By Oghenekevwe Laba
An Akwa Ibom Youth organization under the aegis of Akwa Indigenes Development Initaitive (AKIDI) has condemned in its entirety the uncouth utterances on the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio by a veiled youth group from the north under the aegis of the Northern Emancipation Network. (NEN).
AKIDI read with utmost dismay the recent unwarranted attack from this politically sponsored group as one of the antics of destabilizing Nigeria polity, as well as dragging the good work, goodwill and the reputation of the Governor in question in the mud, which he has built over the years.
According to the statement, Mallam Usman Galadanchi and his group should, as a matter of urgency, re-direct their advice to the Northern Governors on the need to develop their region for their emancipation as their name connotes, rather than advising the President on who he should be relating with.
A statement signed by the Chairman Technical and Strategic Planning and his Political Affairs and Public Relations counterpart, Messrs George S. Akpan and James Ekanem respectively, cautioned the group to be objective and in-depth in their political savvy of the country before making unguarded statements that are capable of tarnishing the image of some good and respected leaders of this country.
The group reminded NEN that Governor Akpabio is an epitome of peace that had never and will never be a bad influence as a great mentor, a role model to Nigerian youths and the body polity of Nigeria.
“We challenge NEN to pay a visit to Akwa Ibom State, all expenses will be funded by AKIDI with a view to having a firsthand view of the massive transformation programmes of the digital Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the man with a vision on how good governance can transform the country. NEN would then be able to compare what they see with what are on ground in the whole Northern States put together, then they would be able to draw a line to know why there is insurgence in the North, they will know that they are being used by some of their leaders to cause trouble at the detriment of the region,” the statement disclosed.
On the allegation leveled against the Governor as the architect of the problems between the President and the Governors of Rivers, Niger States, as well as the oil wells differences with Cross River State, AKIDI noted that only NEN could feign ignorance of the genesis of these
problems since they are not in tune with the realities on ground.
“We are not surprise as this is no doubt a handiwork of blind political scavengers seeking for recognition. We recommend that NEN should comment on what they know rather than delve into issues they are being sponsored by their pay masters to comment unguarded .
“Is it Governor Akpabio that is sponsoring the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria where souls are being killed like mosquitoes on daily basis?, Is it Akpabio that directed the four Northern Governors to visit Rivers State on a mission best known to them? Is it the Governor that turn out to be the Judge who delivered judgment on the oil well suit ? Who then made NEN the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters?” the statement asked
Consequently, Akwa youths ordered that NEN should retract the statement within seven days of its publication and tender an unreserved apology to Akpabio for their unguarded statement.