Group slams monarch over scathing attacks on Ex-Gov. Udom Emmanuel

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Ekid Peoples Union has condemned the recent remarks made by Professor Effiong Bassey Archianga, the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, against the administration of former Governor Udom Emmanuel.

The group described Archianga’s comments as “uncharitable and unfounded”.

The Paramount Ruler had in a recent interview described Udom Emmanuel as the worst governor the state had produced and who did nothing for his Ibeno people in his eight years in power.

However, President General, Ekid People’s Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, said in a press statement made available to journalists over the weekend in Uyo that it’s deeply concerning that the Monarch has chosen to use his exalted position to peddle malicious and unfounded allegations against the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State

According to Dr. Udonsek, what “Professor Archianga seeks to portray is nothing more than a wicked attempt to distort history and destabilize the peace that Governor Udom Emmanuel worked so hard to institute, nurture and protect. One must wonder what would prompt such a diatribe against a former governor who has since completed his tenure peacefully and given his successor the free hand to implement the ARISE Agenda across the state.

He posited that the utterances are designed not to build, but to tear down, and they stand in stark contrast to the verifiable records of Udom Emmanuel’s tenure.

He added, “Records that speak for themselves and cannot be erased by propaganda. For instance, before the emergence of Udom Emmanuel, no road had been constructed in lbeno. It was Governor Emmanuel who constructed a 19.5km dual carriage road linking Ibeno to Eket Local Government Area, opening up the region for commerce and development.

“This same governor ensured that for the first time in history, an illustrious son of Ibeno rose to become the highest political office holder in the entire Eket Federal Constituency”.

He further highlighted, “It is also unfair for the Monarch to posit that no Ibeno son served in Udom’s government as Commissioner, whereas that government first appointed Mr. Ekpenyong Enyinna as Commissioner before appointing Chief Okpolupm Etteh as his successor. These are not indications of a “worst governor”; they are legacies of a governor who believed in equitable development and fairness. Contrary to the Paramount Ruler’s bitter rhetoric, Udom Emmanuel’s government was a beacon of inclusive governance. Under his leadership, every local government area, including Ibeno, witnessed road projects and infrastructural development. He did not rule for one community or one party. He ruled for the entire Akwa Ibom State, restoring peace and prosperity and giving every citizen a renewed sense of belonging”.

Speaking on some of the achievements of the former governor, the Ekid leader said, “Governor Emmanuel did not just build roads and bridges; he built people. Twelve general hospitals were remodeled and equipped. The Itam Multispecialty Hospital was brought back to life, and civil servants were never owed salaries, a testament to his belief in governance as a tool for vice. He may not have faired well in upsetting all the arrears of gratuities owed civil servants, but he never owed them pensions.

He added that to describe such a leader as “the worst governor” is either the product of a mind clouded by age-related forgetfulness or of a heart hardened by greed and a phobia for peace.

He further highlighted, “History will remember Governor Udom Emmanuel as one of the best governors Akwa Ibom has ever produced, a governor who left the state better than he met it, and whose legacies continue to speak louder than any insult ever could.

The Ekid people union leader said “While some talk, others work. While detractors hurl insults, Udom Emmanuel built roads, industries, and lives. While political opportunists sow division, he sowed peace and unity. Governance is not about noise: it is about impact. And the impact of Udom Emmanuel’s administration is etched in the roads we drive on, the hospitals that save lives, the jobs that feed families, and the peace that binds communities”.

“Let those who thrive on crisis find another stage for their performance. Akwa Ibom has moved beyond bitterness and division; it is on the path of progress, built on the solid foundation laid by leaders like Udom Emmanuel” he concluded.

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