2015 Gov’ship Goes to Oro Not Eket Sen. Dist.

The Movement for Democracy and Equity, MODE, has reacted to the insinuations in some quarters across the state that the 2015 governorship position in Akwa Ibom State would go to Eket Senatorial District, not specifically to Oro Nation.

The reaction of the movement was registered on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, in Uyo, when it played host to leaders of six youth groups from Oro Nation who came to support and identify with the movement.
The group, speaking through its chancellor, Mr. Etebong Isong, said that such insinuations are entirely pretences full of the gimmicks to will the 2015 governorship of the state back to the Ibibio bloc that had enjoyed that position for more than 8 years, since the creation of the state.
“Equity, justice and fairness to the federating units of any state require no pretence, as they constitute the working principles of democracy anywhere in the world.
“The crises witnessed in countries, states or communities all over the world came as a result of denying a section or some sections what they truly deserve within the context of equity, justice and fairness”, the chancellor said.
According to him, the decision to rotate the governorship position of the state among the three ethnic nationalities making up the state was reached in 1998, when the erstwhile governor, Arc. Victor Attah of the Ibibio stock began his campaign for governorship.
He noted that right from creation of the state in 1987, the three ethnic blocs of Ibibio, Annang and Oro had been the recurring decimal in the sharing of elective and appointive political offices in the state. He wondered why everything in Governor Akpabio’s regime was shared on senatorial basis to the exclusion and marginalization of Oro Nation, a fuctional component of the state.
The MODE’s chancellor assured the Oro youth leaders that the gods of the land as well as the God of Heaven had all sanctioned the power shift to Oro Nation, adding that no one of Oro extraction should entertain any doubt on how the dream would materialize.
Also speaking to elaborate on the chancellor’s optimism over the agitation for Oro governorship come 2015, Engr. Effiong Essang, who had worked with the Interpol for decades and is at present a researcher on crime and related security matters, reminded the Oro youths on the concerns of the dead and the living over the Oro governorship in 2015.
He took the participants in the meeting to the memory lane, recalling the event that took place at the customary court’s ground at Anwana Esin by Oron Road in Oron Town, where the late Dr. Michael Okpara, the then premier of Eastern Nigeria, had stood to spite on the people of Oro.
He quoted the late premier, who had come for a political campaign in Oron, under NCNC, to had threatened to relocate the Oro people to elsewhere in the hinterland, so as to make it possible for his kinsmen to take over the coastal flank of Oro Nation, as, according to him, Oro people were in support of Action Group led by Chief Awolowo and coordinated by Chief Anwana Esin, a one time federal minister.
According to Engr. Essang, while Dr. Okpara was making the remark, spiting on the Oro people, a wasp, tiny stringing insect, dropped from it’s nest on the roof of the open courtroom and stung him at the right cheek. The whole face of the eastern premier instantly swollen up, and was immediately rushed back to where he came from.
This, the Engr. Said, foretells what may befall those within and without working against Oro interest come 2015, adding that God is a God of equity, justice and fairness.
Earlier in their presentation, the spokesman of the youth leaders and MODE Coordinator in Udung Uko Local Government Area, Mr. Victor Mkpofor, said the youth leaders representing the five LGAs in Oro Nation had demanded to meet with and have audience with MODE leadership.
The decision, he said, was reached in a joint meeting of Mbo, Urue Offong Oruko, Udung Uko, Oron, and Okobo youths summit held at Udung Uko early in October, 2011, with a resolution adopting the Movement for Democracy and Equity as a platform for the coordination of Oro youths for the 2015 governorship.
According to Mr. Mkpofor, “Oro Youths are impressed over the advocacy ingenuity and efforts of MODE in spear-heading the agitation for Oro governorship in 2015”.
He called on MODE to organize regular meeting of the movement in Oro, as a way of sensitizing the Oro people on the reality of Oro 2015 governorship.
Among the team of youth leaders were MODE coordinators in Udung Uko, Mr. Victor Mkpotor, Urue Offong Oruko, Mr. Esio Joseph, Mr Terry Nkura, Mbo; and Mr. Joseph Okon, Okobo. Others in attendance were Barr. Edet Ating, Mr Manson Akaduh, Comrade Etifit Nkeruwem, Mr Victor Ekere, Mr Major Ebek, Mr. Samuel Ujienjin, among others.