Elders of the immediate constituency of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State in Eket Local Government Area, have engaged the governor in a dispute over false claim of contracts award to the elders. The Eket elders refuted they were ever awarded contracts for reconstruction of roads in the local government by Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Governor Emmanuel had claimed in a media interaction in the state that contracts were awarded to Eket elders to rehabilitate internal roads in the local government, instigating the people of the LG to hold the elders responsible for the bad roads in the area.
The Eket Integrity Forum, umbrella body of the elders, challenged the governor to release details of the contracts and the recipients.
A Board Trustees member of the Eket Integrity Forum, Dr. Usoro Usoro, a former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Godswill Akpabio, had declared that no indigene in the local government was awarded contracts for the reconstruction of the bad roads in Eket.
Usoro, however, noted that the Forum knew of the contracts given to Chief Nduese Essien, a former Minister of Lands and Housing, by Governor Emmanuel, saying that Essien had already delivered 16 of the 19 internal roads contracts.
Usoro had declared: “At least, the so-called urban renewal was not awarded to Eket elders. The 1-kilometre construction from the bridgehead to where the old Post Office was, on Hospital Road, was not awarded to an Eket elder. That road has been there for more than six years. The abandoned Idua Road, which has been there for about four years, was not awarded to an Eket elder.
“The elders he tried to rope in, perhaps, concern the half- kilometer internal roads around the abandoned stadium project. The roads around that place were awarded to Kefam Limited, a company owned by Chief Nduese Essien. Perhaps, that is why he made reference to Eket elders.
“The uncompleted, yet commissioned Eket-Ibeno Road, was not awarded to an Eket elder. “The Governor commissioned that road about three years ago, yet some sections are yet to be completed. The streetlights which were supposed to be part of the road design are not there.
“I don’t know which angle the elders are to be blamed. He should have been more specific? Are we to blame the elders for not making much noise about the deplorable situation in Eket or they should be blamed to not supporting him?
“As it is, it appears Emmanuel was only trying to shy away from the expected role of accountability to the people who worked hard to ensure his initial emergence and eventual return for a second term as Governor.”
Usoro berated Governor Emmanuel for covering his failure develop Eket senatorial district by inciting hatred for the Eket elders.
Usoro had decried: “By his utterances, he has clearly shown his disdain for Eket people. His answer simply meant Eket people do not deserve his attention; they do not deserve a decent and explicit answer from their Governor.
“…The Governor exposed his feelings for Eket. He simply does not care what we pass through, hence, he could brush off the issue concerning Eket; after all, he is better than everyone else. I am a community leader, and we feel shortchanged by Emmanuel’s government.
“I am speaking all these as a member of the trustees of an advocacy group called Eket Integrity Forum. It was our shrill cry that made Udom to even ask contractors to return to sites across the state recently.”
It was gathered that Chief Nduese Essien admitted being awarded contracts by the governor, but declared that 16 of the 19 internal roads contracts awarded to his company, Kefam Nigeria Limited, have been completed in Eket. He maintained that works are in progress on the outstanding three roads.
It was highlighted that the roads completed include the Stadium Access road, Larkin-Smith, Clinic Road, Stadium Road, Udo Umoh, Edem Udo Extension, Nssien Street, Akpaisang Street and Afaha Ukwa Obokidim-Iko Ekwa Road.