale refineries in logistics base for the provision of logistics services to the oil companies. Also they are investing in aviation. We have had enquiries from companies that are interested in setting up shops for the manufacture of trucks. When I came here we had problems of chancery accommodation. Our former chancery was totally dilapidated and I had to persuade the Russian government to change the facilities and they brought us to this beautiful place. I hope that as soon as they complete the renovation of the other structure we will be returning there because that is an iconic structure which was our first chancery. The basic problem which we had when we came here was on issue of consular deliveries and the issue of human trafficking. We had a large number of Nigerian girls being trafficked here every week. I’m working with the Russian authorities and we have reduced that to the barest minimum. We have helped to repatriate a large number of our girls. Right now in various detention camps in Russia we have about 172 of our girls. As soon as we secure the facilities and the cooperation of the Russian government we intend to repatriate them in batches because we do not have the money to do so all at once. We have been able to put some sanity on the provision of facilities for the repatriation of Nigerians. So I believe that we would have solved one of our major problems because our girls were being trafficked here and they were being killed. Our girls were being thrown out of the windows from hotel rooms and we are ensuring now that those people who commit such crimes are prosecuted. We are having good cooperation from the Russian government and we hope that in a short while this will be a matter of the past.
Is it possible for you to facilitate a state visit by President Goodluck Jonathan to Russia before you leave office as the ambassador? That will probably be one of your biggest achievements as Nigeria’s ambassador to Russia.
State visit is basically not an embassy issue. The mission will do what it needs to do to encourage a state visit. You know presidents are very busy people, and having to secure a window to have one president visit the other is always a very serious issue and it takes a long time to plan. Yes, if you ask me, that is the icing on the cake for every diplomat’s service tenure. We are working on it now and we are hoping that our Minister for Foreign Affairs will be visiting Moscow soon and there after that is the forum where the planning of the visit is. It is the ministers of foreign affairs of the two countries who plan the visit of the president and then yours as ambassador is just to execute it. But I’m hoping that President Jonathan will visit Russia during my tenure as ambassador.
There were insinuations in certain quarters that you were shifted out of Akwa Ibom state executive council and sent down here to Moscow because you have an eye on the 2015 guber. Would you have loved to stay back in Akwa Ibom as an Attorney General and be closer to the grassroot ahead of the polls or you love being here in Moscow as ambassador?
Well I can tell you something about my training. I am a very well trained person and I can serve in any capacity in the world. There is no turf where I would be a stranger. No! Except if you ask me to play football now. So coming to Moscow is a wonderful experience for me. There are 36 states attorney generals and who you will call the 37th is the Federal Attorney General. But there is only one ambassador to Russia from Nigeria. I have a direct access to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he appointed me to come here. I am serving on his instructions and mandate. I’m representing him here as his envoy. The responsibility is huge. I was attorney general and I did my job as attorney general. Some other person is doing that job now. He is a very competent person. Having to bring me here was well like a blessing. There were insinuations that I was being asked to come here by the virtue of my profile as the attorney general of the state but my profile has now been increased as ambassador. I do not have any regrets at all.
We have been hearing from grapevines that you will be contesting for the governorship position in Akwa Ibom State come 2015. Is it true?
Yes. I intend to contest election as governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015. But when the time for us to declare our intention for that office comes, we will do a formal declaration to that effect. But there is no doubt about the fact that I’m going to contest for that office. I am just hoping that the atmosphere will be good enough for a free and fair contest.
After your exit from the state exco what is your relationship with Governor Godswill Akpabio?
We have a good relationship. We have warm relationship. I speak to him, he speaks to me. I call him, he calls me. That is how our relationship has always been. We have been friends and that is what we will continue to be.
Governor Akpabio has said that the 2015 governorship position in the state has been zoned to Eket Senatorial District and that happens to favour you. What is your stand on the issue of zoning?
You must understand what zoning means. The provision in the constitution of the PDP says that for the purpose of equity, justice and fair play, elective and appointive offices in the party or from the party shall be on the basis of zoning and or rotation. Let us take for instance that Governor Akpabio performs very well and towards the end the whole state believes that if he leaves the next person that will come will not be able to follow the path unless it is somebody who was very close to him all through his administration, and they say the only person who was close to him during his administration was his wife. The party can now say we zone the office of governor to Essien Udim in order that Mrs Unoma Akpabio may contest election. That is zoning. It is different from rotation where Uyo Senatorial District had the first governor in the PDP i.e Obong Victor Attah, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District now had its turn, it will rotate to Eket. So, zoning can be managed, rotation cannot be stopped. Rotation is a natural process, zoning is a controlled process. So it is not true that governor Akpabio has zoned the governorship to Eket. It is not true. He has not zoned it. The office of governor has simply just rotated from Uyo to Ikot Ekpene and it is now going to Eket. It is an irreversible order, you can’t change it; because changing it will create chaos and uncertainty. I want to make that very clear. I am for justice, equity and fair play. Speaking for myself, I can contest election against anybody from anywhere, whether it is a man or a woman. All we have to do is to ask the state to vote for who is most qualified. That’s all. But where the party provides in its constitution that these will be the principles upon which the offices will be filled from the party, then the party has a duty to ensure that the provision of the constitution is complied with. It has nothing to do with me, it has nothing to do with whoever has to contest election from any other part of the state. But what is important is that we should note that the governor has not zoned the governorship seat to Eket, the election has simply just rotated to Eket by the function of the fact that the first one was from Uyo, the next is from Ikot Ekpene and the third will be from Eket.
Obong Victor Attah did not succeed in installing his candidate as his successor. According to media reports, Akpabio has someone who he wants to succeed him as governor come 2015. Do you see Akpabio suffering the fate of Obong Attah?
I don’t know which media you are talking about but the last media report I have read (it may be because I’m in Moscow) has it that Governor Akpabio says he doesn’t have a candidate. And that means he is denying the fact that he has a candidate in his current SSG. But I can tell you something, when you read Acts of the Apostle 1:20-27 you will see the first act of succession and the conditions for succession. Go and read it, tell others to read they will see it. If Governor Akpabio brings a candidate, he must be ready to accept defeat because his candidate will fail. It doesn’t matter who it is. If you want me to say so again, I’m going to say so. Governor Akpabio will not be able to produce who will succeed him by himself because he cannot impose a candidate on the state. Nobody will sit back and watch one man impose a candidate. Akpabio should be reminded that we voted him as our governor, we did not vote him as our God.
Your friend Obong Umana Okon Umana is vying for the same seat you are eyeing. Do you see him as a threat?
Well, everybody is a threat. You don’t know where somebody is deriving his powers from when he is contesting election. In my profession you don’t underrate anybody. You cannot say no no no, that is not a serious lawyer. I’m always used to fighting my battle believing that my opponent is as good as I am or even better. That way you’ll put in your best. I cannot single out one candidate and say no he is better or he is not good. I will limit my comment on that matter to that. Anybody who has the courage to say I want to contest election for governor must be taken seriously.
There are many 2015 guber aspirants from Eket Senatorial District. Do you see yourself as someone who will be accepted by people your senatorial district?
That is for my people to say. The fact that governorship is rotating to Eket to Senatorial District does not mean that the only people who will decide who the governor is going to be will be people from Eket Senatorial District. The whole state will decide who their governor is going to be. Whether I’m acceptable to the people of my senatorial district is a matter for the people of my senatorial district to say, not me. I will be claiming to be God if I say so. Because I don’t know the workings of their mind particularly now that we have not come out in full force to declare to contest for the position.
Ahead of the election, what will stand in your favour?
What stands in my favour is that I’m the most experienced politician in the entire state. I was a member of the House of Representatives in 1983. There was no person who was in the senate or House of Representatives other than myself who is alive and still practicising politics in Akwa Ibom. I came out of parliament in 1984 in January after the coup and I have participated in every political endeavour in the state. I’ve contested election twice for the House of Representatives and won. I have been the chairman of a political party, APP in my state. Produced chairmen of Local Governments, I had a good chunk of political framework in the state as at the 1999 election. I left to face my law practice and concentrated on my law practice because I wanted to became a SAN. I worked towards it and I became a Senior Advocate. Thereafter, I have reached the pinnacle of my practice. At a quality practice I still have my practice under the name I founded at the beginning of 1984. Thereafter, the president appointed me Chairman of Metrological Agency and what I did in the agency is there for everybody to see. Thereafter, the president again appointed me a member of board of governors governing council of the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies and thereafter I became Attorney General of the state. And now I am an ambassador. Tell me who has this experience. None. We have people who have been in the civil service for all their lives. Maybe people who have been in business for all their lives. I have married all sectors of the body polity and that is the difference between me and others. I have served my country, I have served my state, I have served my clients as a professional. I am well positioned to give back to the society part of the love, part of the training, part of the knowledge I have acquired and I intend to do so.
What has Governor Akpabio not done in Akwa Ibom that you want to go and do?
Is there one man who has done so much that what ever he has done cannot be improved upon? I don’t think so. If the limit of what the people of Akwa Ibom want is all that Akpabio has provided then we have a long way to go. I want to create a middle class, create employment for our youths. When I was a young lawyer, I lived on the middle class. Our communities are poor. Yea, there are roads, there is airport. There is a 5 star hotel but how many people go to sleep in a 5 star hotel in Akwa Ibom? We have over 4million people. The overhead bridge is beautiful, how many of our people have cars to drive on them? We should be thinking about employment for our people. Look at education for in stance, we have free and compulsory education. The Commissioner for Education recently came out to say that of the number of children who pass First School Leaving Certificate in Distinction class, they selected 10 to take examinations to go to very high quality secondary school sponsored by government outside the state. Government wanted to send children to big privately-owned schools. They gave them a special examination. Out of 10 of them, 9 could not write their names. The commissioner came out and said so and they fired her, just for telling the truth. That is the question I’m asking. Is there any one man who has done so well that what he has done cannot be improved upon? Look at the amount of money we are spending on the maintenance of public property called Inter-Ministeral Direct Labour contracts. It is an aberration, a total waste of money. I don’t want to go in to our internally generated revenue and the allocation of our resources in the state. They do not make sense.
Ibibio has had power for 8 years and Annang is about to complete theirs. Now that the guber position is rotating to Eket Senatorial District where we have Oro. People of the Oro nation are clamouring for the position, saying they deserve it as the third largest ethnic group in the state. Is this not going to stand against you ahead of he polls?
Our constitution is not based on ethnic nationalities. Political offices are shared based on political inclinations. In the local governments you have the wards, in the state you have the local governments, in the state house constituencies you have the local governments, in the federal constituencies you have the local governments, in the senate you have the local governments, in the state you have the senatorial districts and the federal constituencies. Now, you talk about the Ibibios, who are the Ibibios? Ibibio is a generic name for everybody in the state. At a time, Oron was Ibibio, Annang was Ibibio. We were called Ibibio State. When we were asking for state creation in 1953 we were asking for an Ibibio State. We were not asking for an Annang-Oron-Eket-Ogoja whatever state. We were asking for Ibibio State. Now the Ibibios, Uruan, Itam, Ikono, Ini, Uyo, Ibesikpo, Nsit, Eket, Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Iman are all Ibibios. What you are saying is that the state is predominantly Ibibio. So when the election go to Eket Senatorial District it should go to Ikot Abasi, when it comes to Uyo it is not a problem because everybody is Ibibio, when it goes to Annang it goes to Ikono and Ini. If that is what it is then it is not a problem because you are talking about ethnic groups. When Oro people say they want the seat, they are qualified. Oro people are entitled to ask for governorship. But the reality of the situation in our own senatorial district is simple. Ikot Abasi had 8 years in the Senate, Eket had 8 years in the senate, Oron is going to have its own turn now. It just happens that when they want to have the 8 years of the senate the governorship also falls due for Eket Senatorial District. The question is, can you give Oron the senate and governorship at the same time? It is not a question for me to answer. It is a question for the whole state to answer. I insist that Oro nation is qualified to present governorship candidates. But whether that will enable them win or lose both is a thing I do not know.
There is so much animosity among the people of the major ethnic groups in the state, especially between the Annang and Ibibios. There is a certain report in media that an Ibibio lawmaker was assaulted in Annang land. How would you reduce the hate among the people of the ethnic groups in the state if you become governor?
One of my greatest embarrassments is the extent to which our state has been polarized along tribal lines. That is why I don’t want to talk about it when it comes to contesting election. Because what is giving us this problem is Annang people-Oron people, Annang people-Eket people, Ibibio people-Annang people. That is what is causing all these problems. Everybody sees himself not in terms of political divide but in terms of tribal divide. What is the difference between us fighting in religious divides and tribal divides? What is the difference? It is very unfortunate. A leadership that recognizes the constitution as a basis for managing the state can never fall into the kind of problem we have fallen in to. You must not look at a person in terms of where he comes from, otherwise you will achieve nothing. His tribal lineage is not his fault. Where he was born cannot be attributed to him. So you cannot blame him for coming from a particular place. So why fight on that basis? I heard the story; it is unfortunate if it is true. I hope the governor can resolve this issue as fast as possible. But what I intend to do to resolve this issue is to treat everybody with respect and honour where we come from. At this moment that is not what we have. We have somebody who plays god against those who are infidels and subjects. We are not subjects. We are individuals in the republican state. And when you want to play god in that kind of a situation you should not look at the consequences in the state, you also go back and read Daniel. When you read the book of Daniel you will see how Nebuchadnezzar ended up. He was one of the strongest and most powerful kings but see how he ended up because he wanted to play god.
Will you go for an Ibibio or Oron deputy?
I will not go for an Ibibio, or Oron or Annang deputy. I will go for a deputy from another senatorial district. That is what I’ve always said. We have it in our heads. We are talking about clans, villages, tribes, the constitution does not recognize that. The constitution recognizes political delineations. In the state it is senatorial districts and federal constituencies. If you ask me if I will go for a deputy from Uyo or Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District I will answer you. But if you ask me will you go for an Ibibio or Annang deputy I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t see that in the constitution.
So will you pick a deputy from Uyo Senatorial District or Ikot Ekpene Senatorial?
I will tell you right away that I do not know the dynamics of the contest as it will be. Right now, if you look at the justice of the matter, a person from Eket should naturally pick a person from Uyo as the deputy governor. Deputy Governor should come from Uyo Senatorial District where a person from Eket Senatorial District is the governor. Because Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District has had 8 years of deputy governorship and 8 years of governorship. Uyo has had 8 years of governorship and they have never had a deputy governor.
The National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur visited you here in Moscow some days ago. What is your relationship with him and will it play a role in your emergence as the governorship flagbearer of the party in Akwa Ibom State?
The relationship I have with Alhaji Bamangar Tukur is the relationship you have with him, the relationship all members of the PDP (if you are) have with him. He is the father of the party. I know him just like you do. We invited him as the President of the African Business Roundtable and he honoured our invitation to be the guest speaker at the Nigeria/Russia Business and Investment Forum. This is to douse all speculations that may arise as a result of him being here. Will that relationship play a role in my quest for the governorship? The relationship we have is that of party chairman and member. What will determine who becomes the governor is the primaries that will be held in Akwa Ibom and Bamangar Tukur will not be there. We will have to hold primaries and nominate our governorship candidate and the national chairman will not be there. That arrangement will only be organized by the party like in every other state of the federation that will have its nomination in November 2014.
If you don’t get the PDP ticket, will there be war?
Why should there be war? I’m a democrat. I believe in the right for every one to fight for his own right. But the process must be transparent. If the process is not transparent that is when the war will come. But if we all go into the hall, and there is voting and I lose, it is a different matter. I’ll walk away. I’ve lost elections before and I walked away because they were transparent. The people went there and expressed their views, that’s all. But if you win and somebody tries to do something they call mago mago, then there will be war. That is where the war is. The war is not in terms of using machine guns or machetes, but we will take on who ever says he has won to determine whether he indeed enjoyed the support of the people. I ask for a transparent process. Just like when the Russian chapter of the party met the national chairman, he assured everybody that the process will be transparent.
When are you going to retire from politics?
When I went to the House of Reps in 1983 I was 29 years old. I married at 24 and I have 6 grand children now. Most of my age mates don’t even have children, some are not even married. I have enjoyed my life. When I feel tired I will retire because I’m not employed by anybody. But in politics you must continue to feel relevant and make yourself relevant at all ages until you die. Even after you die if you were a good politician people will still use your name to do politics. Look at Awolowo. Has he died? People are still doing election and campaigning with his name. So even when you have died, as far as you were relevant and you served your people well you will continue to be relevant. So in politics, there is no end to this business.
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Courtesy: Community Pulse

First off, the notion that semen has the ability to whiten teeth is no more than a myth. The average volume of semen produced at ejaculation is two to five milliliters. Sperm only constitutes one percent of the entire male ejaculate. If swallowed, the semen will travel down the esophagus and into the stomach, where it will be digested with all other food consumed. Make sure to be careful, for the average speed of ejaculate during a male orgasm is twenty-eight miles per hour, according to the Kinsey Institute, so be prepared. Semen is full of protein, minerals like zinc and calcium, some fructose sugars and other nutrients. Semen varies widely in taste, mainly as a result of diet, has few calories and is perfectly safe to swallow if your partner has no sexually transmitted diseases or infections. The following organs in the male body produce individual fluids that constitute semen:

Swallowing semen may upset the stomach, but that does not necessarily mean it is a dangerous act; sexual norms vary from person to person. One person can be “turned on” by one sexual act, while another person can be completely “turned off” and repulsed by the same thing. Communication between partners is vital when it comes to swallowing semen. The gesture of swallowing semen is a sign of acceptance to some, but others do not think anything of it. There are many alternatives to swallowing semen, such as pulling the penis out of the mouth before ejaculation takes place, or spitting the semen out after ejaculation takes place. Simply do what makes you feel happy and pleasurable! Please check out this article regarding semen on our website

The table below depicts the respective sources/causes of different tasting ejaculates. The strongest indicator of what semen will taste like is in the individuals diet.

Clayton Udoh

It’s my petty fear of personal rejection that allows so many true evils to exist. My cowardice enables atrocities.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Damned.

The fact of the matter (Which may sound cliché) is that there is darkness and there is light. I do not care about the mechanizations of darkness, which insist that what is not right, must be the norm, for the sake of hungry cowards and bitch men.

If what you stand for is the manifestation of what is correct and the light, then state your position clearly and add your name to it. You are a coward when you hide behind pseudonyms and other things to protect your sinister, dark and satanic stand. You know its not right so you cannot stand by it; so you have to hide your identity as an affirmation of the bitch that you are.

It is a judgment, against a group of people that whenever the truth is being told, it is killed by people who form fake identities online and in the society.

The fake idea that the evil we see today in the society will go away is total fallacy. It will not because when you give Satan a mile he takes ten! So therefore free speech should never be muzzled by the Neanderthals. 

Let’s get one thing right, be it me, be it Uwem Sam, be it Ace Sampson and others that have evolved as true men to be able to attach our names to our stands let it be known for posterity that we are real. Not Jerry Peters or Arit Bassey (Anietie Ekong) and all the other bitch acts we have seen in the forums that cannot take another opposite view without resorting to the ultimate level of cowardice. Here me out, I have passed the stage in which I am afraid of being ridiculed or killed. The people’s suffering is beyond my own selfish desires.

Am I to be haunted by masks now?”
― Jean Lorrain, Monsieur De Phocas

The difference between us and the civilized societies of the world is our romance with the mask. From the mist of time we have been enamored by masks in which we hide or satanic whims from being identified with whom we truly are. From the Ekpo Masquerade cult to the present day kidnapper and the assassin to the compound idiot forming fake identities online or in the society for fear of revealing the identity behind the level of mental degradation spurred by hunger as an animal. They all have the same attributes; they hide their identities because they represent the lowest of the low. Very rarely, do we have people who can stand by what they say, with their true identities because there are a low number of them that really think straight!

I do not care if you like me or not, my argument is simple, if you cannot come out mano a mano with opinions and ideas but you capitalize on the cowardice of the people to hide and spew trash then let it be known to all and sundry that you are sub-human.

YOU CAN KILL THE MESSENGER BUT THE SEED-WORD WILL GERMINATE!!!!!!

I do not care if the Leech is from our tribe or not, or that they are your in-laws or not, when they slip we will call them out and it will anger you because the truth is not in you.

The year 2013, is the year that God designed for me, to show me how low men can go, in the name of survival. Meanwhile they have become so short-sighted that they refuse to see the futility of maintaining the status quo.

From Praise Worship, to the abandonment of rational thinking, to Begging for favor by making bitch news in an email forum, instead of opening your own news outfit. So many bitch news makers that you wonder who the Governor’s Press secretary is and who are the Commissioner’s Press Assistants? Who vets all these news sources?

So you spend a lifetime making bitch news and then will your children follow your example? Your Grandchildren? Your descendants?

Yeah, that a Commissioner whose portfolio has nothing to do with the building of Uyo Stadium, the picture of him standing in Manchester United’s dressing room is connected with how complex Uyo Stadium will be! I mean is there a limit to shoe licking worship transformed into bitch email news?

Look we have been accurate and still people insist on the primitive, then you wonder.

So where is AIDN today? Where are all the proposals, all you hungry Akwa Ibom men and women submitted to them? What did I say?
You all kept quiet, saying whatever happened to Clayton Udoh in Arizona will not happen to me. Yep, in the end, how many proposals went through ? It was all about greed, it did not matter if the person next to you got killed, if only yours can go through! It doesn’t matter if the people back home are suffering ,if you could only be called for a position in Uyo!

In the end. How many of you Akwa Ibom women were not properly laid because you wanted contract in Uyo? I mean married women!!! Husband’s looked the other way hoping Governor would call them.
Meanwhile Governor had no idea what happened because your hunger allowed junior boys to deceive you. I mean PAs (Personal Assistants).

I know people who borrowed money to fly to “Economic Summits” in Texas and they knew the fight itinerary of the Governor more than most of us here in the USA. What happened in the end?
You would see crowds following the Governor to the point of being restrained from following him into the Bathroom when he went to pee. What did you sub-humans get out of it ?

I enjoyed the movie called Akpabio’s administration. I mean, God brought you to America, you were doing well then you got distracted with the lure of easy looted government money. Some of you then started saying things and doing things that equate to the mentality of goats just for the sake of favor. A lot of you threw away the superior training and lines of thinking you knew just so that you may be favored. Finally nothing came out of it and rather you used your limited resources in chasing pipe dreams. Some of you are still silent, hoping not to offend anybody so that you will be called.

I have news for you, nobody is calling you. The political line back home is really long! Nor am I ready to swear on anything and later start selling stuff after eight years of being in power because I swore on something.

So when a brother over here is ready to spill the beans on the nonsense being perpetuated in the name of administration. The least you can do is to subdue the bitch who insist on destroying that brother for a system in which the artificial scarcity of funds we see today is maintained as the status quo. Things must change because I do not want my kids to come and kneel or praise any man no matter the tribe he comes from. Too many people are suffering for us to maintain the status quo.

I praised my teachers, Headmaster, Tutors, Principal, Parents and Church Authority. That’s enough for me and my descendants! No more!

We understand why you may need to act like a goat for survival. After all a true goat’s life is dedicated to whatever can lead to it stuffing leaves into its mouth. However those who think above that level of existence, have the right to show the populace the other side of the story and the atrocities that can be committed, when one is dedicated to sticking leaves into its mouth all day long!

Clayton Udoh
Mesa,AZ

Godswill Akpabio, the Akwa Ibom Maradona

Honestly,  I really don’t think Akoabio meant business when he tries to parade the  banker, Udom Emmanuel as his coming Mesiah, to take over from him as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Bishop Cletus Bassey

GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio has been told it is only God who knows who will become the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State come 2015. Speaking while giving benediction at the dedication of Kankima, daughter of Pastor Anietie Ukpe, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor at Insight Bible Church, the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Cletus Bassey, charged the Governor to relax and let God’s will be done again in 2015.

He specifically told the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, who was at the service to warn the Governor not to run from pillar to post in a bid to install a successor since the matter was beyond him. He said whatever would happen in 2015 was not in the Governor’s hands but in the hands of God. In her remarks, Mrs Akpabio had earlier said: “I don’t know about you but as for me the governorship of the state has been zoned to Eket Senatorial District,” but that it was annoying that some people think it is their birthright to occupy Government House, ostensibly making reference to the desires of people from Uyo Senatorial District to make the contest open. She called on people to support the government of the day and be patient that in a short while the tenure of her husdand will soon expire. In his homily, Pastor Sylvanus Ukafia, said parents should take proper care of their children and raise them in the fear of God.

Thailand’s opposition MPs to resign en masse, officials say, after weeks of protests aimed at forcing out government

Thai Protest

Thailand is currently engaged in another round of political brinksmanship. The instigators of the recent unrest are the latest incarnation of the anti-Thaksin movement that has been a constant feature of Thai politics since 2005. Often dressed in yellow shirts, the protesters, upset at the government’s attempts to pass a political amnesty bill, are demanding that the current government led by Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin Shinawatra’s sister, resign. The supporters of the current government (the Red Shirts) are have also taken to the streets in response.

The Yellow Shirts have tried these tactics before and succeeded in helping bring down governments on three other occasions (once with the help of the military and once with the assistance of the courts). Yet, they have been unable to translate this success to success at the ballot box. In every election held since 2001 the same group has achieved victory at the polls and returned to power—namely, the supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra and their various partisan incarnations (currently Pheu Thai).

The crux of the conflict is this. Thailand’s populous north and northeast have come to vote as a block for the party of Thaksin Shinawatra. As long as they do so, they are unbeatable at the polls.  The supporters of the largest opposition party, the Democrat Party, have been unable to effectively compete at the ballot box, and so instead have taken to the streets hoping to provoke military, judicial or royal intervention in their favor. To forestall future electoral defeats, leaders of the group have even called for replacing elected leaders with an unelected “People’s Council.”

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has suggested she might call for fresh elections, after the protesters go home, as one solution to the stalemate. If new elections are held, what would we expect the results to be? Would the Democrat Party be rewarded or punished for its very public connection to the recent protests?  Some leaders of the Democrat Party are also leaders in the anti-Thaksin movement and most Yellow Shirts are also supporters of the Democrat Party. However, not all Democrats support the Yellow Shirt movement. How will they responded to the party’s role in the recent uprising? More generally, how will other Thais — those of the opposing Pheu Thai party, as well as swing voters respond?

In a survey of voters prior to the 2011 elections we embedded an experiment designed to test how association with the Yellow or Red Shirt movement hurt or helped candidates for office. Among the interesting findings are the following:

1. Being involved in one of the two movements harms a candidate’s electoral prospects.This is true even for one’s own partisan voters. If party leaders involved in the protest are expecting greater support from their voters they are sorely mistaken. The blue bars in Figure 1 represent support for candidates who are not linked to either the Red or Yellow Shirt movement. The red and yellow bars represent support for candidates linked to the Red and Yellow Shirt movements respectively. Support for a candidate can range from 1 to 4, and we can see that candidates linked to the Red and Yellow Shirts experienced a significant reduction in support.

Support for a candidate linked to the Red and Yellow Shirts have experienced a significant reduction in support. (Figure: Allen Hicken and Joel Selway)

2. For undecided voters information that a candidate is linked to either the Red or Yellow Shirt movements significantly reduces voters’ support for that candidate, and it is Democrat candidates that suffer the biggest loss of voter support (Figure 2).

Information that a voter is linked to the Red or Yellow Shirt movement reduces support among undecided voters (Figure: Allen Hicken and Joel Selway)

3. Finally, the most electorally damaging circumstance for candidates is the combination of Red/Yellow Shirt involvement with rhetoric in support of the monarchy. This is particularly troubling for the Democrat Party since from its very founding the Yellow Shirt movement has used the protection of the monarchy as a pretext for many of its actions. This is interesting because even in these highly polarized times Thai voters exhibit a lot of underlying support for the monarchy. Holding other things constant, candidates who pledge their support for the monarchy are generally viewed more favorably than those who do not. However, when voters perceive a candidate to be both a fervent defender of the monarchy and a Yellow Shirt member, the support for that candidate drops. This is true even among Democrat voters (Figure 3).

If voters perceive a candidate to be both a fervent defender of the monarchy and a Yellow Shirt member, support for that candidate drops (Figure: Allen Hicken and Joel Selway)

It seems, then, that most voters take a dim view of candidates who are known to have links with the Yellow or Red Shirt movement, but they especially dislike candidates who claim to be protesting in defense of the monarchy. This does not auger well for the Democrats when the battle moves from the streets back to the ballot box.

By Kathlene Ekpeyoung

 Two female Senators -Messrs Helen Esuene (PDP Akwa Ibom South) and Aisha Al-Hassan (PDP Taraba North)- on Wednesday declared their ambition to contest the 2015 governorship election in their respective states.

They declared their intention at a joint news conference held at the National Assembly.

The Senators said they had decided to throw their hats into the race in their different states to complement the efforts men had been making over the years in the same capacity.

They also pledged to  ”bring about more impactful governance on citizens of the states as far as genuine development was concerned.”

Esuene said, “We are not saying we are better than men that have been occupying these positions over the years in the two states and infact across the 36 states of the federation.

“We are only saying as responsible women, we shall be less distracted in office like any of the men that had served in that capacity with attendant highly focused and development-driven governance.

“Our efforts would no doubt take our states to greater heights in all ramifications.

Al-Hassan, who attributed their successes in the Senate as female lawmakers to the Almighty God and the press,  solicited for more support from the press on their ambitions.

Kathlene Ekpeyoung
Lagos, Nigeria

Rt. Hon. Asuquo Darby

Hon Udo Darby Asuquo is a former member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly. He represented the people of Nsit Atai State constituency from 2007 to 2011 were he is popularly known for his active contributions in the floor of the House. He carved a niche for himself as the paramount ruler of the 4th Assembly which had Hon Anietie Etuk as the speaker. Darby Udo in this explosive interview spoke on the forthcoming 2015 general elections were he kicked against the Governor Godswill Akpabio’s intention to host a town hall meeting, he advised the people to prepare so that they stone the Governor with rotten eggs during any of such town hall meetings. He said there is no political leader in Nsit Atai and that if there is any, it is Maj. Gen Edet Akpan, rtd. Udo Darby took a hot swipe at Chief Sunny Elijah and described him as a pure illiterate who is not the political leader of Nsit Atai but parading himself as one. He spoke to JOSEPH OKON

You have been a council chairman and a member of the State House of Assembly, how was it then, and how is it now?

I am Rt. Hon. Elder Obong Asuquo Dabby Udo an Officer of the Order of Wesley (OOW); that is my title in the Methodist Church. I will say yes, I was a Council Chairman and I can also say no because there is much difference between being the chairman of a local government council and being the head of a council. There is a difference between the parliamentary and presidential system of government. That is why at the end of every month, they either give you enough money to pay workers salaries or the workers will lynch you for not being able to pay them at the end of the month. But be that as it may, sometimes I accept being a council chairman.

My advice to the youths who want to be politicians is that they should not go into politics behind a god-father, because when this happens, they may end up exiting the stage without having full knowledge of what politics is.

The reason is because the godfather will want to direct every step you take with little bribes, and you would not want to disobey him because of your position. But when you get into politics on your own, with the little you have, you will actually know the in and out of politics. That was how I entered into politics, and I thank God for that. I entered politics as a matured man, so I can affirm some situations and disagree on some. I am still in politics. I have been attending meetings and I am one of those who will work hard to ensure that somebody goes into the Hilltop Mansion come 2015. I would have been in the present Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly if we were to go through ballot boxes. If I was not deceived by the governor I would have been there. The present Governor called me and told me that I will not like to take appointment; so I should go and work to return back to the State House of Assembly. I was so happy and comfortable about that statement, but I never knew that it was a sort of deception, I was deceived. So, after spending money; running campaigns and preparing my grounds, my local government became a battle ground where blood was being spilled here and there. People were killed indiscriminately because there was another underlying plot against me apart from the initial deception. If you are a man of low integrity it will be very good with you because you will swallow all the dirty things you will be given in order to stuff your pocket with money. But if you are a man of integrity, you will stay and go with your statutory entitlement like what I did. I went with only my entitlement but that did not make me a beggar. There are two things involved; you submit your integrity to the government, accept everything being done whether it is good or bad and also share in the outcome or you stand your grounds and say no to those things which you are convinced should not be done. For example, in the first six months after our entrance into the House, the Deputy Speaker was to be impeached. Before a thing like this occurs, members of the House must meet and the appropriate steps must be taken. But then, the reverse was the case so I refused to be mobilized and stood my grounds with five others including the one who was to be impeached. We succeeded in disordering the House completely and sending people out.

It takes a brave heart to do what I did; it also takes integrity because in such trivial issue, you may be bribed with N2million. A money-inclined person may before collecting the money start calculating the number of luxuries he will acquire without thinking of the wrongness in the action. That is what is happening in government, but when you come out you may not be as functional as you were while there. This is because those at the helm of affairs know very well who you are and what you stand for; what you can do and what you cannot do and will not be comfortable with you because of your integrity. So they will do everything to see that you don’t come in, they can even kill you because they will look at you as a torn in their flesh.

And so what you have to do is to find a safe corner until the red color days are over. A time will come when you will resurface. People will like some of the things you do. If one comes to me now and tell me he/she wants to go to the National Assembly for Uyo Federal Constituency which I am a member, and by constitution, I should cast my vote during the primaries; I will simply look at the person and if I’m convinced that he/she will be able to properly represent me, I will agree and support the person till the very end. I will do everything unless the fellow retreats voluntarily. But if I see that the chances of such person succeeding are low, I will advise such to retreat. Or I will let him know that I’ll tow his boat whether it floats or sinks. I don’t say two things at a time. I say one thing at a time, and before I talk, I must think and look at it repeatedly. Else people will say oh! This man said this and that. So after leaving the State House of Assembly, I had to go into habitation pending the time the dangerous days will be over.

How was the State House of Assembly then when you were there?
I don’t normally compare issues of management or administration. The 4th Assembly I belonged to was to my own consideration perfect because there were men and women of integrity who were resolute on their decisions. For example, when we decided to remove the Speaker, everyone agreed. I was a member of a group called integrity group, we believed it was not good to impeach anybody, but it was good to remove somebody because impeachment in politics if it is taken serious, that means the person is taken away from politics. So when we decided to remove the speaker, within few hours we had 22 signatories. Soon His Excellency, Gov Akpabio called us and asked if we were sponsored, because sometime people are always sponsored, but we told him that it is our own free will that we want to remove this man for one reason or the other. He said, are you sure is not people sponsoring you? I told him nobody sponsored me, and so I have decided. So the House at that time was made up of people who would say they agree on a particular issue, no matter what you will do, no matter the intimidation or the offer, nobody will change but will see that the thing is done especially when it involves a situation that will be inimical to the progress of the State or the House of Assembly. So there was so much maturity in the House then.

I’m not comparing it with any other House, but all I’m saying is that there was so much maturity in the House as at when we were there to a point that we took personal decisions on issues, and the Governor saw the way we operated, so he cooperated with us. Never a time he will tell us this thing you do I don’t like it so don’t do it, no! He never interfered with anything we were dong but rather he will say please can you help in this situation? Like that case of removing the speaker, and we said no Your Excellency, we have taken a decision and cannot go back on it. He will ask the reasons, putting up the reasons to him he will then say well, there is no problem, and you can do what you have decided. So it was a House of maturity and honesty. That was because many of us in that House have already seen the other side of life before. Some of us were very senior people, some of us were very senior officers in banks, senior officers in government, senior officers in coporations and industries, and so we could do without any incentives to survive. Like myself, I was the first the chairman House Committee on Agriculture, I could have used that to go to ministries and parastatals to collect money, it did not take long I was moved to youth and sports, and there was a little bit of confusion, finally I was moved to information, just like that.
The House was a very good House; I wished a House like that could be transferred to another Assembly.

Will you say that the integrity of the House then still exist today?
Well, I don’t know because I’m not close to anybody in the House now, I don’t even know what they are doing.

Are you satisfied with what is going on today in Nsit Atai where you come from?
Well, satisfaction is a word that is very difficult to be used by me. Even in my house, what may satisfy me may not satisfy another person, so to bring a whole local government administration to say whether I am satisfied or not is not easy, I would not say I’m satisfied or not. In the Bible it was written that to everything there is a season and there is time for everything, might be what happened during my time is not happening now, so therefore to say I’m satisfied or I’m not satisfied is not fair.
During my time, the money which should have been given to local government was used at the State level to build those housing units that you see today in all the local government areas. So I was satisfied with that, even though I was not given the money to award contracts, and I was not even given one to build, but I knew that the money used was taken from the local government allocation. Also, when I was about leaving, I was satisfied that on completion of those buildings, some Federal Government Parastatals workers sent to the place will have place to be accommodated, and I’m very satisfied that today immigration officers are now having accommodation and other federal parastatals are also accommodated. Even sub-treasury is now occupying one of the blocks, so I’m so satisfied that something was done during my time.
Apart from that, when I was there, anytime that we were given money to pay salaries and up to one million naira left, I will say let us open some few boreholes for people to enjoy water, because there was no money for us to do more things. We sent people to school, personally from my personal money and my personal purse; I think I still have some people who have not completed their higher institutions. From the time I left Nsit Atai council to the House of Assembly, I think I have sponsored up to 45 Nsit Atai indigenes in higher institutions pay up to N500, 000 every year. I was satisfied with what I did; I would not say I’m satisfied or not satisfied with what is happening today because I don’t know how much they are receiving.

Till I left, there was no excess crude, there was no subsidy, they calculated the money and send to us as parliamentarians, and so what I did I will still be satisfied until I leave this planet earth. I will never go and ask anybody what are you doing? How much are you getting? Because is like intruding into somebody’s administration. The person if he is a God-fearing person will know that the money sent to local government is to use and develop the local government, and not for his or her personal use. We have all that should come to us constitutionally; it is written there in black and white that you should have this and that, after all what were you before? All this money is to be used and develop the place and yourself, not to take it to somewhere and dump it. If you steal the money and run away, you will come back, and the place will still be there. One day that money will finish and you will return to who you were. If you steal and keep so that your children will not come and suffer, you are keeping them for vagabonds.

The experiences we have should tell us that the hardest working families are not the richest families. When you come to swim in wealth, you don’t think, your mind is not thinking of anything because you need Y, is there, you need M, is there, so what will you think about? You will not be able to do anything because all you need is there; all you have to do is to scatter. I have not seen any family with all this accumulation of wealth that their children and grandchildren are doing better than the other ordinary man. So if people collect so much and they don’t use it for the benefit of the people, they will be answerable to the Almighty God.

Will you say that the performance of the present administration in Nsit Atai has commiserated with the income of the council?
Mr. Journalist, I have said before that I don’t compare administrations. I don’t even look at what they are doing; when I enter my car to go to Nsit Atai I don’t even look at what is happening. Zebudiaha said some have food but cannot eat; some can eat but don’t have food. I have and I can eat. I used to have cars but now my children have collected all and they are driving them now which means I’m eating what I have.

When I enter my car to Nsit Atai, I will go straight to my house. I build that house when I was 33 years old, is a very old building. I use to work very hard during the world war time, I used to go to Cameron that time I was 23, 24, 25 years, I was very healthy and could do hard work. I don’t look at whether there is road or no road in Nsit Atai or there is building or no building. If the chairman calls me for something, I can go and listen to all the talks, no question! After that I go away because if you are invited to attain anything in your community and you don’t go, people will begin to look at you as somebody who is opposed to the community. So I don’t ask, I don’t look at what has happened or ask question about what is happening. I don’t know what ALGON is doing because ALGON has so much to do with the running of local government councils. The short period I was there, the Nigerian grassroots PDP at Abuja called me and gave me an award of excellent performance even though there was no money after the fifty units housing has been completed, and the other little things I did. So I will always feel satisfied over what I did.

You said you are still in active politics, based on the fact that you left PDP and joined LP in 2011, are you now in Labour Party or you have returned to PDP?
My people still regard me as the leader of PDP in Nsit Atai, they asked me to come back. The only people who may not be happy are the foreigners who have come into the party and are trying to do one thing or the other which is not good with the party. I’m one of the founding fathers of PDP in Nigeria. Till today, if anything is happening at the National, they will send me a text message and sometimes seek for my opinion. The present way the affairs of the party are run is outside the aims and objectives of the founding fathers. We were not to use guns, PDP was not to intimidate but allow a free and fair contest. I have contested election as a chairman of council which they said head of council, I have contested election into the House of Assembly under PDP platform. In those days, the materials for the primaries to those elections were all brought out and we all sat and watch, your agents will all sit there while people vote, after that papers will be brought and counted, if you win, you shake hands and embrace each other and go away. That was for the chairmanship, for the House of Assembly, I had eleven contestants, we were all there and your people will vote for you, and at the end the ballot papers were counted, out of the eleven, I got a little over half of the total votes, so there was no re-run and I was declared the winner, all the other contestants went away. But after the 2006 primaries which brought us into House of Assembly in 2007, everything about PDP changed. Chapter Executives of the party were announced at the Government House, nominations for any election, names will be called.

The reason I went to Labour Party was to test my popularity. The governor had called me at Ukana and said to me if I give you appointment you will not like to take, therefore go and work, I will give a level playing ground to everybody, so work for your re-election. I went back, not that I had so much money from the government, not that the House of Assembly was so rich to provide for somebody like me who was the chairman of integrity group. There was nothing for the leader of that group. Nothing could come to me because they looked at me as opposition and I say okay, thank you. I went and put everything in place ready to win the election. When it was time for primaries, materials were not brought, we did not see anything. After that, the next day somebody’s name was announced. Since I had people, and God knows if they had allowed the materials to come to Nsit Atai, no matter the party I contested the election, I would have won. God knows that. Nsit Atai youths and elders asked me to move to another party, that was why I left.

During the election day, they saw that if materials will come to Nsit Atai I will win, they did not send any material, instead of sending materials they rather send one man called Fabian Ambrose who was equipped with a bus loaded with arms and ammunitions to destroy Nsit Atai even if there was election and some other person from another party win, should blow off the INEC office with the people inside. He was apprehended by the Soldiers when he was trying to drive towards the INEC office for checking. The boy told the Soldiers that what he was carrying was known by the government, and because everybody who was working during the election was pro-government, the Soldiers said well! We don’t arrest, they called in police who came in and took the boy away who started pleading. They took him to John Harry who was the commissioner for environment then, the police told the commissioner that this boy told us that you equipped him with all this things. The commissioner seeing that it will rubbish the government, told the police to kill that boy, so that boy was killed by the police.

The DPO made no report to Ikot Akpan Abia, after two days it was known at Ikot Akpan Abia. The DPO was invited and was detained for 2 days. The four policemen who were with the DPO were also detained for weeks, later they said they are sending them to zone 6 to go and stand trials, up till today, nobody has heard anything about that. That means they were released after killing somebody. So many things were done during that election which chilled my blood, all in the name of going to be there. Somebody like Prince Sunny Elijah was arrested with a car load of arms and ammunitions, and was detained for 3 hours at the police station and after that released to terrorize people. Any place they took materials to like Ikot Essien, there was a serious fight while that of Ikot Edebe was completely burnt. There were so many problems during that election, but at the end, names of people were read as winners, so I went to Labour party on the grounds that my people, men and women swore that if materials will be brought I will win, and if they had brought materials I would have won. After that I did not want to waste my time in going to court, it was only Prince Sunny Osom that went to court. I went to Labour Party to oppose undemocratic ways of ruling the State by the PDP. I wrote a letter to my ward chairman that I am back in the party, so I’m still a PDP man. I brought PDP to Nsit Atai and spent my money to run the party at Nsit Atai.

Have you been admitted back?
What kind of admission? All I know is that I have sent them a letter that I’m back in the party so I remain a PDP man. We were 43 who signed memorandum of understanding and sent to G34 for the party to emerged, Attah signed first, Idongesit Udokpo second, and then I signed third, so you cannot tell me about any admission. There were many of us who went out, what about Emman Obot? Emman Obot went out and now he is back in the party.

Are you in support of zoning or not?
There has never been zoning in Akwa Ibom State; I came fully into politics since 1996. Before then I used to work as a presiding officer, Infact there was one local government election when I was at Uruan as a returning officer. I came into active politics in 1996. During 1996 election, I was a member of the center party which was one of the most prominent parties in Nigeria.
The question of governorship was so heated, and the battle was so tears to a point that we had camps. Some of us were standing firmly beside Attah. I can remember once he was called at Etiebet’s house at Ewet Housing, and he was asked why he has declared himself the governorship candidate, so many of us who were behind him said if this House will be broken we will break it down. Attah told them that if he knew that he was called to explain things in a kangaroo court like that he would not have come. He immediately came out and we cheered him away before the whole thing collapsed.

When we started the PDP, Attah was not the only candidate. There were candidates from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and Eket Senatorial District who contested the election, but he emerged. The positions in Akwa Ibom politics is always like this; when a governor emerges, we now know where the speaker of the State House of Assembly will go to, and the deputy governor. That involves zoning, and not the governorship. Even when Akpabio came out to contest, up to 56 other aspirants came out, prominently in my mind is Larry Esin from Oron which is Eket Senatorial District and many others from Uyo Senatorial District. We worked, personally like me I was very interested in supporting Akpabio because I thought Akpabio was going to be a leader; I worked very hard on the day of the primaries. I was outside the Ibom Hall trying to lobby and buy people to support Akpabio, while people like Enoidem, Monday Uko were inside the Ibom Hall trying to mobilize for Udoma. I stood outside to mobilize people before they go in. Let me tell you that it was not on the platter of gold, we put in money, even the security people who were there also helped us to mobilize. The campaign Akpabio and others did was consolidated at the entrance of Ibom Hall.

I had a huge sum of money in my pocket, people called me names but I did not mind because I had a problem with Attah’s group and decided to leave that group. When we went the first day for the candidate to be presented, I was ignobly treated, and when I left, I said well, I will join another group. So I decided to work very hard to ensure that Akpabio wins that primary. Like I’m going to work when we begin, I’m not sick, I still have my strength and strategies to deliver except they don’t stay one place and call names. I know the strategies that I’m going to use. So at the end of the day when ballot papers were counted, Akpabio won.

The matter of zoning has not been accepted in this State. Nobody will tell me that, because if it has been accepted, even in my local government, we have Afaha, Ibiaikot, and Ibedu. If it is Ibiaikot man like the present person, who is on seat, by the time of election, it is only Ibiaikot people that will fill forms as chairman, nobody from Afaha, nobody from Ibedu. That is zoning or rotational changes, but a situation where the 2015 local government election in my area which suppose to be Ibedu turn, when Ibedu man will complete the form, Afaha man will not, Ibiaikot man will not, even 100 Ibedu people are permitted to, that is what is called zoning. But if in this Akwa Ibom, like Akpabio was, people from Uyo Senatorial District completed forms to contest and was accepted by the party, and they contested. People from Eket Senatorial District contested, will you call that zoning? There was no zoning; we only shared other political posts which are not by election. You will be elected somewhere for another post but it will be given to you not that another person from another local government will come to contest.

Nobody has ever contested the position of the deputy governor, like Akpabio has done, all deputy governors are suppose to come from Eket Senatorial District and all speakers are suppose to come from Uyo Senatorial District. Should Uyo be the governor like Attah was, the speaker will come from Eket Senatorial District while the deputy governor comes from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District; that is a mere distribution and not contested for. Nobody will ask you to come and contest as deputy governor or the speaker of the State House of Assembly. When you finish your election as House member, you will be selected because it comes to your own senatorial district. It is only the position of the governor that is always contested for. I have never, ever known that Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District did not contest when Attah was contesting, Eket Senatorial District did not contest when Attah was a candidate. Equally too when Akpabio was a candidate; so whoever talks about zoning should come and prove to me that it is only one senatorial district that would contest governor exclusive of others. You see my stand? So, I will work with whoever I see is credible, maybe when he goes there the credibility as am thinking will change, but he must look credible, then apart from credibility he must have some atoms of leadership. Truth must be seen in such a person though I know he can later become a mirage like Akpabio.

Are you contesting any political office come 2015?
The only office I will like to contest is the governorship. I will like to be the governor of this State so that I can keep things right. If I become the governor of this State, all elections will be conducted following the constitutional laid down principles. Even if you are my son, I will not ask you to go and be there. I will ask you to contest; when you win you will know that you were send there by people. You asked if the local government is doing well or not.
Local government can stop doing well because nobody from the local government voted for the chairman. Let them bring the result that this one scored this and that one scored that so that is why this one is declared the winner.

Before now, the result of elections where always presented before the declaration of the winner, and people will see that this or that party scored this number of votes, and that is why this person of this party is declared the winner. Not saying that this man of PDP got so many votes and is declared the winner, was such thing done before in this Akwa Ibom? Did you see it? See, I really will like to be the governor of this State, and I will change things around. In terms of development, I will do common things. I will never do uncommon things. I’m telling you that I will do very common things, and after doing the common things you will come and see what the State will be. I was a school principal, and I used to do very common things. That was why sometimes when they want to transfer me people will say no! I will tell them I have stayed here for a long time, let me go, and I have been doing very common things. So this time where things are very uncommon, I pray that somebody should come to Akwa Ibom and do common things for common Akwa Ibom people. I will be working for somebody and not for myself. I have a very good relationship with politicians in my local government, there are many people that when I will say let us go this way they will be ready to go with me. The only problem I’m thinking is the problem of primaries.

Who is now the political leader of Nsit Atai?
I don’t know if there is anybody like that. Few years ago they said they were going round selecting what they called “political leaders” in all the local government areas. It did seem to me that major General Edet Akpan would have been selected, but some people swore that over their dead bodies it will not happen. On Sunday breaking Monday that the party was to come to Nsit Atai, somebody was kidnapped, people were killed in the church, and since then I have not heard of appointment of a political leader again. But for Sunny Elijah who claimed to be the political leader of Nsit Atai, I don’t know what qualities that could make him the political leader. I don’t know because educationally he has never pass primary six. Intellectually, he is pure an illiterate. Except everybody in this State will accept the fact that Mbiam is the political leader of Nsit Atai. Because of him, everybody in Nsit Atai politics is about Mbiam. So if Mbiam is the political leader of Nsit Atai, God will help us because I cannot accept that. There is no political leader in Nsit Atai, whoever that says he is the political leader of Nsit Atai let him come out and organize people let us see, not because of money.

If I drive with you to Nsit Atai now, you will see exactly what can make somebody a political leader. I don’t want to declare myself the political leader of Nsit Atai. If I come out in Nsit Atai and say I’m going to lead you as a politician, at least 75 percent of politicians in Nsit Atai will stand behind me because they know; first, I will tell them the truth, I will be very sincere, if I have anything to share, I will give to everybody and all those things that will make somebody a leader. I will never ask you to swear before I give you anything. Many people are dying in Nist Atai because of Mbaim. I’m not joking; two weeks ago I was told that somebody died because of Mbiam. There is no political leader in Nsit Atai, if somebody declares himself a political leader carrying Mbiam here and there to kill people, leadership does not involve a decision to kill. Leadership as I know is ability to live with people, and people feel what comes out of you and your ability to get people to yourself without asking them to come and swear an oath that will kill you. That is what is happening in Nsit Atai.

Are you in support of the proposed town hall meeting by the Governor to choose the next governor?
Let him not do what the Student Union used to do. They will put somebody there, so during question time if you lift up your hand and you were not the person they put they will not allow you to speak and will call another person, so let it not be that kind of a thing. What I can say is that the idea is utopia, is not workable. If he wants to go round and say thank you to people, you did well to elect me, which is okay. But for him to say he want to go round and ask people to select who should be the next governor or present his own candidate to people is not practicable. We are in a democratic dispensation, a democratic period. What the Governor should do is to allow contestants to go on their campaign, when it is time for primaries allow people to go in and vote, whoever wins takes it. I find it difficult to picture what he is trying to do. If it were in Europe or America, you know it is a free society; somebody would have prepared a rotten egg so that when he gets up to speak, somebody will stone the rotten egg on his face. That is what is good for him in such gathering. That is stupidity. If I will know when he is starting, I will go and tell my people to insist that they want me for governorship. There is nothing good in that type of idea, you know the Governor is a window dressing person; he wants to go round showing himself. If I know when he will be coming to Nsit Atai I will love to be there if he will allow me to speak.

After, I will love to ask him a question to tell me where he is getting the example from. People used to say cogent experience, where has such thing been done before?

Culled From INK Newspaper

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Dapo Akinrefon, Peter Duru, & Bashir Adefaka

*Obasanjo to VANGUARD: “You’re bloody idiots”

*Iyabo confirms letter; flays denials on social media

LAGOS — With echoes of the open letter to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from his daughter, Iyabo, reverberating nationwide, the daughter yesterday gave reasons she gave up on her father ever changing.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo spoke against the background of mixed reactions from Yoruba elders and politicians on the import of the letter which she said was the last communication with her father.

The former president himself was furious when approached by Vanguard, yesterday, as he hurled invectives at the newspaper. The exchange between Vanguard and the former president ran thus:

Vanguard: Sir, we tried reaching you all through yesterday, to no avail, over the letter written by your daughter, Iyabo, to you.
Chief Obasanjo: You are a bloody idiot, you have published the paper and you are now looking for me, you are an idiot, don’t call me again. When Iyabo finishes you in court…. (hangs up).

Senator Obasanjo nevertheless flayed the orchestrated attempt in the social media by a network of associates of her father to separate her from the letter.

Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, who was cited in the letter, confirmed the meeting between him and Iyabo in Massachusetts, United States but distanced himself from the plot allegedly cited by her father to empower her with the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC for the next round of elections.

Besides, Aremo Osoba, several prominent Yoruba elders spoke on the development among whom were Afenifere leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti, Afenifere bigwig, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Hon. Femi Kehinde, a former member of the House of Representatives.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo had written an open letter to her father accusing him of being a liar, manipulator, wife-basher and hypocrite who was desperate for a third term despite his denials to the contrary.

Following the hoopla over her letter,Iyabo spoke severally to Vanguard, yesterday. Asked to respond to claims that she had denied the authorship of the letter written to her father, Iyabo, who holds a doctorate in epidemology and now resident in the United States, said:

“No, no, no, that is not true. How can you live by social media? That is part of the problem with Nigeria, people want to be flying rumours. I have not told anybody o! It is early morning here and I just woke up and if I were you I would just ignore them,” Senator Obasanjo said.

“People are calling me and telling me that they called Baba but if I say I am not talking to someone (her father), how can you say you called the person and the person will tell you what is on my mind?” she asked

Details later…

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/gave-dad-iyabo-obasanjo/#sthash.WjXSh1Y2.dpuf