.. As Youths Warn Sponsors
With the recent alleged desperate moves by the member representing Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Francis Charles Uduyok, it appears he is set to break the December 19, 2010, accord by elders of the area to run for a second term.
What started as a mere rumour has now been confirmed through several sponsored blackmail and campaign of calumny by Mr. Uduyok against every of his supposed opponents, particularly the Special Adviser to Governor Udom Emmanuel in the Bureau of Political and Legislative Affairs, Barrister Ekong Sampson.
According to sources, the latest of his ploy is a sponsored piece, titled “An Open Letter To The Executive Governor Of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, On The Activities Of The Special Adviser On Political And Legislative Affairs, Barrister Ekong Sampson, And The Impending Doom For Your Re-Election In 2019,” and syndicated online where Mr. Uduyok described Ekong Sampson as an enemy within.
A source, who informed our reporter, said “Francis Charles has become so desperate for a second term. He is trying cause division and confusion in Governor Udom Emmanuel’s camp.”
Youths of the area, who raised alarm over the second term bid of Mr. Uduyok, described him as the fifth columnist in Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration, saying “his ambition will do the area no good but doom, disunity and war.”
Speaking, Chairman of Mkpat Enin Youth Leaders Congress, Hon. Isaac Sunday Akpan, said “Francis Charles Uduyok is simply wasting his time. By rotation, Federal House of Representatives seat moves to Mkpat Enin. He has done nothing to promote the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the federal constituency. He is completely loss in the National Assembly. He is coming out after sleeping for three years to cause confusion in Udom’s camp for his selfish re-election campaign. Everybody knows that it has been zoned out of Eastern Obolo to Mkpat Enin.”
Speaking further, Hon. Akpan, a former ally of Mr. Uduyok, said “I know his antics, which is to always sponsor blackmails, incitement and thuggery. It won’t work this time for his expired tricks.”
“The elders of Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency, in 2010, entered into an agreement for the rotation of the constituency seat for a term each, starting with Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, through Dr Akpan Micah, taking the first turn. At the end, he tried without success to abuse the elders’ arrangement. Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, through Hon. Francis Uduyok, took the second turn which will terminate by 2019. I am a very close supporter and an ally of Francis Uduyok. He is looking for a second term which is against the elders’ decision. I am a very principled person and I strongly stand by the decision of the elders Francis knows that it is not going to be possible, that is why he is busy running from pillar to post to see how he can truncate the existing zoning arrangement. But I can advise him, as a good friend and brother, to stay back and support Governor Udom Emmanuel instead of resorting to serial blackmails and inciting the youths against our leaders, which is not fair,” Hon Akpan explained.
Also speaking, another youth leader and Coordinator o Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency People’s Frontier, Mr. Patrick Akpan, said youths of the area are committed and determined to abide by the agreement entered into by elders of the area.
According to him, “Our aim in this platform is to ensure peace, fairness, equity and justice to the system because we discover that our elders had set a path that is very good for us. They said when it comes to do with Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency seat, that it should be a single term. That arrangement started with Ikot Abasi where Hon Akpan Micah Umoh went for four years and he did very well. The seat moved to Eastern Obolo and our brother, Hon. Francis Charles Uduyok, took it from 2015. His tenure will elapse in 2019 after which it has to move to Mkpat Enin. We are going to support what the elders have done. That agreement was entered into on the 19th day of December, 2010, and Francis Charles Uduyok also signed that agreement. Our stand is that you cannot take what belongs to Mkpat Enin in 2019.”
Explaining further, he said “I know truth is bitter, why is Francis Uduyok looking for a second term? Is he looking for a second term based on performance or representation? As we speak, there is nobody representing this Federal Constituency. You cannot find Francis Charles in the Federal House. He has done virtually nothing. Dr Akpan Micah wanted a second term based on performance but could not. What will you scale Francis Udoyok’s quest for a second term with? so, he cannot even discuss the issue of second term.”
