The Empire

All hell broke loose, yesterday 25th June 2020, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during an after-party organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”), Port Harcourt Branch otherwise known as “The Integrity Branch”, at the Coral Reef Hotel, GRA, Port Harcourt, for the newly elected Executive Officers of the Branch. The after-party was reportedly bankrolled by one of the Presidential candidates in the upcoming NBA National elections, Mr. Olumide Akpata, who braved the interstate lockdown regulations and the NBA elections guidelines prohibiting candidates from visiting branches for campaigns, to be physically present at the after-party in Port Harcourt.  According to the eyewitness, who pleads anonymity, matters degenerated into an ugly fight when a very senior member of the Bar, who was in attendance at the event, attempted to record Mr. Olumide Akpata while Mr. Akpata was giving his campaign speech from the podium. To everyone’s shock and utter disbelief, the senior lawyer, w

By Ani Michael The member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon(Dr) Usoro Akpanusoh, said his seat in the Assembly in 2023 would be vacant and all eligible persons from Esit Eket and Ibeno local government areas with intentions to occupy the seat are by law free to contest and vie for it. Akpanusoh, a frontline member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, who is at the centre of ensuring the implementation of an agreed rotation of political positions in Esit Eket local government area, which in his view is for political stability, peaceful co-existence, political growth and harmony, however said, the chairmanship position in Esit Eket local government area after the expiration of the tenure of the current local government administration in the state is the exclusive right of Zone B political block in Esit Eket local government area. "I must be honest at all times.The truth now is on Zone B I stand. Whoever want

By Edem Andem The National Leader of Association for Better Esit Eket, Mr. Ayatollah Uyoata Azam, has described Congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was conducted in Esit Eket as sham and reason for the political crisis in the area. Mr. Uyoata said the congresses were conducted without respect and consideration to the PDP Constitution that allows for inclusiveness, fairness, equity, justice and internal democracy. Speaking further, he said “We are in court to seek redress and save our party in Esit Eket from collapse. We wish to state emphatically that we cannot allow a troika to decide the fate of PDP in Esit Eket. How can one man disregard other stakeholders of the party and thinks he can impose the the state officer, chapter chairman, ward chairmen and other party officers on all of us, particularly on Distinguished Senator Etang Edet Umoyo and Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh? How does it sound to you when a two term member of the State House of Assembly and a Senat

The last is yet to be heard involving issues between some Council Chairmen, Aides and the legislature at that level as the recent is a petition to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly from Supervisors who were sacked by the Chairman of Esit Eket, Mr. Iniobong Robson.  The petition dated 11th May and addressed to the Chairman House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs described the Council Chairman as running the Council against the provisions of the Local Government Administration Law through disbursement of unappropriated funds, non disclosure of accrued monthly allocation, failure to constitute Statutory Committees among other issues. The petition which was signed by Mr. Urua Urua former Supervisor for Youths/Sports, Daniel Stephen former Supervisor for Agriculture and Mr. Asuquo Udoh former S/A Commerce and Investment also accused the Council Chairman for allegedly continued payment of salary to a deceased Supervisor, Late Iberedem Akadu who had be