Stakeholders and elders from Ikono\/Ini Federal Constituency have appealed
\nto Governor Godswill Akpabio to forgive them over the recent media attacks
\non him by their son, Senator Alloysius Etok.<\/p>\n
At a well-attended town hall meeting at the Ikono local government
\nheadquarters,Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, the Ikono\/Ini people told the Governor that
\nSenator Etok was on his own, as he had no one’s backing to engage on
\ncalumnious blackmail against their governor.<\/p>\n
A political chieftain and former Chairman of the National Broadcasting
\nCommission, Chief Otu Robert Akpan, maintained that both in the first term
\nin 2007 and in 2011, Governor Akpabio was largely instrumental to the
\nemergence of Dr Etok in the senate.<\/p>\n
Chief Akpan recounted how Akpabio had harped on justice and equity when he
\nurged the people of Ikot Ekpene senatorial district to allow Ikono Federal
\nConstituency to produce a senator for the first time since the independence
\nof the country.<\/p>\n
The former NBC top brass said the Ikono and Ini people where full of
\nprofound appreciation to the governor for his enormous achievements in the
\nstate, and urged him on stronger.<\/p>\n
Akpan continued, “when I sit down and reflect on the things you have done
\nfor this state, I feel so bad when people insult you”.<\/p>\n
He furthered that, “in 2011, we wouldn’t have voted for Senator Etok, but
\nyou pleaded again and we allowed him to return, but we are sorry for the
\ninsults he has rained on you”,<\/p>\n
While presenting the Governor with a book that highlighted the treacherous
\nnature of Dr. Etok to his benefactors while in the House of Representatives
\nin 1992, Chief Akpan urged the Governor to desist from paying any attention
\nto blackmailers.<\/p>\n
The elder statesman expressed the readiness of the elders to fully support
\nzoning and Akpabio’s transition programme, even as he stated that that the
\nGovernor had a duty to play a strong role in the emergence of a worthy
\nsuccessor.<\/p>\n
Barr Iquo Minima, a former two term federal lawmaker, recounted how
\nGovernor Akpabio had appealed for them to back out from the race in other
\nto pave the way for Etok to re-emerge. Barr. Minima said she was impressed
\nwith the laudable achievements of Governor Akpabio in the State, adding
\nthat “even if you are blind, you cannot feign ignorance of the
\ntransformation brought about by His Excellency in the State.”<\/p>\n
Another aspirant Dr Emmanuel Akpanobong also confirmed that over 19
\naspirants in obedience to Governor Akpabio, grudgingly conceded the
\nposition to Dr Alloy Etok.<\/p>\n
Governor Akpabio assured that he bore no grudge against Ikono \/Ini people
\nadding that he had already forgiven Alloy Etok for all his mistakes. The
\nGovernor appealed for forgiveness over his role in the emergence of Dr.
\nEtok, said his decision at the time was taken in good fate, with the hope
\nof getting Akwa Ibom an experience hand in the senate.<\/p>\n
He recounted the political appointments and projects completed in Ikono\/Ini
\nfederal constituency and assured that he will continue to cherish the
\nage-long brotherly relationship his family had always enjoyed with
\nIkono\/Ini which is also regarded as the original birthplace of the Ibibios.<\/p>\n
On their unanimous endorsement for him to represent the senatorial district
\nin the senate in 2015, Governor Akpabio thanked them, but said he would
\nrespond at the appropriate time.<\/p>\n
Most of the people who spoke, including the paramount ruler of the area,
\nadvocated the emergence of the next governor from Eket Senatorial district,
\nand also wanted Governor Akpabio as their Senator in 2015.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Stakeholders and elders from Ikono\/Ini Federal Constituency have appealed to Governor Godswill Akpabio to forgive them over the recent media attacks on him by their son, Senator Alloysius Etok. At…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n