Gov Udom Has Broken Our Jinx – Ikono Chair, Kinsmen

Gov Udom Emmanuel

The people of Itak ward 11 in Ikono Local Government Area have been urged to remain loyal and faithful to the Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel led administration in the state. This charge was handed down to the people by a son of the soil and Caretaker Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Mr. Itoro Columba when he hosted a mammoth crowd of PDP faithful in the ward in what he termed “Ward Sit Out On Gov. Udom Emmanuel”.

The Chairman asserted that the ward had many reasons to remain loyal and thankful to the State Chief Executive, one of them being his decision to end their 40 year wait for one of their own to become the Chairman, Ikono Local Government Council.

Mr. Columba flanked by kinsmen during the event

He said, “We are extremely happy today that 40 years after the creation of Ikono Local Government Area, God Almighty has worked through the State Governor to make me the first son of Itak Clan to be Chairman of council in Ikono Local Government and this is why we must remain eternally grateful to God and our beloved Governor”.

The Chairman also promised on behalf of his kith and kin to ensure that the State Governor succeeds himself in office come 2019. “Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial districts had their eight years in office respectively as Governor, so what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Now is the turn of Eket Senatorial district to stay in office as Governor for eight years, more so as the Governor has acquitted himself and has been focused and daring in his achievements even in the midst of biting economic crises”, the Ntippe Ibibio born media entrepreneur told the mammoth crowd of PDP faithful.
He called on the people to join hands with him so as to deliver the ward which has the 3rd largest concentration of votes in Ikono Local Government area to the Governor in the 2019 elections. He further reeled out the list of achievements the administration has recorded as evidence that it deserves a second bite of the cherry, prominent among them being the construction of some roads in the area. ' I say it whereever I go. I don't know what would've been our fate if we did not have a Governor in the mould of Mr Udom Emmanuel at a time like now. Go to other states and you'll be amazed that the regular payment of salaries to civil servants and pension to retirees which we take for granted, is a luxury worthy of celebration', Mr Columba added.

On his activities in office, the Caretaker Chairman revealed that he had refused to be overwhelmed by the paucity of funds in the local government administration. He stated that he was thinking outside the box to ensure that he leaves some tangible dividends of democracy to the Cradle of Ibibio civilization at the end of his tenure. “Already, in tune with our resolve to look for all avenues of partnership, I had invited the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen to Itak to see how we can partner to build a functional motor park here, and the amiable Works Commissioner has elected to partner us alongside some private investors to have the project done”, the Chairman said.

He added, “The entire monarchy, the Clan Council and the people have donated a land around the former NIPOST Post Office for the project and in no time, the project will commence through a Public Private Partnership, PPP model. The Chairman listed the multi-faceted benefits the proposed motor park would attract to the area and warned those planning to resist development to desist henceforth or face the full wrath of government.

The Chairman also revealed that he was using his wide network of contacts in government to ensure that a public secondary school is opened in the Clan as it was unthinkable that a people with sixteen gazetted villages would be without a public post -primary institution to call their won.

The accomplished broadcast journalist turned politician also promised his people that he was working in concert with the state Ministry of Works to ensure that the State Governor visits the area to formally kick-start work on the Nung Udoe Itak-Ikot Odung Ikono-Abak road and urged them to remain loyal to the PDP to ensure that all the laudable projects come to fruition. He hinted on some other projects he had embarked upon in other wards of the local government which were to be inaugurated during his first 100 days in office.

He reminded his kith and kin that if he could attract development to the area in the form of an electricity project to six villages in the clan and free medical services to over 300 natives among others while he was a private person, they should rest, assured that as the public Relations Officer of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Akwa Ibom State Chapter and the Secretary, Forum of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Chairmen, he would attract more development to the clan and the local government in general. ' I remain eternally grateful to our Leader, the Legal Adviser of our great Party at the state level, Obong (Barr)Goddy Umoh and the Senate Minority Leader, His Excellency, Dr Godswill Obot Akpabio for the effective leadership they have given us. I pray God to continue to keep them for us', he waxed grateful.

Mr. Columba used the occasion to formally present the two aides he had appointed from the Ward, namely the immediate past PDP Ward Chairman, Mr. Isong Okon Ibanga and Mr. Ekemini Essien

Speaking earlier, a former Councillor in the Ward and Dean of Students, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Hon. J. J. Ekiko , encapsulated the warm feelings of the Itak ward 11 people to the state Governor for appointing their beloved son and brother, Mr. Itoro Columba as Chairman, Ikono Caretaker Committee. He promised on their behalf to support the re-election of the State Governor and the election of Mr. Itoro Columba as the substantive Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council.

Others who spoke at the event included the Ward Chairman, Mr. Okon Effiong Akpan, a former Vice Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Hon Godwin Mark, a former Transition Committee member of Ikono Local Govt Council, Elder Friday Ubeng, the Pioneer PDP Ward Chairman, Elder Gregory Michael, the PDP Women Leader, Mrs Glory Abam, the President, Itak Youth Council, Mr. Ubon Udofia, the widow of a frontline Politician in the area, Mrs Mfonobong Udosen, the PDP Ward Youth Leader, Mr. Nsikak Ikpe, the Chapter Publicity Secretary, Mr. Idongesit Ukaetuk, among others.

They all congratulated Mr. Itoro Columba on his appointment and modest achievements, thanked the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel and Obong (Barr) Gody Umoh for remaining great leaders that Itak people would continue celebrate. They promised to stand with the Governor and their son, Mr. Columba through thick and thin.

The parley featured free flow of food, drinks and others “packages”. Present were the Ward EXCO members of PDP, Elders, Youths, Women and other categories of the people of Itak Clan.