Christmas: Udom urges politicians to shun violent

 

Governor of Akwa Ibom state, His Excellency, Mr Udom G. Emmanuel making his broadcast speech on 25th Dec, 2022

By Theresa Don, Uyo

Akwa Ibom state governor, His excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel has called on the political class, leaders  and stakeholders to shun violent and conduct themselves during the transition period with utmost decency and circumspection.

In his Christmas broadcast yesterday in Uyo, Gov. Emmanuel  cautioned politicians not to burn down the homes they had built, and ignite violence through the words of their mouth.

According to him: “I call on our political class and stakeholders to conduct themselves during this period of transition with utmost decency and circumspection. Leadership demands of us a certain display of wisdom and tact.

"Leaders, don’t burn down the homes they had built, leaders don’t ignite violence through the words of their mouth. Leaders don’t engage in peddling falsehood and misinformation, neither do they deploy violence as a means of getting elected into political offices.

"Leaders do not attack and insult the very institution and the symbol they aspire to represent. Leaders should and must understand that the cords of our unity, of brotherhood and of our common patrimony remain enduring and rock-solid, and that political foes you know today may be allies tomorrow.

“As we get ready to elect our new set of leaders, I urge our people to know that, that same God who granted us a State, 35 years ago, with dusty streets and thatched roofed houses sandwiched between a number of concrete structures, a State where the aspiration of some of our people was to go to Lagos and elsewhere and be domestic workers and gatekeepers, has done Supreme things in our lives”

"The Governor who noted that the 2022 Christmas broadcast is the last he would present as a governor, thanked Akwa Ibom people for their kind prayers, support, constructive criticism, and for the love they have shown him, since they gave him the mandate to lead them, in 2015.

He advised them to leverage on the achievements recorded by his administration especially in the Aviation, Education, Healthcare, infrastructure and Security sectors.

"Today, I can raise my hands to the Heavens and say to the Almighty God, thank you for what you have done for us. Today, in aviation industry, Akwa Ibom State leads the nation with Ibom Air.

“Over a thousand jobs have been created for our people through Ibom Air and our coordinated aviation development- the Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) the smartest international Terminal in the nation are testaments to vision and creativity.

“We must protect these achievements, leverage on them and continue the building blocks rather than destroy them. We give God Almighty the glory for His love, guidance, protection, grace and blessings to us as individuals and to our dear State in the year that is about to come to an end.

“We definitely have a lot to thank Him for. This speech is not one for our scorecard. Our scorecard is nationally known and locally appreciated. And this scorecard, is the reason why there must be continuity so we don’t turn back the clock of development and growth of our State.

“This season is one of love, of giving and of hope. Let us offer a hand to lift up those who may be at the lowest rungs of life’s ladder, let us give them a reason to be cheerful and hopeful .

"If you have been blessed, please reach out to your kindred in need and show love as the season of the birth of our Saviour demonstrates.

“As I get ready to brace the tape, I do so, with a heart of gratitude to you my dear people, a grateful heart to the One who made all these possible through His only Begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, whose Birth, we are today celebrating”, the governor added.

ESD 2023: Group, Mkpat Enin people drums support for Ekong Sampson, chides former works boss for allege interference

 

By  freshgist

A political group under the aegis of MKPAT ENIN UNITY NETWORK , and representatives of Mkpat Enin people have declared their total support for the former commissioner for environment and mineral resources, Rt. Hon. Barr Ekong Sampson PhD, People Democratic Party candidate for Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district.

The group also chided governor Emmanuel's former aid, Akparawa ephraim inyang-eyen for what they described as  "malaria-induced dream of endorsement for senate by mkpat enin stake holders, added that such endorsement was dead on arrival as Mkpat Enin people have come out in numbers to openly reject the former Works Commissioner over his 'call to lawlessness ambition'.

In a Press Release signed by the National Coordinator of Mkpat Enin Unity Network, Dr Akpabio Akpabio, Chapter Coordinator, Hon. Joe Akpan, General Secretary, Barr. Ebeute Ebeute and Director Public Affairs, Hon. Mbat Udoinyang, the group frowned at Mr Inyang-eyen's desperation for power, noted that the Senate seat in Eket Senatorial District has been zoned to Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency and Mkpat Enin Local Government Area in particular.

The statement read in parts:

"Ephraim Inyang is insulting Mkpat Enin people and indeed, Akwa Ibom South people by struggling the Senate seat with Mkpat Enin out of his sheer greed and sense of ingratitude. Mkpat Enin is the vote basket of PDP and has for decades, put in so much for the Akwa Ibom Project. We do not deserve this kind of insult from the likes of Ephraim Inyang and his sponsored clowns. Indeed, Ephraim is acting like a conscienceless ingrate, lawless opportunist and power desperado by attacking the well-established Senate zoning arrangement in Akwa Ibom South.

" Ephraim Inyang-eyen is from Onna Local Government Area in Eket Federal Constituency who had already taken their turns in the Senate. Ephraim Inyang-eyen was in the meetings that the decision was taken that after all the three federal constituencies in Akwa Ibom South had taken their turns in the Senate, the baton should return to Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency where it began.

 

"Mkpat Enin people are solidly behind the candidacy of Barr. Ekong Sampson, noting that it was appropriate for the rotation of the Senate seat which started from Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency and later moved to Eket and then to Oron Federal constituencies, to come back to Ikot Abasi Federal constituency – specifically to Mkpat Enin. Even other political parties have brought out their senatorial candidates from Mkpat Enin out of the zoning arrangement. But Ephraim Inyang will not hear of this, typical of a lawless behavior.

"Mkpat Enin people wonder what Mr. Inyang-eyen would be remembered for, when he adamantly said that some major roads in Mkpat Enin have no economic value and refused to push for their construction in the area during his tenure as Commissioner for Works. No indigene of Mkpat Enin can point to any meaningful empowerment from him.

"Mkpat Enin local government area has a mature political culture and knows how to appreciate leaders unlike Ephraim Inyang-eyen whose lifestyle is characterized by a sense of ingratitude exemplified in his rudeness and insult which he has constantly meted out to the State Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, a man who gave him a life-turning podium to climb and stand on. And we ask, like others, why is Ephraim Inyang telling lies and trying to incite the public against Governor Udom Emmanuel, who helped him? Is this not the same way Ephraim Inyang wants to payback Akwa Ibom South people, given the fact that an ingrate has no conscience and can easily bite the finger that fed him?" the statement questioned, rhetorically.

"People who are supporting Dr. Ekong Sampson and Mkpat Enin are people with conscience and respect for law and order. They respect the benefits of zoning. They also appreciate that Ekong Sampson worked in the Senate before he became Local Government Chairman, House of Assembly Member and Commissioner. These people respect Mkpat Enin as a Local Government Area. They respect zoning, experience, capacity and character which favour Ekong Sampson for Senate.

"No amount of blackmail, sponsored twisted propaganda, attempts to divert and curry public sympathy and sheer lawlessness, can make Ephraim Inyang usurp the turn of Mkpat Enin for Senate. For purpose of emphasis, Mkpat Enin stands like the rock of Gibraltar behind Gov. Udom Emmanuel and will support him to the end of his administration and to produce his successor, Pastor Umo Eno who is proudly married to our great daughter, Pastor (Mrs) Umo Eno. Enough is enough.

Mkpat Enin people re-echoed their unwavering support for Governor Udom Emmanuel and Completion Agenda and Succession Plan, saying they were going to vote for their proud in-law, Pastor Umo Eno and all the PDP candidates.

The statement reaffirmed the position of Mkpat Enin people and that of the entire Akwa Ibom South, saying they were solidly behind the candidacy of Dr. Ekong Sampson.

2023 Election: A'Ibom govt, USAID S2S activities lists modalities to curb, mitigates conflicts.

 By Freshgist

The State2state Team Lead (STL), Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Borve Paago-Imabel, presenting his welcome address

Ahead of the 2023 general election, The Akwa Ibom state government in partnership with United States Agency for International Development ( USAID)- State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness, (State2State) Activity have recently listed some modalities on how to prevent and mitigeate conflicts.

 During  a 2 Day quarterly dialogue on conflict prevention and mitigation, Rosemohr hotel, Uyo, the State capital, the State2state Team Lead (STL) Mr. Borve Paago-Imabel in his opening remark disclosed that  while working to increase responsiveness of citizen priorities, S2S activities also have the mandate to improve stakeholders capacity to manage societal conflict through prevention, mitigation and reconciliation.

He posited that the aim of  the dialogue was designed to facilitate inclusive and responsive multi-stakeholder analysis of identified hot spots of electoral violence in Akwa Ibom state, and identify likely impact of electoral violence on political and socio-economic peace and stability.

Paago-Imabel said its partnership with the stakeholders was to design an electoral violence prevention strategy including action plan to prevent and mitigate the impact of electoral violence in the state and follow up action plans.

Director of Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Very Fr. John O. Ebebe during his paper presentation.

In his keynote address, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Ini Ememobong lauded USAID, State2State Activity  for what he described as a timely response dialogue against the 2023 general election.

Ememobong who was represented by a Director of his Ministry, Mrs. Grace Akpan, advocated for the use of emotional intelligence, the principle of the 4-way test, in addition to creating an Early Warning System (EWS) during electioneering.

According to him, “This EWS can either be an independent agency or a unit in INEC, which monitors the political space and identifies triggers of conflict and issues public warnings to and sanctions against the culprits. This will serve as a discalation technique that prevents full blown conflict. This agency or unit must be manned by people of impeccable character who are knowledgeable in conflict dynamics.”

He added that general elections must be taken very seriously, since every other development within a democracy is rooted in elections. 

In his words, “When democracy shakes, no sectoral foundation can be stable- which is why political scientists postulate that the worst democracy is better than the best dictatorship. 

“The ballot is the source of authority of our elected officials and therefore must be undertaken without fear and coercion. Pre and post election conflict must be consciously prevented by everyone concerned with the entire process. The players must adopt FairPlay as a principle while the umpire must make transparency their foundation, navies conflict in election sprouts when there is a suspicion of unfair play-field or attempts at rigging.

Ememobong also disclosed the use of Rotary four way-test as modality to a good communication strategy to prevent and mitigate conflict during campaigns for general elections.

He urged politicians to be more carefully with their utterances, avoiding in total the use of hate- speeches

"Conflict can be avoided if we apply the communication techniques  to our realities, eg, if politicians during their campaigns use their anger to scold as a yard stick to measure provocative speeches, they will be more carefully with their utterances , that if what they intended to say about another candidate was said to them, they will be anger enough to react. If they also use the Rotory four wheel test to asked themselves questions like; "what I'm about to say, Is it the truth?, is it fair to all?, will it build goodwill and better friendship to all? Will it be beneficial to all concern?

"Then their communication will not be based on personal attacks, I have chosen to dwell on communications because of it's numerous ability to cause conflagration  in unimaginable proportion and can also be  used resolve conflicts.

"So if we get our communication right, then conflicts will be prevented.

"Let me thank USAID, S2S activities for organizing this event at this critical time, I must say that this dialogue is timely.

In his speech,  the Head of Operations, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Vincent commended State2State for the dialogue noting that outcome of the dialogue will enhance their work.

He added “Election violence is peculiar to democracy even in advanced societies. However, the more we practice democracy, the better we are. What causes electoral violence is that our politicians have not found their root of convergence which is public interest.

” We are glad that there is a new sheriff in town, Biometric Voter Accreditation System ( BVAS). It makes the polling unit the centre of the universe. Power has returned to the street and politicians have been handicapped.

The event also had a presentation from the Director of Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Very Fr. John O. Ebebe on “Contextual Understanding of the Conflict Environment. (Inclusive Multi-Stakeholder Identification and Mapping of Electoral Violence Hot Spots)

Other dignitaries who graced the events were officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), youth leaders, Persons Living with disability, Religious leaders, Government officials, Civil Society Organisations, the Media among other stakeholders put heads together to fashion out possible cause of election conflicts in Akwa Ibom State and how to prevent or mitigate it.