By: Emmanuel Abi Couson
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State Special Assistant on Research and Documentation Dr Essien Ndueso has berated the executive Director Projects NigerDelta Development Commission NDDC Mr Victor Antai for his recent attack on the Governor.
Ndueso said the Executive Director failed to learn from history of how previous indigenes of the State who used the NDDC platform to launch political attacks against the Government of their home state , rather than collaborating to bring about developments ended their political career.
According to him, “Those people did not end up well and I can tell you that
Insults, abuses and verbal diarrhea may be the only developments brought to Akwa Ibom State throughout Mr Victor Antai’s tenure as the Executive Director of Projects in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC”.
The Governor’s Aide who addressed Journalists on Tuesday April 9 in Uyo Akwa ibom state in reaction to Mr Antai’s recent comments highlighted that aside the earlier mentioned trademarks, nothing else has passed as his antecedence in previous duty posts either as local government chairman for two terms or as Commissioner in two separate Ministries in Akwa Ibom State.
In a 15 minutes viral video made available to our correspondents, Mr Antai apparently in a rally with APC party faithful in Eket on Easter weekend was heard faulting the Akwa Ibom State Government’s food security programme, and also accusing the government of impoverishing the people for political gains.
Antai also accused the former Governor of the State, Mr Udom Emmanuel of remotely controlling the affairs of the State and invoked curses on the government, among other things.
However Dr Ndueso who is also a communication scholar posited that, “by resorting to Skiamachy, Mr Antai, has summarized his mission in NDDC, which has been unable to site any visible development in the State in recent times.
“The last time we witnessed a major project from the interventionist agency, was in December 2015 when a 600m bridge connecting a 6.7km Iko- Atabrikang-Iwuochang Road was commissioned in Ibeno.
“It might be a tall dream, expecting any good from a man who cannot point out any benefit he brought about, either in his private service, or throughout his public life.
“Perhaps this accounts for his serial defeats in all the offices he has aspired for, ranging from House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.
“Most people, including eyewitnesses, have alleged that Mr Antai was drunk, and had little control over his speech and actions at the said event; however, I align with the thoughts of Prof Ola Rotimi who in his book, ‘the Gods are not to Blame’, said that it is what is in the mind when one is not drunk, that he mutters, when immersed in alcohol.
“As an Eket son, I personally feel insulted that the comedian chose Eket land for his theatric display of mockery. Eket is no place of secret altars of doom.
“The Easter season was a period political office holders gathered their people to render accounts of their stewardship and proposals; Antai who has no history, no plans for the people, chose to go shadow punching, to cover up his own infirmities.
“It is rather unfortunate that he also decided to venture into attacking Mr Udom Emmanuel, a leader who has kept his promise of quietly leaving the scene at the end of his tenure.
“It has been as clear as daylight that Mr Emmanuel, since departure from Government House on May 29, 2023, has returned to his private practice.
“He clearly told the state, at a public function that there can only be one leader at a time, and that Governor Eno is his leader and the leader of the entire State. This unprecedented act of humility and support has been largely applauded, especially in a country, where predecessors compete assiduously for space with their successors.
“If not for anything, could he not have shown respect to the man who picked him up in 2015 and appointed him as commissioner in two respective ministries?”
“I am happy that Governor Umo Eno has remained resolute in his readiness to continue partnering with everyone, irrespective of party divide, to attract benefits to the people”, he added.
“As expected, His Excellency the Governor who has remained focused on touching lives and investing in projects and programmes of immense value to the people, has refused to be distracted by this latest antics by Mr Antai.
“The millions of people who have benefited from the free food scheme for the downtrodden, the beneficiaries of the gratuity payments, beneficiaries of the scholarship and bursary schemes as well as the free shelter initiative recipients are among those who will answer Victor Antai.
“Everyone knows the Pastor Umo Eno was a successful entrepreneur before venturing to serve the public, and has seamlessly transferred this experience into government business. Where is Antai’s second address”, he quipped.
