2015: Our turn to govern Akwa Ibom –Oron group tells Akpabio

Oron ethnic nationality of Akwa Ibom State  Saturday said Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, must make a categorical pronouncement to cede the governorship  position to the Oron nation.The people of Oron nation who are the third largest ethnic group in the state, said the recent proclamation by the governor that Eket senatorial district should produce the next governor in 2015 was okay but not enough.

It could be recalled that at a recently concluded mini-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention, Akpabio was said to have affirmed that the next governor must come from Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district, putting all controversies to rest.

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This, the Oron people, said, deepens their confidence in the governor abiding fidelity to the noble principles of justice, equity and fairplay; the solid foundation for ethnic concord, security and rapid development of the state.

But, briefing reporters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, the Chairman of Oron Think Tank, Comrade Okon Osung, said there was nothing wrong for Governor Akpabio to follow a familiar precedence of his predecessor to declare with finality that it is the turn of Oron ethnic nationality for the governorship slot in 2015.

“It is our considered opinion that this will lower tension and acrimony in the polity and minimise wasteful spending of scarce resources,”  he stated.

Ordinary and without any persuasion, Osung averred that after the largest ethnic group in the state, the Ibibios had taken their turn of eight  years, and the second largest, the Annangs about finishing their eight years in office, the Governorship seat should move to the third largest ethnic group being the Oro nation.

“The governor needs to put the stake of Oron in 2015 beyond speculation, suspense and conjecture. It was done before by his predecessor and it should be done again.

 “It will be a stroke of geo-political brilliance that will consolidate his status as a statesman who looks beyond the narrow gauge of political gamesmanship,” Osung maintained.

The people of the Oro nation, Osung said does not believed the insinuations in some quarters that the Governor had already anointed a candidate who was not from Oron ethnic group in Eket Senatorial District to be Governor of the state in 2015.

 “We approach such insinuations with meditative silence knowing that the Governor we know always thinks through his actions with a keen eye on the peace and security of the state,”  he said.

According to him, in Eket Senatorial District, Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency has produced three deputy governors in quick succession and senator  while Eket Federal Constituency produced a record-setting Secretary to the Federal Government, two ministers, two senators, six ranking NDDC board members and a serving Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

He however regretted that the only thing that came to the Oron Federal Constituency was ministerial appointment of Prof. Ita Ewa whose tenure ended abruptly.

With eight oil companies operating in its territorial waters and being the greatest producing community in Akwa Ibom State, Niger Delta and Nigeria, the Oron nation insisted that they were justified and confident for the state to support a governor of Oron extraction in 2015.