2015 guber race: You can’t fool us again – Oron group tells Larry Essin

The Oron Interest Group (OIG) has faulted comments accredited to a foremost politician and former National Chairman of Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), Mr. Larry Esin, that the votes he got in 2007 primaries of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) from Oron Nation, was out of sympathy for the aspiration of Governor Godswill Akpabio.

OIG, a frontline socio-political group in Oron Federal Constituency, in a widely circulated press release said Mr. Esin, a governorship aspirant on the platform of PDP in 2006 never told delegates from the area that he was contesting the election in order to clear the way for “his ‘friend,’ Governor Akpabio, to win.”

According to the press statement signed and made available to us in Uyo on Sunday by its National Chairman, Chief Etim Nkereuwem, and National Secretary, Mr. Mfon Okon, the group, known for forthrightness and integrity, said Oron delegates voted out of genuine love for Mr. Esin as representative of the Oron interest, which was to make sure an Oron man won the primaries, based on the “Afanghi Spirit.”

 The group, which is an embodiment of men and women from all professions, wondered why Mr. Esin who recently confessed to using the votes of Oron delegates in 2007 to further his personal interest, should still be allowed to canvass for votes from the same Oron people he betrayed in his current adventure.

OIG said, unequivocally, that the interest of Oron nation has not changed. “Thus we want a person who has sincere love for the entire people of Oron Federal Constituency and who is committed to making sure the people of the area are better placed in the scheme of things in the state by producing the next Governor of the state in 2015.”

“We, therefore, advise our brother, Mr. Larry Esin, and his likes who are interested in the Governorship of Akwa Ibom State to desist from planning to use the people of Oron to massage their personal egos. That time has gone. We are now more enlightened and we cannot be used the second time,” the statement said.

The group further said: “Though Governor Akpabio who benefited from Mr. Esin’s sale off has achieved tremendous successes in infrastructural development, healthcare delivery,   youth empowerment, amongst others, Oron nation still yearn for real development in all areas.”

 According to the statement also, the group resolved that it was imperative for the body to throw their unalloyed support for aspirants from Oron nation with genuine interest in the people.