EPHRAIM INYANG-EYEN: SHAMELESSLY CRYING WOLF TO OBTAIN PUBLIC SYMPATHY: BEING TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF EKET SENATORIAL DISTRICT MEDIA PROFESSIONALS.
There are reports in the media credited to the sacked Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Ephraim Inyang- Eyen and his media team wherein there are insinuations that the Akwa Ibom State Government is planning to arrest and prosecute him. Coming on the heels of the recent sentencing of Senator Bassey Albert by the Federal High Court, these reckless statements are designed to create or reinforce the erroneous impression that the state government was directly or indirectly involved in the petitioning, investigation and trial of the Senator.
We join other honest commentators to remind those who care to listen that the trial of Senator Bassey Albert started long before Mr Udom Emmanuel became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. And neither the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which prosecuted him nor the Federal High Court is a state government institution. Nobody should play the victim by attempting to create the impression that the state government is cracking down on the opposition. It is a statement of facts that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) doesn’t have to go to ridiculous extents in order to retain its foothold on Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in particular and the entire State in general.
If Mr Ephraim Inyang Eyen is haunted by his own shadow, he shouldn’t become alarmist, throw tantrums at, and insult his benefactor, His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel. He should remember that he was so wealthy in 2014 that he couldn’t issue a cheque of up to Fifty Thousand Naira (#50,000). Then, he was humble.
As Commissioner For Works throughout the first term of this administration, he invested more efforts into building his personal economy than building public roads for which he was appointed. This earned him a redeployment and later a boot from government. He has become intoxicated, paranoid, reckless and almost insane.
It is in line with our avowed commitments to the peace, unity and progress of our beloved state that we hereby wish to sound this note of advice to Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen and his hirelings to refrain from senseless outbursts that could be inflammatory and capable of breaching the peace currently being enjoyed in the State.
When did Eprhaim become such an atrocious blackmailer that could openly boast that he has manufactured and kept documents that will be used to destroy the image of his benefactor and lifesaver? This is the most irrational and senseless comment a man of Ephraim Inyangeyen could make against his former boss, benefactor, Mentor and Governor of the State, given the fact that before he was appointed a Commissioner in the State Executive Council, this same man had no known reasonable address in the State capital. Suffice it to say that while he held sway as Commissioner for works, the State saw the worst performance of a public officer in that position. With Ephraim as Commissioner for Works, poor handling of compensations and alleged under valuing of properties, hampered the good intentions of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s government in infrastructural expansion. Several court cases and traditional injunctions were the order of the day. It was few months after Ephraim was eased out of the Ministry of Works that major roads started getting progress from the new Commissioner.
No one is trying to stop Mr Ephraim Inyang from attempting to contest for whatever position he seeks, despite his area not being favoured by the zoning arrangement, but in going against the tide, he should not rock the boat and spew wild allegations against the man who picked him up and gave him appointment.
Mr Inyang Eyen knows that his ill-conceived and illusory senatorial ambition has refused to gain traction because the people have roundly rejected it, first, because it offends the existing zoning formula in the Senatorial District. Secondly, the person behind it lacks the requisite mental capacity, emotional stability, character and temperament to represent the Senatorial District.
He has now resorted to crying wolf and seeking scapegoats and public sympathy for his imminent disastrous electoral outing.
Let him face his wobbly and ill-fated senatorial project and desist from noisemaking and needless rabble rousing.
SIGNED
JOSEPH EKONG
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION.
04/12/2022
