A former Speaker of the second Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a vote-of-no confidence on Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel over what he described as poor performance in governance.
Mr. Bassey Essien, who was the first speaker in the assembly that began from 1999, said “There is a fundamental change we must execute in Akwa Ibom State. If Udom Emmanuel had performed, all Esit Eket would have supported him.
‘’But we are unanimous in passing a vote-of-no confidence on his administration especially as it concerns Esit Eket. He has not performed and I challenge anyone to contradict me, Udom is not competent and efficient enough to run Akwa Ibom State.”
Essien, an All Progressives Congress, APC bigwig who spoke on Sunday, November 5, during a meeting of Esit Eket stakeholders in his country home said “In Esit Eket, we have a Gas Plant and conventional wisdom demands that you site companies close to sources of cheap power supply but his vision for Akwa Ibom says everything must be sited in Onna.
He, however, debunked erroneous belief of people seeing him as a political leader in the area, “Hosting or convening meetings should not be interpreted as a struggle to emerge a political leader in Esit Eket. The leader of Esit Eket is not in doubt and that is Barr. Bassey Dan Abia who has been an Attorney-General in the state, NDDC Commissioner, Chairman of a Federal Board and Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission. He is a father to all of us and his leadership status is not in dispute.”
The former speaker used the forum to drum support for APC governorship candidate and other candidates, saying “And let me inform us that in the last meeting we had with the APC governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere. He instructed the party to reconcile at all levels with a singular mandate to work for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari, himself, Senator Nelson Effiong, Kufre Akpabio, Eyo Inyang Abia and all other APC candidates in Ekid nation.”
Mr. Essien, therefore, called on youths and party leaders of Ward 9 to desist from cheap blackmail and running down their political backbone- Mr. Eseme Eyibo who is partnering other stakeholders to deliver Esit Eket to Ekere and the APC in the 2019 general elections.
He described the rumoured defection of some party’s executive members and collapse of APC Ward 8 as false and laughable.
Also speaking, Mr. Akpan Udo of Ward 1 and Al Mustafa Edoho of Ward 10 leader said Zone C in Esit Eket was purely APC, and hoped with the support of the titans of Esit Eket politics in the APC, they would deliver the units to the APC.”
