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Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Akwa Ibom acquires three aircraft for take-off of Ibom airline

    As part of the industrialisation policy of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration, the Akwa Ibom State has taken delivery of three aircraft for the take-off of Ibom Airline.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the aircraft at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo yesterday, Emmanuel said the airline was a monumental achievement in the state.

    He said the aircraft, C-FWNK is only six years old with a sitting capacity of about 90 persons and constitutes the newest and modern fleet of the Canadian airbus.

    He said that Akwa Ibom is the only state in the country to run a state-owned airport and run an airline, adding that the government is running Ibom Air as a business.

    He said Ibom Airline will operate routes that would give preference to Akwa Ibom people, and that the government would soon launch one of the best terminal buildings in the country.

    He said the government is focussing on development of the economy on land, air and water, saying so far, the government has constructed over 1,000 kilometers of roads across the state.

    Governor Emmanuel said one other aircraft would arrive on Friday in addition to the already unveiled two, pointing out that the Ibom Deep Seaport will soon commence operations before the expiration of his second term in 2023.

    He said the launching of Ibom Air is a monumental achievement in Akwa Ibom and indeed Africa. The journey to achieve Ibom Airline started in 2016 and today, it is a reality.

    “If we were to search the minds of people, this day would have been frustrated but we give glory to God for making this day a reality.

    “I want to charge my people that we can achieve a lot if we come together. This is the only state across the country that runs and operate an international airport. We are the only state that runs a category two runway.

    “I want to reassure the former governor, Obong Victor Attah that very soon the MRO will be a place that will maintain fleet of aircraft across the country,” he said.

    We are running Ibom Air as a business, paying particular attention to Akwa Ibom people,” he said.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was the first passenger that arrived the airport in the new aircraft, unveiled the airplane and commended the leadership qualities of the state governor, noting that he has been able to create an environment viable for development.

     

     

     

  • CUPP, IPAC condemn calls for re-deployment of A’Ibom REC

    The Coalition of Political Parties in Akwa Ibom has condemned calls by opposition parties for the redeployment of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Mike Igini.

    The group under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Uyo.

    The parties said that the opposition in the state never raised concerns about the REC’s integrity but only resorted to blackmail when attempts to make him compromise failed.

    “We are however, worried that the opposition just like other parties should be glad that there is an umpire in Igini’s mould who is committed to ensuring credible, free and fair elections.

    “By seeking ways of multiplying such reputation in the commission rather than working to have him conform especially in this era when Nigerians have grown an all-time-high electoral consciousness,’’ the parties said.

    Mr Aniebiet Emmanuel, State chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said that the protest staged by the opposition in the state was an attempt to blackmail the electoral umpire.

    He said that the parties and their governorship candidates had resolved to defend the nation’s democracy and principles of free choice by ensuring that nothing untoward was imported into the conduct of the forthcoming elections in Akwa Ibom.

    According to them, they have promised to abide by the rules of engagement and would oppose and frustrate every plot aimed at derailing the peaceful conduct of the 2019 polls in the state.

     

  • Political parties in A’Ibom demand removal of REC

    The Forum of All Political Parties in Akwa Ibom has called for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Mike Igini.

    The forum accused the REC of working for the interest of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and therefore would not be able to conduct fair, free and credible elections.

    Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Tuesday, the forum Chairman, Mr Kingsley Akaiso of FRESH Party said INEC should remove Igini so as to restore confidence in its ability to hold free, fair and acceptable elections.

    “We have had cause in the immediate past to call attention to the failure of the INEC leadership in the state to inspire the confidence of all parties in the political process by reason of the actions of the Commission and the utterances of its leaders.

    “INEC has betrayed unbridled partisanship through the selection of its adhoc staff, some of whom are drawn from the employees of the commission, contrary to extant practices and institutional requirements.

    “Through connivance with the state government, all the adhoc staff of the Commission is made up of loyal members and supporters of the PDP.

    “In addition, the commission has acted as though it is part of the Government House in Uyo.

    “In spite of our representations to the Head Office of the Commission in Abuja, nothing has been done to allay our concern that the INEC office in Akwa Ibom State is not a fair umpire and cannot deliver a free, fair and transparent election because it is partisan and in bed with the ruling PDP government in the state.

    “This anomaly must be addressed,” the forum said.

    Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) youths in the state had also called for the redeployment of the REC.

    In his reaction, Igini debunked the allegations, insisting that the commission had been non partisan, fair and unbiased in its dealings with all political parties.

    He denied that the recruitment of adhoc staff was done in collusion with the state government.

    “This is untrue, totally inaccurate and wholly incorrect because poll officials of various category and the institutions from where they are sourced are well known to the Nigerian people.”

    According to him, apart from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, other election officials were drawn from federal agencies including the University of Uyo.

    “They are civil servants and by the law of the land, civil servants are not card
    carrying members of any political party.

    “In any case, the list of the collation officers were sent from the headquarters. Why would someone make up this kind of allegation,” Igini said.

     

  • Police apprehend 10 for allegedly destroying INEC vehicles

    The Akwa Ibom Police Command says it has arrested 10 persons suspected of setting ablaze, 11 vehicles of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the coming general elections.

    The command said the offence was committed at the INEC office in Obot Akara Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, disclosed this on Monday while briefing Newsmen on the security situation in the state.

    The vehicles were meant to convey election materials from Uyo to Obot Akara.

    Makama, who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Macdon Odiko, said the 10 suspects were arrested on Feb. 15, being the eve of the postponed elections at about 10:05pm.

    He explained that the hoodlums during the period macheted and killed one unknown person at the Obot Akara Local Government Area close to INEC office.

    “Furthermore, on Feb. 15, 2019, the eve of the 2019 General Elections, at about 10:05pm, hoodlums at Obot Akara Local Government Area, close to INEC office, macheted and killed one person whose identity is unknown, burnt eleven (11) buses and vandalised two.

    “The command acted swiftly and arrested ten (10) persons in connection with the crime, and the following exhibits were recovered; two locally made short guns, twenty five (25) live cartridges, weeds suspected to be marijuana, two machetes, charms of different types.

    “Other items recovered include; one knife, one scissor, hot drink, cell phones, dead bird, human hairs and two axes,“ he said.

    The CP said that the 10 suspects arrested would be transferred to Force Criminal Investigation Department for more investigation.

    The police commissioner added that on the same Feb. 15, the command apprehended 41 persons at Angeline Hotel opposite Dove International School Uyo, who came from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States.

    He said that the arrested persons claimed to come to the state as observers for the rescheduled elections.

    He said the 41 arrested persons could not give any proper or reasonable identity of themselves and had no INEC identification tag.

    Makama said that more investigation was ongoing to determine their true identity and purpose in the state.

    The commissioner added that on Feb. 17, the command apprehended two suspects, who confessed to being political thugs hired from Ukwa village in Odukpani LGA in Cross River by an unidentified politician.

    The CP urged politicians to play the game according to the rules and advised supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during the general elections.

    He assured that the command would remain non partisan, apolitical, neutral and was committed to free, fair and credible elections.

    Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects from Bayelsa, Okoroda Scaine (M), said that 41 of them came to Akwa Ibom as election observers under Society for Advancement for Credible Leadership and Observation.

    “ I am Okoroda Scaine from Bayelsa, we all submitted our passports to Society for Advancement for Credible Leadership and Observation, an organisation that is registered and accredited by INEC for the elections.

    “We are told that our names were sent to INEC and we will likely monitor the elections in Uyo here.

    “We came on Thursday to confirm if our names were there or not. We were in the room at Angeline Hotel when we were arrested at about 3 am on Feb. 15.

    “We were lodged in the hotel by one Berafa Bedfon, who we cannot reach now. We are 41 in number, and our intention was to come to Akwa Ibom and check if our names are there,” he said.

     

  • There won’t be crisis in A’Ibom – Sen. Enang

    The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, says contrary to reports, there won’t be electoral violence in Akwa Ibom.

    Enang gave the assurance in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

    Enang, an indigene of Uyo, was reacting to apprehension in the state over reports that there might be crisis, saying that all would be well and that plans had been set to ensure that the elections were conducted without violence.

    The International Crisis Group (ICG), in its latest report on Nigeria’s elections published on Dec. 21, 2018, observed that already there had been incidents of violence, with some states displaying particularly troubling signs ahead of the elections.

    Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, ICG carries out field research on violent conflict and advances policies to prevent, mitigate or resolve conflict.

    The report said Akwa Ibom, like Rivers, was emerging as a major battleground in the APC-PDP battle for revenue. It receives the most federal money of any state, and it is widely believed to be a pillar of PDP finances.

    A second factor was partisan rancour in the state, aggravated by the split between PDP Gov. Udom Emmanuel and his predecessor Godswill Akpabio, as well as the struggle for control of the state House of Assembly.

    Enang, however, appealed to indigines and other residents to avoid conducts that would incite violence.

    He said that the people were prepared to go out and vote and that leaders in the state had taken precautions to ensure peace.

    Enang, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Oyo, expressed confidence that INEC would live up to expectations in conducting the polls.

     

  • Gov. Udom, 36 Governorship Candidates sign Peace Accord in Akwa Ibom

    Thirty seven governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom on Wednesday signed peace accord to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming election in the state.

    The event was organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for candidates seeking elective positions in the general election in the state.

    INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Mike Igini said during the event in Uyo, that the accord would help the commission to conduct free, fair, credible and non-violent election.

    He said the spirit of the accord should reflect in the lives of politicians and candidates in the state.

    “For us it is a great one to have all candidates and political parties signing the peace accord.

    “The fact that we are talking of peace accord, is an indicative of the kind of people that we have,” he said.

    Igini said the commission would stand tall and mighty to defend democracy and rule of law, adding that democracy cannot be completed without rule of law.

    According to him, election period is not a period that people will be talking about violence.

    Igini noted that the commission would not use incidence form during the general election in the state.

    He said accreditation of voters would be done with card reader machines and voters’ register.

    Igini advised political parties and candidates to nominate agents that would assist in the election procedure as set out by the Electoral Act and INEC.

    He reminded voters that the commission had banned the use of mobile phones within polling units to check vote buying.

    He appealed to politicians to be peaceful and assured that INEC would be an unbiased umpire.

    Also speaking, ACP Augustine Aruk, the Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), said the police were determined to ensure that elections are conducted in a peaceful in manner.

    “It is our role to protect electoral materials, personnel and this time security agencies are very ready for the general election.

    “We are aware of our role during the election to provide security to all sundry,” he said.

    Aruk said security agencies had been trained for the general election in the state.

    Former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah commended INEC for bringing the parties together to sign the accord.

    He, however, stressed that a collation process devoid of manipulations would go a long way to ensure free, fair, credible and violence free election.

    Attah called on politicians to conduct themselves in a manner that would not mare the election.

     

  • Aluminum smelting company to re-commence production

    President Muhammadu Buhari is to re-inaugurate the Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom, to enable it to re-commence production.

    The Director-General (D-G), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Alex Okoh, gave the hint through the Head, Public Communications, BPE, Mrs Amina Othman, on Sunday in Abuja.

    Okoh said that the BPE and other critical stakeholders of the company would reach a comprehensive resolution on the teething problem of gas price and supply confronting the company.

    “Upon the resolution of the gas price and supply issues, a new agreement will be signed in line with the current realities.

    “It will also take into considerations the trend internationally, to allow ALSCON remain competitive in the global aluminum products market,” he added.

    He said that as the first step, the BPE had requested Federal Government’s consideration and approval for the categorisation of ALSCON under a strategic industry.

    This, he said, was to enable it to buy gas at a concessionary price so that the core investor in the company – DHL/RUSAL – would recommence production and operate profitably.

    He recalled that following the signing of Addendum Number 2 to the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) on Jan. 17, 2018, the investor provided a roadmap to the company’s recommencement of production.

    The D-G said the document signed at the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, provided details on issues required for the operation of the company, including gas price and supply.

    Okoh noted that when the company resumed operation, it would serve as a catalyst to the development and growth of aluminum industry in Nigeria.

    He said that the resuscitation of ALSCON would also create employment, conserve foreign exchange, serve the automobile and allied industries and create spin-off industries in the country.

    ALSCON has been comatose for over 10 years now.

     

  • Police arrest, detain Akwa Ibom assembly clerk, cashier

    Police arrest, detain Akwa Ibom assembly clerk, cashier

    Information reaching TNG has it that the police in Akwa Ibom have arrested the clerk and the cashier of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

    The clerk is Mandu Umoren, while the cashier is Monday Akpan.

    The two, according to an official of the state assembly, have been detained at the state police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, since 9 a.m. on Friday where they went to honour a police invitation.

    According to a report by Premium Times, they were invited for questioning over a petition from five lawmakers who were sacked from the assembly in November last year for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The sacked lawmakers are Nse Ntuen, who represents Essien Udim State Constituency; Idongesit Ituen, Itu; Victor Udofia, Ikono; Otobong Ndem, Mkpat Enin; and Gabriel Toby, Etim Ekpo/Ika.

    Police invitation to Mrs Umoren and Mr Akpan said the sacked lawmakers reported a case of financial fraud and embezzlement against them.

    The invitation was signed by Nwachukwu Enwonwu, a deputy commissioner of police in charge of criminal investigation and intelligence, and routed through the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke.

    “They (the clerk and the cashier) were there (at the police headquarters) since morning. They were done with their statement to the police at about 9.30 a.m. and were asked by the commissioner of police to go home. As they were about descending the stairs, they were asked to come back. Some police officers told them they got instruction not to let them go,” said the assembly official who did not want his name mentioned in the report because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

    The official said the real reason the assembly clerk and cashier have been arrested and detained is the stoppage of the salary and allowances of the sacked lawmakers.

    “You know, there is no way they could be paid since they have been sacked by the assembly,” he said.

    The two officials were still being detained at the police headquarters as at 6.30 p.m.

    The Akwa Ibom assembly has been embroiled in a lingering, and sometimes violent, crisis since the lawmakers were sacked.

    The assembly premises was at some point sealed off by the police.

    The Akwa Ibom State Government has repeatedly accused the police of taking side with the APC and the sacked lawmakers.

    The state governor, Udom Emmanuel, in November last year led some security officials and some youth loyal to the state government to the assembly premises to chase away the sacked lawmakers who were having ‘sitting’.

  • Akwa Ibom state to establish an airline company

    Akwa Ibom state to establish an airline company

    The Akwa Ibom State Government says it plans to establish an airline company to ensure maximum utilisation of its modern airport.

    Gov. Udom Emmanuel said this in his speech at a solemn assembly to usher in the New Year in Uyo on Wednesday.

    Emmanuel said government would bring joy to the people of the state in 2019, adding that the state would blaze the trail as the only state in the country to wholly owned and run an airline.

    “We promised you improved electricity and you all witnessed that our electricity has improved significantly, we promised our youths, women and our elders, traders empowerment, we have done just that,’’ he said.

    He said since his assumption of office in 2015, he has not disappointed the people saying that that explain why the state is attracting investors and enjoying peace and progress.

    “That is the reason we are able to embark on numerous capital projects when others can’t even pay salaries of their workers, the reason why we are expanding and consolidating our infrastructure amenities such as the construction and commissioning or ongoing works of over 1700 kilometres of roads,” Emmanuel said.

    He also said government has remodeled health facilities in Etinan, Ikot Okoro, Ituk Mbang, Iquita, Ikono, Emmanuel Hospital and Eket adding that he came as a governor to serve the people.

    “The resource available to our people has been used to take care of our people. As they say, a good job executed demands more job to be done. That is what I am committed to doing when you return me to the hilltop mansion,’’ he said.

    He urged the people to participate fully in the forthcoming general election and not to give in to lies by the opposition in the state.

     

  • Governor doles out N62m Christmas package to youths, women

    Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has doled out N62 million as Christmas package to youths and women across the 31 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

    Emmanuel made the donation at the end-of-year get-together party for youths in the state at Eket Local Government on Sunday.
    He also donated 3,100 bags of rice to local government areas across the state to youths and women.

    Emmanuel told the youths in the three senatorial districts that he came to celebrate Christmas with them.

    “I did not come to Eket Senatorial District to campaign but I come to celebrate yuletide season with the youth and women in the state.

    “I wouldn’t come this Christmas period to thank youths and women with empty hands. I brought something for the youth and women of the state.

    “Each local government area will get 100 bags of rice and N2 million each, for the youth coming to show me love during this Christmas, ‘’ Emmanuel said.

    He said that Akwa Ibom is Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and enjoined the people to vote for all the PDP candidates in the 2019 general elections.

    Also speaking, Mr Aniefiok Iwadudofia, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths Matters, thanked the governor on behalf of the youth of Eket Senatorial District.

    “We are pleased with what you (governor) are doing with the youth of the district and God will bless you because you have done so much for us, ‘’ he said.

    Iwadudofia assured the governor that all the youth in the state would vote for all the PDP candidates in the state.

    “Be assured that in 2019, we will return you for second term in office.

    “We are here to reiterate our commitment that we will stand by you and support you till 2023, ‘’ Iwadudofia said.