The Empire

By Ime Ben Following the recent retirement of the previous Coordinators for the four core communities of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, namely Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno a destination Onna local government areas, a non governmental organization in the State, the Network Advancement Programme for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reduction, NAPPDRR, has  petitioned the oil company, demanding reappointment of community Coordinators for the four catchment areas. The NGO, in a communique issued at the end of its stakeholders meeting yesterday in Eket, signed by it President, Al Mustapha Emem Edoho, said appointment of the community Coordinators was a creation of a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and the host communities. Based on the above, NAPPDRR called on the oil giant to set machinery in motion for the review of MoU to promote healthy industrial relations and robust community engagements. Also to further ameliorate the impact of u

By Asuquo Eden Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini has asserted that he would have  declared his father or mother of the election if they had contested and lost as the era where election results were "written" was over. Igini who was making remarks today during the ceremony to present Certificate of Return to the reelected Governor and members elect of the House of Assembly, decried the numerous lies that was levelled against him towards the build up of the polls describing his re odds as very clear having served with diligence in States including Imo, Anambra and Cross River. "When I arrived Akwa Ibom on the 5th of September 2017, I met with political Parties and revealed to them that under my watch as REC here, I will conduct a free and fair election that will be credible and that ballot papers would be delivered to all units across the State...some didn't take me seriously, today we know better. We had pledged that we will not b

The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke has tasked Councillors of the various Wards in the State to take advantage of the various capacity building openings to gather knowledge so as to be productive and effective in carrying out their mandate in the Legislature. The Speaker who was making remarks today during a two day program on Parliamentary Management facilitated by National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly noted that it was very important Akwa Ibom had intelligent men and women who would sit to discuss issues bothering on the development of the various sectors of the State economy advising them to take a cue from Akwa Ibom sons who have rose to the apex of the legislature having started the ladder as Councillors. Barr Luke paid special tribute to the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for making possible the hosting of the seminar stressing that the col

The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr Onofiok Luke, is inviting local government councillors, clerks and sergeant at arms across all the local government areas of the state to a 2-day workshop starting tomorrow, Wednesday 27th March, 2019. The workshop which is to be facilitated by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom state Government through the State House of Assembly, seeks to develop legislative outputs at local councils across the 31 local government areas of the state. The training has been organized for the councillors in line with the assembly’s commitment to its capacity development agenda. The 6th assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke has continued to emphasize human capital development as a demand for quality legislative leadership and a condition for good governance. While Governor Udom Emmanuel will be special guest of Honour, Speaker Onofiok Luke,

Zaki M. Ahmed has just been named as the new Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State Command. He takes over from Bishir Makama who has spent about three months in the State. Before his transfer to Akwa Ibom Ahmed served as Commissioner of Police Rivers State, Commissioner of Police in Bauchi state and Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in Rivers State. He hails from Kogi State.

Microfinance Banks who participated in loans disbursement with responsibility to recover have been urged to expedite action on recovery of previously disbursed SMSDF loans to enable government disburse another round of interest free loans to businesses on time. The SSA on Microfinance and Enterprise Development to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Ime Uwah stated this at the end of a closed door meeting with heads of Microfinance Banks participating in The interest free loan scheme.  Uwah said the loans were revolving funds and not grants and as such should be paid back so as to avoid defeating the aim of the scheme. He stated further that recovering these loans will encourage a healthy business culture, foster accountability as well as make it possible for more entrepreneurs in the state to benefit from the loans.     Mr Ime Uwah stated that the state Government had paid up front, the single digit interest on the loans on behalf of beneficiaries to make the loans interest free.

“While i was busy campaigning in 108 wards, 1,124 units that constitute Ikot Ekpene senatorial district (Akwa Ibom North-West), while Akpabio was busy waiting for federal might" The above were contained in insights given by the Senator-elect of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Engr Chris Ekpenyong on how he was able to defeat former Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio and also given the fact that Akpabio is challenging the result at the Tribunal. Ekpenyong stated that he was prepared to defend his victory at the tribunal since it was not a stolen mandate. "I defeated Godswill Akpabio at the units. I defeated him in all the local government areas in the senatorial district. “If elections had gone properly, if Akpabio had not brought in the Police and the Army to compromise the process, I would have defeated him even in his own local government areas, Essien Udim". It would be recalled that Akpabio, former Senate Minority Leader, who

Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Udom Emanuel today assented to the 2019 Appropriation Bill as submitted to him by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Present during the process was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr Nwoko, the Deputy Speaker Princess Felicia Bassey and the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh and the Finance Commissioner, Mr. Nkan. The  total budget size is N672B m ade up of N973,956,245,90B recurrent  revenue charge, N447,902,796.440B for capital expenditure and N127,686,339.730B for consolidated fund charge.

Entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State have been urged to brace up as the completion agenda of Deacon Udom Emmanuel has a lot in stock for them. The Senior Special Assistant on Microfinance and Enterprise Development to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Mr. Ime Uwah stated this today when members of the “Made in Akwa Ibom Show Room” paid him a courtesy call in his office. Uwah Said Mr. Emmanuel’s completion agenda has given priority to Micro and small business development stating that there is a conscious effort to develop SMEs in the completion agenda. He listed the efforts to include proposed development of incubation centers, trainings and capacity development as well as provision of loans and other interest free facilities to small and medium scale entrepreneurs. Mr. Ime Uwah promised to work with members of the Akwa Ibom Entrepreneurs community in general and the made in Akwa Ibom showroom in particular to harness and collate the enormous human capital that abound in the entrepreneurial co

Irked by the recent worrisome trend of discourse towards who succeeds Mr. Udom Emmanuel on his exit of the Hilltop Mansion in 2023, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Paul Ekpo has described such discourse as embarrassing and premature. In a recent Press Release signed by him, the PDP Chairman while noting that the trend was worrisome as the governor though had won his second term election was yet to complete his first term in office. "We therefore appeal to the general public and the prospective aspirants to please allow the state to run smoothly without any distraction. While it is very permissible to have aspirations of any magnitude, time is a key determinant of the appropriateness or otherwise of such ambition. We also appeal to online influencers and bloggers to desist forthwith from instigating or participating in the promotion and projection of persons for 2023. Additionally, as the first term of this administration comes to a successful en

A foremost socio-cultural organization in Akwa Ibom State, the Afigh Iwaad Ekid, has congratulated Governor Udom Emmanuel on his victory at the just concluded Governorship election in Akwa Ibom State. The President General of the Afigh Iwaad Ekid, ObongIwaad (Pst)  Godwin Williams, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Iwaad Ime Ben, attributed the electoral victory of Governor Emmanuel to a number of factors which includes his broad base achievements and his strong faith in God, saying the victory did not come as a surprise to Akwa Ibom people. ObongIwaad Williams in the statement, maintained that the Governor, despite the hurdles he faced from the inception of his administration, embarked on massive infrastructure development projects to all parts of the State, a situation which earned him support and goodwill from the people. ObongIwaad Williams noted that the Governor was able to prudently manage the lean resources accrued to the State for the development of all se

"The Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Board has state that it shall not tolerate any Resource Person found wanting in the discharge of their duty of waste evacuation in the State no matter how highly connected the resource person is." The Chairman of the Board Prince Ikim stated this Thursday 14th March when he went on an unscheduled tour of waste dump points and dumpsites across the State. Mr Ikim decried the uncommitted attitude of some resource persons handling waste evacuation in the State He maintained that he will not play politics with waste evacuation ,that the health of the citizens are paramount. Consequently,The Chairman has suspended the contract of Solid Gold Concepts Ltd. a company handling waste evacuation on Zone 3 which is Nyong Essien circus, Noah Udo, Oron Road by Mbiabong primary school, Oron Road by Mbiabong Market, Shelter Afrique extension 3 sides, right hand side of airport road up to Ifa Atai including all illegal du

The Change Nigeria Party (CNP)  Governorship Candidate in Akwa Ibom State  Dr. Engr. Anietie Ukpong has congratulated Governor Udom Emmanuel on his victory in the just concluded Governorship election in the State and subsequent re-election as Akwa Ibom State’s Chief Executive for another four years term. Dr. Ukpong said he knew that Governor Emmanuel  had the divine mandate fueled from his #onlyGod campaign slogan, confessing that the slogan was in the lips of the vast majority of Akwa Ibom people and residents. The CNP Governorship hopeful made the congratulatory remarks during his interview with Journalists shortly after announcement and declaration of the election results in Uyo. He also used the medium to appealed to all the contestants during the election to borrow a leaf from him and also issue similar congratulations to the re-elected Governor and be poised to help contribute to the development of  the state that they all love dearly, saying "no single person has t

By Asuquo Edem "We have implicit confidence in the Judiciary to do justice to our people to restore their right to freely choose their leaders without manipulation as carried out by a compromised INEC under Mr. Mike Igini" The above was contained in a text presented by leader's and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Essien Udim Local Government Area  at the NUJ Press Centre today while addressing a World Press Conference to vent their dismay outcome of last Saturday's elections which they described as "an election which will go down in history as the biggest, most elaborate fraud executed by the Akwa Ibom State Government headed by Mr. Udom Emmanuel in collusion with a compromised Akwa Ibom State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, superintended over by Mr. Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner" Reading the text, Arc. Ubokutom Nyah said Akwa Ibom State has never witnessed an electoral robbery ai

By Asuquo Edem The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke has described the 2019 Budget as  the pioneer economic blueprint for the proposed Completion Agenda of the next four years of the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel as clearly enshrined in his manifesto. Barr. Luke while making remarks yesterday after the House had successfully passed the 2019 budget appropriations note that the budget of industrialisation for poverty alleviation was an "economic transition proposal touches very feelingly on the growth agenda for the next phase of this administration" adding that as a legislature, they had reviewed the key components of the appropriation law, weighing them against the policy objectives which leverage the short and long term development ambitions of government. The Speaker emphasised that what the House approved emanated from the wishes of stakeholders who considered the parameters for the 2019 proposals during the public he

The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Barr Onofiok Luke and members of the Assembly today Wednesday passed the 2019 budget estimates with over N2Billion  bringing the total budget size from N670.718 to N672 This arose after the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriations, Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh had presented its report. The 2019 budget is made up of N973,956,245,90B recurrent  revenue charge, N447,902,796.440B for capital expenditure and N127,686,339.730B for consolidated fund charge. The State governor had in November 2018, presented to the House a budget put at 670.718b. The Speaker in his remarks after the passage of the Bill into Law noted that the budget touches on the growth agenda of the Udom Emmanuel administration while it is also tailored to meet the needs of government which include hob creation, capacity building and industrialization. He assured that the House would continue to partner with the Executive to give impetus for i

The Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Party has rejected the results of the 2019 Polls conducted in the State last Saturday. Read Press Statement by the State Chairman below: PRESS TEXT PRESENTED BY THE STATE CHAIRMAN, ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS , AKWA IBOM STATE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE 2019 GOVERNORSHIP/STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY  ELECTIONS IN AKWA IBOM STATE HELD AT THE APC PARTY SECRETARIATE, 149 IKOT EKPENE ROAD, UYO, ON MARCH 11, 2019. Gentlemen of the Press, I most humbly welcome you to this press briefing on the outcome of the just concluded governorship and the state house of assembly elections. We appreciate all your efforts and sincerely urge you to remain steadfast in your support and cherished commitment to progressive ideals of politics in the country. You are all witnesses to the political developments that culminated in the 2019 general elections that took place in Akwa Ibom State. You are equally aware and had been informed of the consistent complaints  by the A

Governor Udom Emmanuel has described the total dependence, faith and trust in God as the panacea of their victory in the just concluded 2019 Election Polls. "While others put their trust in the weapons of violence and destruction they had fashioned against our people, and had openly boasted of the invincibility of their Federal might, we put our trust and faith in the ONLY God we know and worship. The ONLY GOD who never disappoints. And He did not disappoint! To Him alone, we give thanks, glory and adorations". In a speech on the occasion of his reelection, the governor commended electorates for conducting themselves peacefully in the bid to exercise their civic responsibilities while refusing to be "shaken or cowed by those who thought they could bend your will; you refused to be intimidated by those who promised Armageddon and war on our people. You proved that the army of God can never be defeated by the army of man no matter the size. You deserve our eternal grati

IBESIKPO ASUTAN GOVERNORSHIP  Results: PDP- 15685,                                         APC - 7179. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY  PDP-15238,         APC-7346. Uyo LGA Governorship: PDP - 35,092 APC - 12,549 NSIT ATAI LGA GOVERNORSHIP:  PDP=8,855  APC=3,783 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY:  PDP=8,876 APC=3,893  EASTERN OBOLO LGA  Governorship.  PDP = 10, 780,  APC = 1,914 .   House of Assembly,   PDP = 10,717,  APC = 1864.  IBENO LGA Governorship APC 1,442 PDP 10,008 HOA APC 1,524  PDP 9,698  IKOT EKPENE LGA Governorship  PDP --- 14927 APC --- 11150 House of Assembly PDP --- 14770 APC --- 10930  Eket LGA RESULT Gov. 26372 PDP APC 5087 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PDP  25571 APC 5308  UKANAFUN  GOVERNORSHIP PDP 35,447 APC 7,227 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PDP 35,448 APC 6,490. IKOTABASI  LGA Governorship  PDP -9335 APC-7549 State Assembly  PDP - 9202 APC - 7345 , 

The clean mortality sheet recorded during last Presidential and National Assembly elections held in Akwa Ibom State may not be the same today as some deaths have been reported in some parts of the State even as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may be coasting home to an early victory against its closest rival the All Progressives Party, APC. Our reporter reports that two persons were shot dead by soldiers at Unit 4, Ikot Udo Ossiom Ward 11, Ukanafun Local Government Area. Pockets of cases of violence, sporadic gunshots and snatching of ballot boxes were also reported in some parts of the State like in Ikono, Uruan Uyo, Abak, Essien Udim, Nsit Atai, Obot Akara whereas elction was generally peaceful in some parts like Eket, Ibeno, Nsit Atai and some others. The electoral umpire INEC has also been commended by electorates for early arrival of materials and general conduct. The results also announced at units have shown an early lead by the Peoples Democratic Party as votes gave t