Chidi Tony| A prominent socio-political group Mandate Eyes has come hard on hoodlums who disrupted the recent consultation visit of the Akwa Ibom Assembly speaker Hon Aniekan Bassey to Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in ibiono ibom local government area describing their action as offensive and criminal.
Recall that Hon Aniekan Bassey was at ibiono ibom local government area last week to consult Stakeholders in furtherance of his ambition to contest the 2023 Senatorial seat, mid-way into the meeting hoodlums allegedly loyal to a popular governorship aspirant from the area stormed the venue and demanded he remove his face cap with the insignia “Umo Eno” who is the aspirant endorsed recently by Governor Udom Emmanuel before addressing the meeting.
However, sensing danger and possible outbreak of violence the state Assembly Speaker quickly departed from the venue with his entourage to stop the confrontation from deteriorating into fracas.
According to Mandate Eyes in a press conference in Uyo Akwa ibom state addressed by Dr Uwemedimoh Umanah, Director of Public and Strategic Communications “On that fateful day, Hon Aniekan Bassey was in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area to consult some stakeholders, at the instance of the Member Representing Ibiono Ibom at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon Godwin Ekpo, when hoodlums invaded the arena and directed that he took off his faze- cap, which had the insignia of Pastor Umo Eno, who is the preferred choice of the majority of people of the state for the position of Governor from 2023. When Mr. Speaker repudiated their request to take off his cap, he was forced to leave, without consulting the delegates.
The group who described the actions of the hoodlums as sacrilege and the height of disrespect to the office of the No 3 Citizen of the state, hailed the Speaker for displaying such unparalleled leadership and statesmanship through actions that circumvented violence and hostilities in the state.
“That Mr. Speaker did not allow the appurtenances and weight of his office influence him typifies altruistic leadership” they acknowledged.
The Mandate Eyes maintained that the actions of the Hoodlums infringed on the fundamental right of association and speech of the Speaker, as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, inter alia:
“Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests… This section of the law is reinforced by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, thus: “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
On the raging issue of zoning, the group highlighted, “We in the Mandate Eyes can only unequivocally agree with the purveyors of this line of thought, that Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area is qualified to join the contest- being a part of Uyo Senatorial District.
“Our point of departure, however, is that it is not the sole preserve of Ibiono Ibom, since there has never been micro-zoning for governorship position in Akwa Ibom State. The Governorship position is therefore open to everyone in all the Local Government Areas in Uyo Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State. The essence of zoning the Governorship position between the 3 senatorial districts of the state is to ensure that no group is left out in governance and the overall development of the state”.
The group admonishes Akwa Ibom people not to fall prey in the hands of those who want to blackmail them into supporting an ill-fated project but rather demonstrate resilience and embrace the truth as exemplified in the succession agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel, which would deepen the peace and prosperity in the state.
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