By Aniefiok Christopher
Open Forum, a public policy advocacy organization, has knocked the Akwa Ibom Government over what it described as ‘the over-politicization of the system’ following hoisting of All Progressives Congress (APC) flag at public spaces across the state.
Addressing the press at the weekend, the Founder of Open Forum, Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono, said this encourages sycophancy and partisanship against good governance and democratic norms among the citizens.
‘‘Still on the over-politicisation of the system, we want to say that the hoisting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag at the refurbished Ibom Plaza is a strange development which MUST not be allowed.
‘‘Ibom Plaza was amongst the numerous initiatives of the Arc. Obong Victor Attah administration. It is a public recreation centre and not a political party centre. The idea to fly the APC flag, side by side the Nigerian and Akwa Ibom flags, is a strange development that cannot be defended, except, as another poorly thought-out means of promoting a partisan political party at a state infrastructure.
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”If allowed, partisan political flags will be flown at the House of Assembly, courts, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) schools and hospitals in the State.’’
According to him, ‘‘After elections, elected officials do not only represent their partisan political parties that brought them to power or they defected to after elections, but the people. Governance abhors partisanship.
The inability to separate partisan politics from governance is responsible for the intractable challenges bedeviling development and people-centered governance at all levels in the country.’’
He advocated an end to the flying of political party flags in Government Houses, Presidential Villa (If applicable) and on Official Vehicles of State Governors and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
‘‘Government Houses and Offices should not be also be used for party meetings. Partisan political party meetings and flags should be restricted to party secretariats and gatherings. A law to that effect should be enacted at State and Federal levels. Patriotism and service delivery should be the benchmark, not partisan political affiliations, even when its is for purely self preservation.’’
The Open Forum Founder used the forum to decry the attitude of some Christian congregations and denominations, whose religious leaders insist that their members should, or MUST marry a fellow member only, saying ”This strange doctrine or tradition has frustrated many from marriage, leading to late, low or no marriages by some Christians.
”The negative impact this has on individuals and society cannot be overemphasized. This “policy” should be condemned, discouraged and discontinued. Also, certain conditions and financial requirements before some churches accepts to bury a dead member should be reviewed. We hope to communicate this advocacy to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Akwa Ibom State at first instance.”
Recounting its achievements for 2025, Okono said the Forum sponsored the burial of Mrs Alice Gregory Okon, a 71-year old mother from Uyo LGA who spent eight years in the mortuary.
”Following this grand success and the discovery of reasons for such unfortunate developments, Open Forum advocated for the review of certain expensive burial rites and traditional marriage costs in Akwa Ibom State. There is also the need to ensure families and villages have heads who are also trained on conflict resolution.
”A number of crisis are due to zero conflict resolution capacity of some supposed traditional and community leaders. We communicated this to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the leaderships Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council and the Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly. There has been no response or action from any of the quarters. We are however glad to note that leaders of Eket LGA have announced the regulation of burial and traditional marriage rites within their domain.”
The Founder appealed to the traditional institution to synergise with the Executive and Legislature to reform the burial and marriage customs and traditions of Akwa Ibom people as current socio-economic realities cannot sustain certain practices.
”Prohibitive traditional demands before burials and marriages have led to corpses being abandoned for upwards of 5 to 12 years, or more, while a number of our youths are unable to marry responsibly due to jumbo marriage lists and obnoxious demands by some prospective in-laws,” he added.
