Two prominent former members of National Assembly from Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom State have transited to eternal abode of the living after brief illness.
They are Senator Itak Bob Ekarika of Ikot Ntuen in Oruk Anam Local Government Area and Rt. Hon. Bassey Etim of Ekpene Ukim, Uruan Local Government Area of the state.
Born on December 18, 1937, Ekarika attended Methodist High School, Uzuakoli now in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.
A letter made available to Straightnews by Arc. Ekarika Itak Ekarika announced the obsequies.
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Ekarika in a letter sent to some personalities in and without the state about the man’s demise ‘‘He also had a career in marketing at Shell Group, the Transnational Oil Company branch in Lagos after his graduation from the prestigious University of Ibadan. In 1985, he retired after attaining the position of Deputy Managing Director, then the National Oil Company of Nigeria.
‘‘He ventured into business by founding Ibel Nigeria Ltd, an importer of lubricants. From there, he was chosen in 1990 as Chairman, Cooperative Development Bank PIc, founded by both Akwa Ibom and Cross River State Governments.
In 2000, he relinquished the position to politics. He was selected as a member, Board of Trustees, then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).’’
Ekarika represented Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District under from 2003 to 2007. In 2006, he contested for governorship under PDP with his nephew, Dr. Udoma Bob Ekarika, but lost to Chief Godswill Akpabio who later governed Akwa Ibom from 2007 to 2015.
The 89-year-old who died on October 13, 2023 will be buried on February 17, 2024.
Meanwhile, Elder Bassey Etim popularly known as Bafil died in January 2024. His former member of House Representatives who did not want his name in print confided in Straightnews in his Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo on Saturday, January 20 about the sad news.
A successful businessman, he had served as a South South Chairman of Independent Marketers Association, IPMAN, for many years.
When he joined politics, he became one of the founding members of PDP in Uruan Local Government Area. He served as a two-term member of the House of Representatives for Uyo Federal Constituency from 2003 to 2011.
In February 2011, the Court of Appeal in Calabar sacked Hon Bassey Etim from the House of Representatives after finding that he was not the rightful candidate of PDP, the platform he used to contest the April 14, 2007 National Assembly election. In a split decision of two to one, the court voided the certificate of return issued Etim by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On February 7, 2011, the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Mr. Emmanuel Obot as the winner of the 2007 election into the House of Representatives for Uyo Federal Constituency. The court unanimously dismissed an appeal by Bafil who laid claim to the mandate to represent the constituency. However, Obot was not sworn in, but Etim remained throughout the period.
In March 2018, Etim became a Senator-in-waiting for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District. He got a certificate of return from INEC.
Recall that a Federal High Court in Uyo nullified the election of Senator Bassey Albert as Senator for Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
However, he was not sworn in throughout the period of the legal fireworks. OBA maintained the seat till the end of that National Assembly.
In 2018, Bafil emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District. Of the 13 candidates who contested the election, Senator OBA won.
Date for his burial is not yet fixed by the family.
