Radio callers agreed that Chief of Staff to Akwa Ibom Governor, Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen spoke the truth and should not apologise to the governor over his statement seen by some people as ‘inflammatory’ and ‘insulting.’
Inyangeyen, during a consultation to the Onna royal fathers on his senatorial ambition to represent Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections, was asked what happened to Odio/Ikwe Road, whose contract was awarded when he was Commissioner for Works and up until now nothing has been done.
Speaking in the presence of Onna Paramount Ruler, Obong Solomon Inyang during the weekend, the embattled Chief of Staff told them that Governor Udom Emmanuel is the Chairman of Finance and General Purposes Committee (FGPC) and the governor approves payments to contractors, not himself.
“I am saying this to all of you elders, youths and women of this Clan that you should work out modalities for investigation to know whether I am responsible for none execution of this project or whatever thing the Clan feels should be done, I am prepared for it,” Inyangeyen stated.
Straightnews gathered that Governor Emmanuel has served as a Chairman of FGPC since 2015 when he assumed office as Akwa Ibom Governor.
According to the online newspapers, FGPC, through State Executive Council, is responsible for award of contracts, policies, procedures and controls to facilitate financial governance, which includes financial planning, budget approvals, expenditure approvals and financial reporting.
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Moreover, he told them that after approval, the state Accountant-General pays the money to the contractors.
However, some callers on Planet 101.1 FM, Uyo disagreed with Senior Special Assistant on Youth Matters to the Governor, Iwaudo Udofia who called on Inyangeyen to apologise to the Governor for accusing him of abandonment of the road.
Udofia who was angry with what he called outburst by the ex-Commissioner threatened to mobilise six million youths in the state to invade his house until he apologises.
Speaking under the popular Peoples Parliament programme on Monday, February 21, one caller described the statement by Iwaudo as an eye service in calling on the ex-Commissioner to apologise for speaking the truth.
”What Inyangeyen said was true. Why did Udofia ask him to apologise? Is Governor not the FGPC Chairman in the state? Is the state Accountant-General not the person disbursing money to contractors? The man admitted that as a Commissioner, he was supervising the roads contract?’’ he queried.
Another caller lambasted the youth leader for not showing interest and mobilizing youths in the state to protest against the refusal of the governor to assent the Bill on Youth Matters passed by the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly since last year.
Others agreed that Inyangeyen has the inalienable right to vie for the Senatorial seat, but he should own up his statement without wavering.
Oniong Youths kick against Inyangeyen’s assassination bid
Meanwhile, the Oniong Clan Youth Leader, Christopher Akpan James in reaction to the news of withdrawal of security attached to the Chief of Staff, said that if anything happens to their son they would hold the SSA Youth matters responsible for threatening to invade the house of Inyangeyen with six million youths to his house.
James maintained that information they received on Sunday confirmed that unknown men were roaming at Ephraim Inyangeyen’s residence at Shelter Afrique were men of the underworld allegedly sponsored by the SSA Youth Matters who claimed to attack Ephraim with six million youths.
A coordinator of friends of Ephraim Inyangeyen who spoke with journalists wondered what the government is trying to do with the life of their principal and mentor.
He insisted that there are skeletons in the cupboard of the government on the failed assassination attempt on Inyangeyen on Saturday.
The Coordinator added that since the failed assassination attempt, government went further to sponsor of campaign of calumny and character assassination on Ephraim Inyangeyen by some youths of the state.
Stance of Eket Senatorial District Media Professionals
However, Eket Senatorial District Media Professionals have come out with a press statement on what they called ‘vituperative outburst by Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen: A call for caution.’’
According to them, ”In line with our avowed commitment to the peace, unity and progress of our beloved state, we hereby wish to sound a note of advice to politicians and their hirelings to refrain from senseless outbursts that could be inflammatory and capable of breaching the peace currently enjoyed in the State.
”Of particular note is the current video circulated by a former Customs officer, Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, where he launches spurious allegations against Governor Udom Emmanuel, for the delay in completion of certain roads currently being executed in the State. Ephraim specifically urges blames to be directed to the Governor and the Accountant General of the State, claiming that as Commissioner for Works, he had no hand in financial transactions involving contracts.
”This is the most irrational and senseless comment a serving public officer could make against his boss, given the fact that before he was appointed a Commissioner in the State Executive Council, this same man had no known reasonable address in the State capital.
”Suffice it to say that while he held sway as Commissioner for works, the State saw the worst performance of a public officer in that position. Most roads in his care were either fraudulently poor standard or out rightly abandoned.
”With Ephraim as Commissioner for Works, poor handling of compensations and alleged under valuing of properties, hampered the good intentions of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s government in infrastructural expansion.
”Several court cases and traditional injunctions were the order of the day. It was few months after Ephraim was eased out of the Ministry of Works that major roads started getting serious attention from the new Commissioner.
”Roads in Oruk Anam, Etinan, Uyo-Ikot Ekpene, Eket, Onna and Oron that appeared impossible, are now nearing completion, and nobody hears any further hue of compensations brouhaha.
”Ephraim Inyang’s vituperative outburst against the Governor and Government of Akwa Ibom State on video is a public embarrassment.
”By this show of shame, he has exhibited to the whole world that he was never fit and competent to occupy any sensitive position in government, in line with the Individual Responsibility Principle in a presidential system, which implies that a minister (or cabinet member, in this case) appointed by the president (or Governor in this case) is individually held responsible for any decision made or taken in his department or ministry,’’ they added.
