WHAT A WEEK NIGERIA ? (PART II)

On the 31st of March 2016 Nigeria's power station generated ZERO MEGAWATT for the first time in history! And this happened under the watch of a government that had once bragged under opposition not too long ago that the first thing any responsible government would do is to fix power problem in 6 months. And it's already 11 months of darkness since they came. This did not only come to increase the nation wide darkness but also compounded the already over bearing worriment of the longest fuel scarcity incident ever in the history of Nigeria. But the petroleum minister had promised that there will be enough fuel for us all within a week's ultimatum and guess what, that week has just ended and more darkness and more fuel-less-ness has been our fate - Another promise unfulfilled. Again, where is our President? Last week he was away just like other weeks. As if our problems in the country aren't enough for us he keeps embarrassing us on his tour episodes. Can you imagine? It's like Nigeria's problems are so much that even our president keeps running away from us. Even when he is outside the shores of the nation he, like the proverbial birds that have learned to fly without perching since the hunters have learned to shoot without missing, makes it his point of duty to keep avoiding anything related to Nigeria perhaps that explains why he was caught the other day on camera (some pix stories ago) sitting on a seat meant for the President of Niger Republic and some said it was the "angle" of the camera but just recently Our Excellency has been caught again avoiding Nigeria by sitting on a table meant for the President of Chile and I'm wondering which "circle" of the camera caught him this time around.  Fellow Nigerians! It is no longer funny if at all it ever was because our nation is drowning fast. Alas! "Sai Baba" has again skipped town for China this time. For what? Well, last time he skipped town we hear he went shopping for nuclear weapons now we hear he's amongst other things going to negotiate terms and conditions for borrowing $2b to run Nigeria. And I'm wondering - whatever happened to the much talked about $200b from looted money allegedly starched in Dubai?
What about the $6b of former PDP Govs and Ministers that Uncle Sam is helping us repatriate?
How about the the returns and refunds by the loads of thieves under GEJ?
Where are the trillions of Nairas raked in by the Nigeria Customs Service?
O' lest I forget, which millions of dollars do they say TSA has saved?
Again, it has been another week of travails and I must commend the suicidal fanaticism of the APC supporters who queue for hours to buy a liter of fuel at the price of a plate of food in a luxury restaurant, power their "I pass my neighbour" to charge their Tecno phones with which they use to tweet how GMB is so much like Obama. Perhaps what they meant is "Osama!"
Only God knows who they will compare GMB with this week when he returns with "Chinco" good news- Muhammed or Jesus? Apparently when we clamoured for "Change" we failed to pray as a nation for "Change." and this "Changi" has become an inexpiably majuscule socio-political contretemps. The bible tells us that "faith without work is dead" and I belive we've now seen that "work without faith is worst."
Oh, dearly beloved, let us pray for our president and our nation.
Happy travails Nigeria!
Good luck my country people!!
Okpo Ewa Esq.

NOT IN DEFENSE OF HON ONOFIOK LUKE BUT THE CONSTITUTION

Collective Opinion is one of the greatest active social force in a democracy. But strong as opinion is, it cannot take the place of the law as defined in the constitution.

Ever since the rerun election was concluded there have been various opinions about the position of the Speaker of AKHA. What are the issues?

1. Rt. Hon Aniekan Uko was elected Speaker to AKHA at the inception of the Gov Udom Emmanuel's administration. Though his election was a surprised to many considering his background as a first timer to the state assembly, never the less he was given the desired cooperation to do his job.
2. According to some pundits, his choice was to create a balance in terms of power sharing in favor of Uyo Senatorial District. This was sub-particularized to Uyo Federal Constituency.
3. But somewhere during his regime as Speaker, his election to AKHA was annulled by the Appeal Court.
3a. It should be noted that the appeal court did not annul his position as speaker but his election. But why then did he not remain as dpeaker after the annulment of his election? We would look at that later.
3b. The appeal court subsequently ordered for fresh election.
4. A new Speaker was subsequently elected in person of Rt. Hon Onofiok Luke.
5. Rt. Hon Aniefiok Uko was however re-elected during the re-run.
7. Some opinions propose that Rt Hon Aniekan Uko should be returned to the position of Speaker.

The question is how? As a people, we should be careful of the foundation we lay today because of posterity. Tomorrow we may not be there to explain the circumstances which necessitated certain actions but let posterity find explanation in the document that we gave to ourselves to regulate our actions - which is the constitution.

Firstly we mentioned that the appeal court did not annul Rt. Hon Aniekan Uko's position as speaker. It was never mentioned either in the court proceeding nor in the judgement. In order words the position of speaker wasn't in issue. Yet he lost the position as soon as he lost his membership of the house. This presupposes that you must first of all be a member of the house before you can be speaker. No more, no less.

Going by this argument, Rt Hon Onofiok Luke in the opinion of this writer was not elected as a replacement to Rt Hon Aniekan Uko. I would explain. As at the time of Mr. Luke's election as Speaker Mr. Uko was technically not a member of the house. However, we all know that Rt Hon Aniekan Uko was the immediate past Speaker of the house. Of course if you look into the records of the state house of assembly you would see evidence too which confirms that Rt Hon Aniekan Uko was the immediate past speaker. But those are historical records. In the eyes of the law, however, Rt Hon Aniekan Uko was not the immediate past speaker because he wasnt elected to the state house of assembly until after the rerun. I am open to correction please. This is because his first election was nullified by the appeal court; which presupposes that it didn't take place in the first place as far as the law is concerned. That is the law. The safest depository of the ultimate powers of the society is the people themselves; and they have been enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion through the constitution - which is the law of the land. Any society that is ruled with sentiment rather than the law is heading for trouble. Akwa Ibomites are law abiding people. As is often said the law cannot make your neighbor love you but it can stop him from lynching you. Therefore the safest thing to do at all times is to allow the law regulate our activities.

The proposal for his return as Speaker therefore is like asking a sitting speaker of the house to vacate his position to a newly elected member of the house who joined the house long after the speaker was elected. This is the picture in the eye of the law. The demand therefore is ultra vires as it finds no place in the law. It might appear to be a political correctness of some sort. But it would be setting a dangerous precedence founded on political correctness rather than legality. And if the citadel of law making (house of assembly) is founded on illegality the society is heading towards collapse. I don't care how many states have returned the former speaker after rerun election; the fact remains that what is not right is not right. After all it is not against the law to be an idiot. So any state that chose to act idiotic is free to do so but those are not values Akwa Ibom State should copy.

Some have also argued on the basis of equity. Without ambiguity, Equity concerns the process of appealing to higher principles of fairness when initial measures fell short of ensuring perfect justice. For instance under equity one could appeal to the king to "make good" on a case where the basic application of law had created some measure of injustice. But he who sought equity must do so with clean hands. Accordingly, the basis for appealing to equity must not in itself be illegal.

The office of Speaker of AKHA was zoned to Uyo Senatorial District. Hon Onofiok Luke is a son of USD. It is the appeal of this writer that rather than overheat the system USD should cooperate with their son to deliver service to Akwa Ibom people.

Rt Hon Aniekan Uko in my opinion is a young man who is already blessed and positioned for abundant blessing. He should not let anyone distract him and make him look selfish in the eyes of the public. To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own. The office of speaker was merely a call to service, not necessarily his for keeps. I believe greater things await him in future. It wasn't Onofiok Luke that replaced him as speaker; it was God and the law. He should accept what God has given him with gratitude and look forward to greater things in future and not allow anyone to use him to overheat the system. After all there are people far older than him, who work harder than him but who are not in the position God has placed him today. His best word should be thank you Jesus.

James Abang Writes From Atte Okiuso Village, Urueoffong/Oruko LGA.

UYO, STOP THIS MADNESS!!!

MR. ESSIEN BASSEY,
THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN,
ATAI UYO CONSCIENCE,
NO. 225 ORON ROAD,
UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE.

Comrades,

RE: OPEN LETTER TO ONOFIOK LUKE - "LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD"

I have read many politically motivated publications in recent time of which I have found some insightful, some interesting, some annoying, some disconcerting while  some are without classification. One of such publications is your open letter to Onofiok Luke titled: "LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD" and my intent here is to LET THAT TRUTH BE TOLD AS IT TRULY IS.
Nevertheless, before we proceed with that truth let me start by commending you for your community struggle and solidarity. Now, in telling the truth I must proceed by stating categorically here that by my assessment of your letter, it falls under those without credible pedigree. This is because the subject, tenor and motif of the epistle was just another artless display of pedestal shenanigans on political stage.
Thus, if it were intended as a show of amour-propre I must congratulate you for a grand show and nothing pretentious more; reason being that you succeeded in achieving a number of turkeys for yourself.

First, you have successfully justified the age long allegation that the Uyo Federal Constituency is the most ungrateful Federal Constituency in the political history of Akwa Ibom State being that no matter how much juicy and sensitive positions are allocated to you, you still intemperately constitute yourself a distraction to the entire system attempting to sabotage the very government you brag of hosting instead of supporting it to succeed. You have again started very well in this direction - your letter is a credible testimony to this. Accordingly, you claim that Etinan Federal Constituency cannot have both the Speaker of the House of Assembly and Party chairmanship but forget to state that Uyo Federal Constituency comprising four Local Government Areas, namely, Uyo, Uruan, Ibesikpo and Nsit Atai has the highest number of elevated offices in the present administration. In fact, on the last count, Ibesikpo LG has about 3 exalted Offices in this state namely: the office of the Commissioner for Lands/Town Planning in the person of Prince Uwem Ita Etuk; the Office of the Chief Judge of the state as occupied by Justice Stephen Okon whose acting capacity was graciously converted to substantive capacity by the Governor despite contending options and pressures and the Office of the State Accountant General in the person of Mr. Lynus Nkan. Uyo LG on the other hand has the office of the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal in the person of Prince Enobong Emmanuel Uwah while Uruan Local Government maintains the office of the Commissioner for Transport in the person of Prince Godwin Ntukude. Hence, Uyo Federal Constituency alone has three Commissioners in a cabinet of twenty Commissioners.  The remaining nine Federal Constituencies without complains have settled for the leftover. Still like one Mr. Nduonyi Uweh - a public affairs analyst- in his recently published open letter to Prince Uwem Ita Etuk on similar subject succinctly puts it - "...in your typical Oliver Twist-like nature you're still crying foul..." Truth is, an elevated Office is an elevated office be it political or civil service because if the state government does not intend it so those occupying it would not have been there no matter their qualifications.

Secondly, you have succeeded in branding as "FOOLISH" those other Federal Constituencies who in the past did not have so much elevated offices in the Government of Akwa Ibom State yet supported it for the posterity of our common wealth. Oron Federal Constituency- a nation of 5 Local Government Areas which can also hold claim to hosting the economic existence of the state is your victim here. Corollary, this act of yours alone can stir serious bitterness amongst the other nine Federal Constituencies thereby unsettling the present administration. Truth is, there are other Federal Constituencies that have more credible claims of possible marginalization than Uyo Federal Constituency but they choose to move on with the Dakkada project for the good of all of us.

Thirdly, you did not economize words in casting aspersions on the person and character of the present speaker of the sixth assembly by your insinuations that he was an ally of the APC gubernatorial candidate and had agreed to rig elections against His Excellency Deac. Udom Emmanuel in event of a rerun. This is too cheap a blackmail to attempt on a good man like Rt. Hon. Barr. Comr. Onofiok Luke. But you still went further to insinuate that he sponsored a barrage of false and negative publications against your kinsman while you failed to furnish examples of such  falsehoods published against your golden goose. The truth here is that it was just meant to give a very good dog a bad name to hang it but unfortunately the owner of the dog is God himself.

Fourthly, you pathetically exposed your miserable state to the world as being alone on your isonomic delirium. This is made crystal in your publication attesting to the fact that the entirety of the people of Akwa Ibom state were shocked that Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko emerged as Speaker of the Sixth assembly instead of Rt. Hon. Barr. Comr. Onofiok Akpan Luke or Rt. Hon. Barr. Ime Okon who were the true contenders for the office and you also sufficiently collaborated yourself when you also stated that the entire people of Akwa Ibom State regardless of party and tribe divides were amok in celebration when Rt. Hon. Barr. Onofiok Luke emerged as speaker. What else do you want from the God and the people of Akwa Ibom State to know whom the cap fits? Perhaps you are ignorant of the axiom "Vox Populi Vox Dei" meaning "The Voice of the People is the Voice of God!" You already bear testament of the political stability of the state with Onofiok Luke as Speaker yet you have opted to cast political sophrosyne to the chinook like a political Judas that you always have been. Yes, a Judas because no matter what is being done in your favour you always find a reason to fight the government of the day if it is not one of your own. You did worse to Sen. Godswil Akpabio during his time as governor of this state despite his transformative legacies yet you celebrate your sons whose performance is in the pedigree of abysmal failure. So it is no surprise that you are now sowing seeds of discord in Gov. Udom's administration. After all, even when Aniekan Uko was Speaker you pitched your tent with Udom's opposition so what assurance do we have that you did not intend to use Aniekan Uko as an instrument to sabotage Udom's administration should he had remained speaker? Truth is, of you truly seek the interest of Uyo Federal Constituency you should be asking for Nsit Atai Local Government to be equally given a juicy office like the other three in your constituency already does instead of asking for more for Ibesikpo.

However, I understand that it is not all of Uyo Federal Constituency that is setting this fire in this house because I also read else where as one of your very notable sons (in the person of Imo Udoima) was asking who and/what is "Atai Uyo" to speak for the party and the people of Uyo Federal Constituency but I have chosen to address the whole of the constituency so that the good men among you will not fold their arms and watch you spoil your collective destiny with your evil.

From the foregoing, I think it is only meet that courtesies be reciprocated in proportional aggression and yours is long overdue for reprise. So let me as a stakeholder in the common wealth of our collective destiny as a state take the liberty of doing the needful and dutifully so by advising you to stop this madness of yours. Akwa Ibom is on the road to actualizing destiny and cannot afford to be distracted with non issues like this. If you must add more political feathers to your wings I think you should concentrate on negotiating for the position of the Party Leadership because the tenure of the present state party chairman has already come to an end which you are very much aware of but mischievously chose to count it for Etinan Federal Constituency. And if I may ask if Onofiok Luke relinquishes the Office of the Speaker to you in addition to the other 3 Commissioners, Chief Judge and Accountant General that you already have while Obong Paul Ekpo whose tenure has expired as State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hands over what will this Etinan Federal Constituency have then? Now tell us the truth as it truly is - "Who is really greedy and unreasonable...?"

Thank you for your anticipated truthfulness.


OKPO EWA ESQ.
HUMANITY CHAMBERS,
260 IDORO ROAD, UYO,
AKWA IBOM STATE.
okpoewa2@gmail.com
08029935535