By Akakan Umoh
Akwa Ibom Government has told the people of Ikot Udo in Ika Local Government Area of the state and Akrika Obu, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State to refrain from engaging in senseless feud to encourage both states to develop their areas.
The Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Senator (Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi, made the plea at a joint peace parley at the instance of the two States in Ikot Udo Ika on Tuesday, January 21.
Recall that in March 2025, the fragile relationship between the two neighbours worsened, following the construction of the road by the Abia State government into the territory of the Akwa Ibom community.
Later, the two states agreed to temporarily suspend the road construction work around Ikot Udo until a concrete agreement was reached by the Akwa Ibom and Abia governors.
Senator Eyakenyi also pleaded with the people of Ikot Udo and their Ukwa East neighbours in Abia State to embrace peace for lasting development.
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She urged youths from the two communities to get involved in productive ventures to improve their families.
The Deputy Governor, who said when Governor Umo Eno assumed office he was resolute on reaching to villages and local government areas in the State as they have been starved of development hence, began the implementation of his vision from the bottom-top.
Lamenting that most Governors still concentrates on the centre, she particularly attributed the even spread of roads infrastructure and other developments across the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State to the Governor’s bottom-top approach.
She reminded that this idea motivated Gov. Eno to immediately wade into the boundary crisis between the two sister States, reaching out to Gov. Alex Otti on hearing of the Land dispute.
Stressing that Abia State for the first time has a Governor who has the interest of his people at heart with development springing up everyday, she affirmed that there cannot be good development in the two villages without a good access road.
Mrs Eyakenyi restated the truce earlier reached by both States last year that each state should begin the construction of Ikot Udo/Ukwa East road from its stretch to the merging poin.
She stated that Akwa Ibom State Government has awarded the contract for the construction of a 3.7 kilometres of road from Urua Inyang to Ikot Udo while the Abia State Government has equally awarded a 12-kilometre road contract from Oredze to Ikot Inyang, saying it must be encouraged.
The Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor discountenanced the erroneous belief making the rounds that there will be a city gate on completion of the road, describing it as false.
According to her, there was no need fighting over a small piece of land, but that a straight road is to be constructed for the benefit of both Akwa Ibom and Abia people.
Also Speaking, the Abia State Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, said the fundamental reason for the meeting was for lasting peace.
Engr. Emetu informed that both parties have Executive Orders to take the road construction from where it begins to Ikot Udo.
“Today, both States will tar our road and end it here. We are not separating any boundary. What we are coming to do as a State is to tar this road for posterity. Nobody will keep Ukwa East and Ika behind. ”
He warned those who are good at setting buildings ablaze and fomenting trouble to be conscious of eternity, assuring that nobody will lose anything in the process and also bemoaned the lack of development in the two communities and discouraged further feud.
Responding, the Chairman of Ika , Barr. Utibe Nwoko, and his Ukwa East counterpart, Hon. Chibuna Akara thanked Governors Umo Eno and Alex Otti for their peaceful mien.
They pleaded with all and sundry to give peace a genuine chance, and urged the military to take decisive actions that will guarantee lasting tranquility within the two communities.
The peace parley was attended by relevant stakeholders from the two States.
