Crisis looms in Obio Offot community over new Ekpuk head ...village head accused of plotting to influence election

 

The village head of Obio Offot, Uyo local government area, Eteidung Cyril Umanah, has been accused of meddling in the emergence of a new Unit/Ekpuk head in the area. 

A sour

ce in the community who sought for anonymity told THE INK that the village head is working with some people to deny Nung Inyang of producing the next Unit/Ekpuk head following the demise of Chief Ndarake Idaha from Nung Ekpe Family. 

Nung Inyang has never occupied the position which is on a rotational basis among the six families that make up Nung Mkpe unit. 

The people say it is the turn of Nung Inyang to produce the next Unit/Ekpuk head in line with the existing zoning arrangement. 

But their hope of having someone from Nung Inyang family occupy the position may not come to fruition if recent developments in the area are anything to go by. 

It was gathered that shortly after the demise of Chief Ndarake Idaha, the village head, Eteidung Cyril Umanah, hastily called for a meeting with the executive members of the community where he allegedly asked his preferred man for the position to part with some money and submit his passport to help facilitate his emergence as new Unit/Ekpuk head

But the EXCO members are said to have kicked against the idea on the grounds that it was not right to start talking about a replacement when the late occupant of the office had not been buried. 

The meeting is said to have ended without a common ground reached. But the EXCO members later, our reporter learnt, at another meeting just after the burial of Chief Ndarake Idaha, informed the village head that plans will soon be unveiled regarding the emergence of a new  Unit/Ekpuk head.

Part of resolution in the meeting was that someone from the bereaved family should be allowed to take part in the voting process. This was part of contents of a letter forwarded to the six families involved intimating them, among other things, of the process and date of the election. 

Late Chief Ndarake Idaha was both Ekpuk head and a family head. 

At a meeting attended by executive members of the area along with the family heads to finalise plans for the election and also officially concede the position to Nung Inyang, one of the acting family heads, Mr. Sunday Ebong noted that someone from another family was interested in being the Ekpuk head.

With time ticking fast to election day, it was agreed that the election should go ahead on the instruction of the village head, Cyril Umanah, who reportedly gave nod for the election to hold after another round of meeting with the leadership of the community. 

Surprisingly on election day, two families of Nung Ubo and Nung Udah reportedly boycotted the election over what the later said was occasioned by a burial ceremony they had to attend in the community. 

But the election took place with the four present families voting for Nung Inyang. The election was observed by the village chairman of Obio Offot, Ubong Usoro and two persons from each of the six families selected to witness the process. 

The election was however canceled following a letter by Nung Ubo to that effect having not participated in the election due to a burial they claimed to have attended. The village head heeded their request and ordered for fresh election. 

A new date was subsequently fixed for the election, but on the D-Day, a letter came in from Offot Ukwa Clan Council of Chiefs to the effect that the election should be put on hold so that the process can be thoroughly done. 

With the process done, a new date of 12 September, 2020 has now been fixed for the election of the Ekpuk head, but concerns have been raised over plots to manipulate the election in favour of an unpopular person against the community's zoning arrangement. 

This, a source said, has the imprimatur of the village head, Eteidung Cyril Umanah who is said to be working with some people within the area to stop one of the family heads from taking part in the election given the feeling that he may not support their choice. 

Another source said the village head is playing delay tactics in order to influence the process. "If they claim the acting family head of Nung Ekpe Capt. Aniediabasi Ubit (rtd) can't participate in the voting process because he is on acting capacity, why are they not talking about Mr. Sunday Ebong who is always on acting capacity," the source questioned rhetorically. 

It could be recalled that Nung Ekpe family had issued a letter stating that their chairman who is the acting family head has been mandated to participate in the voting process, "but Cyril Umanah the village head, has kept delaying the election just to get the acting family head of Nung Ekpe replaced," a source from the community told our reporter. 

Effort to speak with the village head, Eteidung Cyril Umanah, for his reaction proved abortive as his mobile number was not connecting as of the time of going to press.

Credits:

The INK