UbongAbasi Ise

The Director General of Godswill Akpabio Campaign Organization, Dr. Chris Akpan, says the people of Essien Udim local government area are ready to return their son, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the Senate through the forthcoming rerun of Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial election provided INEC's headquarters in Abuja agrees to Senator Akpabio's terms and conditions, particularly, the redeployment of Mr. Mike Igini, the Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC. In this interview with UBONGABASI ISE, our correspondent, Dr. Akpan, who is also the former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Rural Development, decried how the PDP-controlled state government under Mr. Udom Emmanuel has failed to execute projects in Essien Udim local government for over four years. He declared that any funds the state governor and the PDP would sink into the election in Essien Udim in order to support their candidate will only be a waste. EXCERPT: How do you welcome the appeal court ruling? ...

By UbongAbasi Ise  "Trouble sleep yanka wake am" - Fela Anikulapo Kuti, 1971 At exactly 05.51.48 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2019, Dr. Uwem Akpan, a lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies, University of Uyo, received first SMS from one Dr. David Ukpong, a lecturer in the Faculty of Education of the same institution. The message was not meant to eulogize Dr. Akpan over his about-to-be launched book entitled, Ikono, The Cradle Of Ibibio Nation: A Refutation , but to send a stern warning that he is about to touch the tiger by the tail.  The minatory message, being unedited, reads: "Uwem Jonah Akpan how old are you? Am sure you must be a juvenile. When the history of the Ibibio nay Ikono were you born? Who gave you the audacity to insult Elders? I don't believe you have a Ph. D, If you claim one, the source must be verified. Your better withdraw immediately your so-called thrash from further circulation and destroy it forthwith, or y...

Tears flowed freely yesterday at the premises of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ediene Abak, Abak Local Government Area when news of a female junior secondary school student yet to be identified as at the time of filing this was reported. The Sensor Crime Desk  gathered that the victim was kidnapped at the Abak bridge while on her way back from school. It was further gathered that the kidnappers had stormed the community in a black jeep and beckoned on the three students that were returning from school to enter. It was also gathered that when the students refused to enter the vehicle, one of them was forced inside while the other two resisted and then raised the alarm which prompted the evil men to speed off with the victim probably with the intention of using her for ritual as there is no contact with the family for ransom. A source closed to the school told  The Sensor Crime Desk  that when the mother of the girl did not see her daughter return home, she d...

  By UbongAbasi Ise The newly inaugurated non-governmental organization, Foundation for Civic Education, Human Rights, and Development Advancement, FoCEHRaDA, has revealed the current situation of debt owed by the Akwa Ibom State government. While interacting with selected media practitioners following the unveiling ceremony of FoCEHRaDA in Uyo on Wednesday, the organization’s Executive Director, Barr. Clifford Thomas said Akwa Ibom State Government is now making monthly debt repayment of N700 million which is an arrangement that is expected to span over 23 years. Despites the state government not making public the debt profile of state, Barr. Thomas said the administration of Mr. Udom Emmanuel was making a monthly repayment of N5 billion of the existing debt until it was later restructured into a long term Bond. “The debt inherited by Governor Udom Emmanuel administration from the previous government has not been made public. Information from a reliable source states...

The Akwa Ibom State Government in May 2018, awarded to Zastros Engineering Construction company the construction of Tabernacle street off IkotEkpene road. The street links Nelson Mandela to Calabar/Itu Highway. It's crisscross by Tabernacle lane. A metropolitan street by all standard, is the worst, neglected and abandoned, but very important street with economic viability. Tabernacle street if constructed will aid ease traffic gridlock usually experienced every Itam market days. Before this time, the street had yearned and begged for urgent attention to control rain water running from Nelson Mandela into the underground drainage at Itam to no avail. There came a gleam of hope when residents experienced deployment of men and machines to site; construction work started but stopped abruptly. Zastros disappeared into tin air. And the enthusiasm amidst residents dampen down. Zastros had raised the level of the road with laterite (red mud) thereby altering the pre-existing topog...

By UbongAbasi Ise "If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed" - Adolf Hitler  "Doctor, I've not seen this book before," I confessed thoughtfully after examining it for close to 30 seconds. He looked up, glanced slightly at a book with faded cover stuck in my palms, which I fetched halfway across the table. I rotated it slowly to a certain degree to ensure that he get a good view.  He shifted his gaze to me with apparent niggle looks.  "I'm surprised that you have not come across it, I'm so surprised," said Dr. Uwem Akpan, shaking his head mildly. I was being sincere after all. The music from a live band coming from the background of CBN auditorium, University of Uyo town campus, where the students of the selected secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State were having music competition that afternoon, become a bit stronger by this time. It bridged the hiatus, and it was more functional as it...

By UbongAbasi Ise "Eat and remember the soil because it is human's brother' - Ibibio Proverbs There is a distinct community amongst the 22 villages of Offot Ukwa Clan called Uyo Village. This is the village where Mr. Udom Emmanuel, as Akwa Ibom State governor, is having his office. This village hosts the state judiciary headquarters, Police "A" Division, Nigerian Prisons, Fire Service, State Library headquarters, Uyo local government council, Anchor Insurance, Ibom Plaza, banks, and motley of business organizations. This community is the root of Uyo metropolis, the seat of Akwa Ibom State government. Ironically, this village has never had any indigene appointed as a commissioner into the state cabinet before. None of the indigenes has ever been a Permanent Secretary to any of the state ministries. They are not appointed into boards. They are also eluded by government contracts. More shockingly, no indigene of Uyo village has ever been elected Chair...

By UbongAbasi Ise Recent narratives in Akwa Ibom State on Udom Inoyo’s purported governorship ambition have created a sensation that makes 2023 appear to be coming in the next four months instead of about four years time. Inoyo’s supporters have rolled out their drums already; the opposing voices have begun their renditions. Dance has started even before the actual party that would take more than three years to arrive. What Ini Ememobong said during his last press briefing that the state governor and his PDP have not adopted, endorsed, encouraged or prefer any aspirant for 2023 gubernatorial election, was nothing but a waste of energy, or outright pretension, so to speak.             Of course Udom Inoyo is an Akwa Ibom son, so he has all the rights to contest governorship position of his state; he is from Uyo Senatorial District, he has the privilege too, because it is the turn of his senatorial district to produce the next governor in line wi...