Etim Ekpo must produce Rep in 2010, Forum insists
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February 25, 2010
Plans by certain interest groups in Abak Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State to reverse the age- long zoning arrangement has received the knocks of Agenda 2011 Forum, a socio political association in the area.
The group in a statement said it was disturbed by rumors making rounds that Etim Ekpo should jettison the idea of producing the National Assembly member in 2011 when it is officially their turn to do so.
Report has it that some politicians in the federal constituency were of the opinion that since an indigene of Etim Ekpo has indicated interest in the Senate, it would be out of place for the same local government to also take the House of Representatives seat at the same time.
Coordinator of Agenda 2011 Forum, Mr. Ekpoimo Udofia observed that such argument was baseless since according to him, the issue of Senate has nothing to do with the House of Representatives zoning arrangement, which has rotated between Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika for many years without rancor.
According to him, the senate seat is zoned to the Abak Federal constituency and anybody from either of the three local government areas was eminently qualified to try his luck while in the case of the House of Representatives, there was no negotiation as it was the express right of an Etim Ekpo indigene to do so after the turn of Ika.
"Those politicians who are contemplating such argument are only interested in causing confusion in the area. What has the senate thing got to do with an arrangement that has been respected for so many years?" he querried
"For those who do not know, this thing started way back in the second republic and it has never been faulted. The senate by calculation is expected to come to the Abak Federal Constituency because it is the only area that has not been favored before. So if somebody from Etim Ekpo has shown interest, it is his right to do so but that is not to say that people should use it as the basis to deny Etim Ekpo what is genuinely their right," he said.
The youth activist warned those behind the plot to reverse it, as whatever they are planning would be highly resisted by the group and well-meaning indigenes of the area.
He disclosed that the group had already commenced consultation with stakeholders in the area to ensure that whatever is due to Etim Ekpo is given to them and whatever comes to Abak Federal Constituency should not be denied them.
Mr. Udofia further drew the attention of the people to the number of aspirants vying for the National Assembly seat saying those people were all from Etim Ekpo which is an indication that the zoning was still being respected.