Group slams YDP guber candidate over claims on Ibom Air

Ezekiel Etok, candidate of Young Democratic Party (YDP) in the 2019 governorship election in Akwa Ibom state, has been accused of false claims about Ibom Air, the state airline.

Etok has been very vocal in criticizing the conceptualisation of the airline, referring to it as wasteful venture.

In a recent article titled “Again on Ibom Air”, the proponent of social governance ideology, questioned the profitability and sustainability of the airline.

In a swift reaction, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) condemned the actions of Etok, accusing him of grandstanding and making ignorant assertions about an innovation that has enjoyed wide acceptance from all well-meaning Akwa Ibom citizens and Nigerians as a whole.

At a media briefing held at its secretariat in Uyo, the group said: “Strange as it sounds, while several Nigerians including notable opposition sympathizers such as APC chieftain, Mr. Anietie Usen and human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong Esq., gave great review for the unprecedented feat, the aging governorship candidate of Young Democratic Party, YDP, who cannot afford to miss the very affordable, fresh and excellent service rendered by Ibom Air took time in flight to vent his frustrations over the wide acceptance of the airline”.

“We have noted that Architect Ezekiel Nyah Etok, multiple governorship candidate, governor – general of imaginary state of social governance and an erudite advocate of social housing has an unusual ‘liking’ for Nigeria’s only state owned airline – Ibom Air; an undeniable proof of his love for the state and appreciation of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s pragmatic steps to fast track economic growth of Akwa Ibom State via a promising aviation sector,” Solomon Abasiekong, acting secretary general of the group said.

“Strange as it sounds, while several Nigerians including notable opposition sympathizers such as APC chieftain, Mr. Anietie Usen and human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong Esq., gave great reviews for the unprecedented feat, the aging governorship candidate of Young Democratic Party, YDP, who cannot afford to miss the very affordable, fresh and excellent service rendered by Ibom Air took time in flight to vent his frustrations over the wide acceptance of the airline, in his opinionated article titled “Again on Ibom Air”.

“Much as his series of bland essay on Ibom Air does not deserve a second thought let alone a rebuttal, we decide to make an exception of this particular piece, reason being that Architect Nyah Etok seems emboldened each day by his unchallenged censure and continues to spew fallacies thus misleading the unsuspecting public.

“Considering his arguments against Ibom Air, one after the one, we state as follows: no one doubts the fact that Ibom Air is collectively owned by all tax paying citizens of Akwa Ibom State. Provided Architect Ezekiel Nyah Etok has updated his tax payment, he is indeed a SHAREHOLDER in the company. However, his allusion to the governor being his ‘boy’ is not only inappropriate but exposes his ignorance of constitutional status of the Office of State Governor, a seat he has unsuccessfully desired to occupy.

“It is on record that Governor Udom Emmanuel often times refer to himself as a servant-leader, admitting responsibilities given to him by God and the people. So, it is preposterous for Etok, under whatever guise, to cast aspersion on the Office of Akwa Ibom State Governor. We will leave him with an admonition of former governor Godswill Akpabio to Senator J. J. Udoedeghe: “This Seat of Government you so disparage will elude both you and your entire generations”.

“It is ludicrous for the one time Chairman of the long rested Special Committee on National Social Housing Scheme (NSHS), Architect Ezekiel Nyah Etok – who is still battling to give intelligible reasons for the long delay in materialization of his utopian concept – to demand an account from a nascent company. What an irony?!

“Well, we learnt Ibom Air operates on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model just as many other functioning industries littered across the state. It is yet to be listed on capital market and is not expected by law to make public its investment profile.

“Very well, his current platform – social governance – adds colour to the political spectrum in the state and punctuates public discourse with a bit of idealism, but frankly speaking, providing good governance takes much more than donating mobile phone recharge cards on radio, buying airtime on radio or television to indulge in grandstanding or leading a bunch of naive kids on street demonstrations.”