AKS Local Govt Council election: War in Uyo Ward 9, Village Head masterminds crises, go fetish

August 13, 2020 Samuel Abasiekong Just In 0

Hitherto Akwa Ibom State is known within the shores of Nigeria and overseas as a peaceful abode for its citizens and visitors alike.
Aside from the blood letting era of the immediate past administration, Akwa Ibom State had regained its status of peaceful Haven since Governor Udom Emmanuel took over power in 2015.
But just recently, as the announcement of the Local Government Council elections was scheduled by the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission AKISIEC, some areas in the State spontaneously started grinding their gunpowder to turn Akwa Ibom State to a flashpoint in the Niger Delta.
One of such place where a full fledge war may broke out before or after the October 2020 Local Government Council elections is Uyo Urban Ward 9.
The crises here is allegedly masterminded by the Village Head of Ibiaku Offot, Eteidung Paulinus Etim whom the youth say is bent to produce one Otuekong Sylvanus Jimmy who is to be his personal boullion van drawing from Uyo Local Government Council treasury to Eteidung Etim’s purse.

The Village Head and his Council Secretary one Mr. Effiong Obot who aforetime earned the respect of all, are seen as agent of destabilization of the People Democratic Party- PDP in the erea since they are all stakeholders and card carrying members of All Progressive Congress APC.

The genesis of the crises in Uyo Ward 9, it was diagnosed to be the flexing of muscles between the PDP and APC. While the Village Head Eteidung Paulinus Etim promotes and mobilizes support for APC, the Special Assistant to Governor on Grassroot Mobilization Elder Enefiok Ekefre who is from the same Ward and village demarket the APC in the Ward and beyond and has caused several thousands of APC members to decamp in Ward 9 and other Wards to PDP.
Elder Enefiok Ekefre political posture in Uyo Ward 9 had long angered Eteidung Etim.

While the Village Head neutrality was expected at the build up of the Local Government elections because his political party APC has withdrawn from the elections, Eteidung Paulinus Etim’s and his Secretary Effiong Obot who were to play the role of father to all four candidates from the village became obviously partisan.

The present crises started when on July 21, 2020 in a meeting held in the Village Head’s palace where it was unanimously agreed that everybody returns to same vanue on July 26 2020 to choose one popular aspirant from four indigents of Ibiaku Offot to stand election as Councillor on the forthcoming election Local Government elections in October 2020.
As the youth thronged the village square for the mock election the Village Head reneged on the earlier agreement and said there will be no mock election as earlier agreed. While the overblown crowd left peacefully giving Eteidung Paulinus Etim the opportunity to have a rethink, Etim and his Village Council Secretary surreptitiously drafted a fictitious endorsement letter with factory designed signatories and forwarded same to the Political Ward Elders with Otuekong Sylvanus Jimmy as “the choice of the People”.
The Local Government Council election has created so many flashpoints in Akwa Ibom State such as Uyo Ward 9 and Uyo Urban Ward 3. Nsit Ubium, Itu, Ini, Uruefong Uruko LGAs has also been listed in this disenfranchisement and selfish political leadership whose intent and purpose is to grandstand in those respective ereas’ political interest.
In the case of Uyo Urban Ward 9
anonymous Communiqué titled: “Communiqué Reached at the End of an Enlarged Meeting of Youths of Ibiaku Offot, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State” is flying everywhere in Uyo capital city. At Ibom Plaza which is the Centre of Discuss of News and Current Affairs, one could find this Communiqué in the hands of all interest groups.
Youths in Ibiaku Offot village say they are set to remind Eteidung Paulinus Etim that the future belongs to them as they will resist all attempt to force an unacceptable candidate on them.
As at the time of filing this report effort were made to mobilize several hundred of youths to lead a protest to the State PDP Secretariat, The Honorable Commissioner for Environment Sir Charles Udo who is a critical Stakeholder in area, Akwa Ibom State Government House and, The Paramount Ruler of Uyo, His Royal Magesty Obong Sylvanus Okon whom the youth say Eteidung Etim does not has regards for. Further protest will be taken to The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs calling for the removal of Eteidung Paulinus Etim whom they said has threatened that many youth will die if they oppose his choice of Otuekong Sylvanus Jimmy.

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