2o11 Guber Race
Aspirants, Groups, ors device new strategies against Akpabio
As The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a body saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections in Nigeria announces January 12, 2011 as possible date for governorship election in Nigeria; groups, individuals, organizations and some governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State have arisen in unison to scuttle the second term aspiration of the incumbent governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio.
In an exclusion interaction with Century Newsfront, the State Chairman of Democratic people’s Party (DPP) in the state, Mr Bassey Eshiet said that the arrangement was necessary in view of the fact that 2011 general election is fast approaching. He said that aside the arrangement made at the national Secretariat of his Party for the alliance between the DPP, AC and the ANPP, which was decided in the penultimate month during the National Executive Council of the Party, all the governorship aspirants in the state who are from the possible merging political parties have done over 80 percent arrangement to ensure one aspirant emerge with a formidable team to fight the incumbent. He added that within the arrangement, some PDP members who are aggrieved are part of the negotiation, “some aggrieved members of the PDP have joined us in this arrangement, unfortunately they complained that their Party does not carry them along rather everything rotates within the cabal and if you don’t belong to that cabal, you are out of the system”, he explained.
Answering question on whether or not Sen. James Akpan Udoedehe should contest, he in affirmative said, “Sen. Udoedehe is a bonafide citizen of Akwa Ibom State. He has every right to contest election. If he is the will of the people, why not? He queried. The party boss maintained that there should be a level playing ground for all aspirants.
As part of his strategies, the immediate past National Chairman of Progressive people’s Alliance (PPA), Engr. Larry Esin has formed an alliance with the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by returing to PDP with over one million, seven hundred supporters across the country with a mind of fighting the incumbent governor in the state out of the scene. According to him, “it is better to fight from within than to stay outside and fight”, he explained.
Engr. Esin, an Harvard University product whose oratory speech is like a wild fire contested in 2007 against the present governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio alongside with almost sixty strong and credible contenders and was rated number three in the PDP nomination according to the result.
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Clarion call on FG to hand over power to States
When President Goodluck Jonathan during his last state visit to Akwa Ibom switched on the light of Ibom Power Plant (IPP) at Ikot Abasi, the Aluminum City of Akwa Ibom State, many communities in the state, and of course, the whole nation heaved a sigh of relieve with regard to the end of epileptic supply of electricity experienced in the past by the electricity consumers in and around the state.
To this end, the occasion was marked with fan fare by the consumers maintaining the hope that they now have electricity without tears, and true to the expectation, the light since it was switched on had been on without fail except those areas with faulty electric transformers and other accessories.
In the light of this, Century Newsfront Newspapers salutes the present administration under the leadership of Chief Godswill Akpabio for its zeal and sense of purpose and most importantly, His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for carrying out his official function in the face of all odds by commissioning the project.
Worthy of commendation also, is the management of Ibom Power Plant for ensuring that the long expected answer to electricity question has been answered.
It is therefore, the view of this paper to sound this note of warning to the management and staff of IPP to ensure project maintenance and protection of the equipment there because as Shakespeare in one of his works stated:”To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus,” And any mistake or carelessness with the project will become an exercise in futility thus returning the sector to zero square.
The project, it is believed when constant power supply is continued would enliven every other sector of the state and national economy including those of the individuals and on this note, we call on both indigenous and foreign investors to turn their searchlight to Akwa Ibom State to be able to benefit maximally from the availability of power which is known to be the main factor in every development of human endeavour.
Against this backdrop therefore, we join the Akpabio-led government by calling on the Federal Government to hand over the functions of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to States for effective management and operation of Ibom Power Plant. When this is done, the Problem arising therefrom would be readily addressed unlike what happened in the petroleum sector whereby the producers of petrol found themselves always in lack of this commodity which others afar enjoy it at the distrainment of the producers. Not that the Federal Government should hand off totally, afterall with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) the Federal Government still have a part to play in the operations of Ibom Power Plant.
We need not overemphasize the individual and corporate benefits from this project since both the public and private sectors of the nation’s economy would experience a boom in their businesses in line with the acclamation by the people of the state that they now have electricity without tears.
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Controversy Trails IPP Project
Attah misled Ex-President Obasanjo, IPP was 65% completed—IPP Boss
This is blackmail; we did over 90% of work in IPP - Attah
By our Reporter
The chairman of the Ibom Power Company Board, Obong Nsima Ekere has alleged that the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah deceived the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to commission what he termed as an uncompleted Ibom Power Plant sited at Ikot Abasi, the Aluminum city of Akwa Ibom State. Read the rest of this entry
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Bayelsa Deputy Gov’s House Bombed!
Explosives suspected to be dynamite on Friday rocked the residence of the impeached deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Peremobowei Ebebi in Aleibiri, Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state, while his night guard, Doramugha Seibulu, was reportedly shot on the legs by suspected armed youths. Read the rest of this entry
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INEC announces Election dates
The Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] has announced possible dates for the 2011 general elections as the 8th and 15th of January next year, based on the sections of the constitution amended by the National Assembly. Read the rest of this entry
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First Love Foundation Salutes Speaker
…Calls for assistance
By Mercy Atser
A non-denominational, non-profit making organization, First Love Foundation, recently paid a courtesy call to the Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk.
In an address presented by Hon. Justice Charles Ikpe, President of the organization, congratulated the Speaker on his recent elevation as the speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Read the rest of this entry
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NOA Felicitates AKHA Speaker
… Solicits for support
By Mercy Atser
The State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mr Emmanuel Udo, has congratulated the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk, over his recent appointment as speaker in the House of Assembly. Read the rest of this entry
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2011 Polls: Uncertainty Surrounds PDP Zoning Accord
By Our Reporter
Certainty factors including contentment and discontentment trail the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accord to one certain position to certain areas in the 2011 elections which is fast approaching. Read the rest of this entry
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