A socio-political group, Ibom Alliance Mandate, has risen in defense of the member representing Etinan Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Elder Samuel Ikon, over the recently publicized sex scandal.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Imoh David, captioned “UNWARRANTED ATTACK ON HONOURABLE SAMUEL IKON BY THE US AMBASSADOR,” the group called for immediate redressed of the situation and demanded immediate apology from the United States Ambassador to Nigeria.
“As avid followers and interested group of seasoned professionals and advocates of good governance and accountability, we are taken aback by the highly despicable and atrocious action of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle in a vile attempt to smear the hard earned reputation of our worthy and dynamic lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Elder Samuel Ikon, representative of Etinan federal constituency.”
“Samuel Ikon in every right sense is not a greenhorn in legislative business and international assignments. This is because apart from being an eight successive years member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015 had within this period also emerged as Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly between 2011 and 2015, serving at some point as the Chairman of Conference of Speakers in Nigeria. NEVER for once in South Africa, Canada, USA, Ethiopia, Kenya, United Kingdom, South America among other world nations, have we ever had cause to be accosted with any questionable action directly or indirectly linked with this cerebral political icon. This is why we believe that this alleged escapade is false in its entirety.”
“The US ambassador has simply resorted to being mischievous for unknown reasons. Whatever is his raison d’être, we agree with Mark Twain that “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” And that is why we have resolved to put the matter in proper perspectives, especially for the sake of posterity.”
“We view the latest attack on our representative as a blackmail taken too far by the United States Ambassador and we condemn the action of the ambassador. Let it be brought to your notice that Rt. Hon Sam Ikon Ibom has since come out to refute the allegation leveled against him by you, and he has stated clearly that the name and person you referred to in the said letter is a mistaken identity.”
“Ibom Mandate Alliance is fully aware of a consistent ploy by the western powers to resort to grand conspiracies aimed at branding and labeling Africans in perspectives that suit the pleasure of the American government, for some political and economic gains. We are not going to sit down and watch our own fall the same path as others. As he has already said and we believe him, no such incident of his soliciting for any woman of easy virtue from a car park attendant, ever took place in the Cleveland and that makes the entire fabrication, lies from hell’s pit. Today it is Honourable Sam Ikon accused of asking a car park attendant to convoke prostitutes, tomorrow, who knows who would be accused of having links with the Mexican drug barons. We say Enough is Enough!”
“Is it not absurd that in this era of information technology, an advanced country like USA could still rely on the misleading mere accusations of some psychopathic racists who probably want a way of ‘dealing with these niggers’? No close circuit video footage or an amateur photograph of the so-called incident.”
“We have read the reaction of Elder Samuel Ikon to this smear campaign and he said clearly that, ‘I wish to state unequivocally that this is false and definitely not me. This to me, is a case of mistaken identity and I will be vindicated. I have initiated measures both legal and diplomatic to clear my name and the institution I represent. There are many questions left unanswered by the actions of the US mission but I believe will become clearer in the course of time. I want to re assure all of my innocence in this matter and do call on all relevant authorities and jurisdictions to commence full investigations to correct this great injustice to me.’”
“Rt. Hon. Samuel Ikon has demonstrated that he is a victim of a deliberate international conspiracy to malign Nigeria or Nigerians in other to justify the stigma by so-called world powers that our country is ‘fantastically corrupt’. We refuse to accept this notion in its entirety. We are very satisfied with the reaction of our son that he is innocent, especially since Honourable Ikon has been at the vanguard of campaigning against such social vices and encouraging our youths on sound moral values. Americans reside all over our hood, and we give them the best form of hospitality rather than rubbing them tar to get even with ‘imperial lords.’ Accordingly, we hereby call on the American Ambassador to Nigeria to tender an unreserved apology to Honourable Samuel Ikon for the embarrassment his careless action has caused.”
“Members of the public should please regard this lies concocted by the US embassy and their sponsors. All lies from the pit of hell,” the statement concluded.
