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APC Chairman Defects To PDP In A’ Ibom

A factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Udoma Ekarika has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Ekarika announced his defection at a political rally organised last Monday in Onna by the people of Akwa Ibom South District to endorse Governor Udom Emmanuel’s bid for re-election.
Mr Ekarika, a medical doctor and a former Commissioner for Works in the state, was one of the APC leaders who laid claim to being the “validly” elected state chairman of APC in the state during the state congress of the party in May this year.
A son-in-law to a former governor of the state, Victor Attah, Mr Ekarika was groomed by Mr Attah to take over as governor in 2007 but was narrowly defeated at the PDP governorship primaries by Godswill Akpabio who was serving then as a commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs in the Attah administration.
At the rally, Mr Ekarika reportedly said “I’m coming back from a very useless party called APC, I am proud to become part of PDP again”.
When our correspondent contacted Mr Ekarika yesterday, he clarified that his use of the word “useless” applied only to the APC in Akwa Ibom, and not in the entire country.
“Yes, APC in Akwa Ibom state is a useless party because of the useless people who have come to join it,” he said, apparently referring to the recent defection of Mr Akpabio from the PDP to the APC.
On what has become of his ambition to lead the APC in the state, Mr Ekarika told our correspondent “My aspiration to lead the party was borne out of my desire to reposition the party for electoral success in 2019 and beyond.
“But the cabal who were the destroyers of PDP who came to APC because they believe in impunity and imposition came to say instead of doing the needful which was to conduct an election, they preferred to do an unconstitutional thing called consensus. There is nothing like consensus in the APC guideline.
“I was not happy about it, they should have allowed the will of the people to prevail.”
Mr Ekarika said Governor Emmanuel would have an easy ride to victory at the poll in 2019.
“Udom will not have any tough battle with anybody. What is on the ground is that Victor Attah did two terms, Godswill Akpabio also did two terms, so Udom Emmanuel would be allowed to do two terms too.
“Apart from that, Udom has done very well. Udom has done very well, I can say it loud. One of the things he has done which Akwa Ibom people appreciate it is that he has brought peace to this state,” he said.
He said the killings, kidnappings, and general insecurity that plagued the state when Mr Akpabio was governor of the state would eventually become a political burden for the APC during the 2019 election.
“Do you think Akwa Ibom people will give APC the opportunity to bring back that era to this state?” Mr Ekarika asked.
He added, “The cog in the wheel of Udom’s administration was Akapabio, and thank God, God has removed him.
“I am sure Udom will now see clearly, with focus, and move ahead.
“Godswill Akpabio is overrated by people at the national level, and not in Akwa Ibom.”
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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