Author: Israel Umoh

The heat generated by the just-concluded Presidential/National Assembly elections nationwide and indeed in Akwa Ibom had died down. The aftershocks continue to linger in the minds of people across the nooks and crannies of the society. Winners go with cheerful smiles, yet the losers put up melancholic look buoyed with baleful feelings. There were upsets in the political space. In the same manner, some predictions on the outcome of the elections were fulfilled. Some major political contenders in the race were tactically defeated. Yet, some contestants adjudged to be rookies have ascended the throne. As post-elections analysis, it appears that…

By: Israel Umoh The February 16 came and went with a whimper: ‘Oh! my party would have won. Oh! We would have won.’ The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, threw the spanner into work by shifting the presidential/National Assembly elections nationwide to February 23. A cursory look shows that the race to Aso Rock is between the two septuagenarians- President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress, APC, and Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The presence of other 89 political parties in INEC’s register seems to be razzmatazz as they have not fielded most candidates in the forthcoming elections.…

Plans to conduct and win the forthcoming elections are in high gear. Tension is building up. The fear is palpable. The stakes are high. The contenders (candidates) of the different political parties are battle ready. And the spectators (voters) are armed with their Permanent Voters Cards. Yet, violence perpetrators are equally orchestrating plots to unleash mayhem for their pay maters to win the elections by crooks and by all means. Insecurity Past In Akwa Ibom Akwa Ibom state, a leading oil-producing state in Niger Delta region, has been a PDP-controlled state since the return to civilian rule in 1999. The…

He is a metaphor of Nigeria’s modern politics. Unlike the politics characterised by violence, deceit, mediocrity, impunity, back-stabbing, egoism, he is averse to that but represents excellence and a brand of common good to the masses. As a chairman of a union in the state then, I sent a proposal of the union to him; he painstakingly read all and approved it. Yet another person sent his, he studiously read and pinpointed the grammatical errors asking for corrections before he would approve the proposal. That was vintage Victor Bassey Attah! Trained as an architect, he tunes his heart to his…

The forthcoming primary to select a presidential flag bearer for Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is raising dust among different political gladiators. The venue: Port Harcourt is a settled issue as National Executive Council members have given a nod to it. The October 6 is certain and delegates for the national convention from the 36 states including FCT, Abuja have been selected. The midwife of the convention: Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike is, no doubt, happy for securing the hosting right of the major opposition political party in West Africa. For some months now, the 13 PDP presidential aspirants have had…

The battle for the soul of Akwa Ibom State hotly contested by three major governorship aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 general elections moved from Uyo and berthed in Aso Rock, Abuja for resolution. So far, expectations to clinch ticket for the coveted position are high, anxiety among supporters of the party’s contenders and electorates in the state is high and the battle to capture Hilton Mansion, Uyo is fierce. For the party, the spark for the position was further rekindled and the hope renewed by the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio who…

Kpop, kpop, kpop, kpop, kpop, Kpop! The palm fruits fell, one after another on a daily, weekly and monthly basis until the bunch is emptied. Birds sit and feast on bunches of palm fruit. Nobody is in the compound to scare the birds which source their means of survival one year ago. The lonely path leading to the school is filled with palm fronds fallen from some palm trees that line up the route. This is the fate that has befallen Modern Science College, Afaha Obo in Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom State. Established in 2007, the school…

Government’s debt profile worldwide is always kept outside the purview of the public. It is an ostensible item in some climes particularly in advanced countries, but in most African countires, mum is usually the word. Except it becomes pricing for some relevant agencies charged with the responsibility to probe the government or the principal, then the figures are churned out for public scrutiny as a way of forstalling outrage. Apparently, there is no government in the world that does not owe or does not collect loans which eventually become debts for the incoming administration.The 30-year-old and 11-months-old Akwa Ibom State…

Four hired labourers stood outside the sprawling gate taming grasses. A lanky security man with morose look sat inside a dilapidated security gate asking the journalist whom he wanted to see in the centre. Most offices were under lock and keys. In three offices that opened for business, staffers in twos, threes sat in clusters discussing and watching out for any strange movement. And the entire compound was overgrown with grasses. Yet, the life-saving environment wore the mood of the funeral service of a 10-year-old child. This paints the gloomy picture of the Primary Health Centre, Ikot Akpa Nkuk, Ukanafun…

Two days after unknown gun men killed the winner of 2006 Guilder Ultimate Search, GUS, reality TV, Season 3, Hector Oluwasean Joberteh, in his apartment at New Oko-Oba, Lagos, his 72 year-old father, who was also shot during the encounter, is said to be unaware of his son’s death.  The father is recuperating at the Gbagada General Hospital, as doctors are battling to remove pellets of bullets lodged in his right hand. This came as operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos, who took over investigations into the murder of the Gulder Ultimate Search winner, Monday, succeeded in…