Adherence To Zoning Is Key To Peaceful LG Elections - AKHA Speaker

The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, has charged the people of Uruan Local Government Area to adhere to zoning and shun vices that will affect peace and unity of the area in the forthcoming Local Government Council Chairmanship elections.

Rt. Hon. Bassey, who also represents Uruan State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting on Sunday in Uyo at the residence of Uruan Political Leader, Chief Peter Ekpe-Atakpo.

According to the Speaker, it will be equitable and fair for political offices in the area to be zoned to its four Clans for harmony and peaceful coexistence.

While appreciating stakeholders of the area for their show of love and solidarity, Rt. Hon. Bassey also sued for inclusiveness of all the zones in the area’s political sharing formula.

In his remarks, Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Road Maintenance and other Infrastructure Agency, Prince Godwin Ntukudeh, said “Stakeholders are compelled by truth and fairness to uphold the decision on the zoning arrangement in Uruan.”

Prince Ntukudeh, who frowned at the attempt by some persons to thwart Uruan zoning arrangement, added that the gesture must be reciprocated to every zones and political bloc in the area, saying “this will make us have a peaceful elections in Uruan.”

Earlier in his remarks, the host and Political Leader of Uruan, Chief Ekpe-Atakpo, maintained that the established zoning and rotation arrangement for political positions in Uruan should be kept for peace and equity.

Chief Ekpe-Atakpo further supported the stakeholders’ position on the zoning of Local Government Chairmanship seat for sustainable peace in the area.

Speaking, the Zonal Leader of Northern Uruan, Engr. Offiong Akpabio, who started by reminding the stakeholders of the stance of Uruan Elders Forum during the regime of Late Gen. Akan that political offices should be shared among the four zones of Uruan for equity, fairness and justice, disassociated himself from the recent communiqué by the Elders of North-Central Uruan against the Office of the Speaker.

He apologized to Speaker on behalf of the people of North-Central and called on the stakeholders to support zoning and political inclusiveness, as ordered by Governor Udom, peace and equity.

Also speaking, the Zonal Leader of South-South Uruan, Obong Augustine Effiong, who supported the position of Engr. Akpabio, said “the  four Clans of Uruan were not created for palliatives and administrative convenient as speculated in the communiqué presented by the North-Central,” stressing that sharing of political offices were based on the North-Central and Southern mega zones.

Obong Effiong said that there was injustice perpetuated by a section of Uruan and there was need to address the injustice by creating the four political zones for equity and fairness.

"We love peace and we need our brothers but not to the detriment of one particular zone," he said.

Also in attendance at the meeting were the Chairman of Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service, Obong Okon Okon; the Chairman of Uruan Local Government Council, Hon. Henry Udofia; the Zonal Leader of Central Uruan, Engr J. B. Effiong; the Zonal Leader of South-East Uruan, Obong Kingsley Orok; the Zonal Leader of North, Obong Bassey Mbom; all the Ward Leaders; Councillors; Supervisors among others.