A former Senator and APC leader in Esit Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom State, Sen. Etang Umoyo yesterday said that the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere is not qualify to be the governor of Akwa Ibom State, expressing fear that he cannot be trusted with the people’s mandate as all his campaign promises will not be fulfilled as he doesn’t keep to his words.
The former parliamentarian made this submission yesterday while briefing members of APC in Esit Eket on the outcome of the Congress that was conducted by the party few months ago. He said that the NDDC boss faulted the agreement that they had and failed to recognized the authentic lists of the real APC delegates and structures in Esit Eket local government area but accepted a list that was presented to him by some unscrupulous elements in the party who have hijacked the delegate lists and structures to their whims and caprices.
He also said that Obong Nsima Ekere has refused to acknowledged the contribution to NDDC by the oil bearing communities of Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno and Onna by not giving them their due recognition but rather patronized his friends and people from his own constituency to the detriment of those who are suffering the adverse condition of oil exploitation, noting that NDDC was not set up to patronize political associates but to leverage the economic and environmental challenges of the Niger Delta people.
Sen. Umoyo said, “I have presented several papers at national fora on the creation of NDDC and have made meaningful contributions to the Niger Delta region. Where was Nsima Ekere? I gave him support earlier but I have withdraw that support because he cannot be trusted. He doesn’t honour agreement and such person is not worth to be a governor.”
He said as the APC leader in Esit Eket and former Senator, he feel insulted for the NDDC boss to connived with some political desperadoes in Esit Eket to destabilized the party structures, saying that until the party revert to the 2014 structure, it will be rooted out in Esit Eket.
He added that it was his highhandedness in handling party affairs that culminated to the embarrassing situation in Abuja during the party National Convention where delegates were beaten to stupor by hired thugs, noting that it is a deviation from the party ideals which he cannot subscribe to, warning that if such actions continue to be condone in Esit Eket, the party will be destabilized.
Sen. Umoyo further said that from 1984, he has always supported his people saying that the interest of Esit Eket remain paramount against any parochial interest as he will continue to defend the interest ad rights of his people not minding whose ox is being gored. He advised the people to be peaceful pending the outcome of party decision on who is the authentic Chapter Chairman of APC in Esit Eket. He expressed disappointment that the non-compliance with the agreement they entered into has brewed crisis in the party in Akwa Ibom State. He cautioned Nsima Ekere SA, Ime Isaiah which he described as professional SA as not having any right to interfere with Esit Eket issue, advising him to look for other opportunities rather than remain SA for ever.
The Chapter Chairman of APC in Esit Eket called on the people to be united and respect constituted authorities as those who are the authentic party leaders will be decided by the party. He also warned those who claimed leadership of the party in the local government area to humble themselves and respect Sen. Etang Umoyo as the recognized leader of the party, warning that they were the same people that ambushed them when they started to nurse the party at the formation level.
Those who attended the meeting included chapter and ward officers, former Permanent Secretary, etc.
