Youths from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state on Wednesday, invaded the council secretariat, sent workers away and set some office blocks ablaze over claims of marginalisation.
Ikpa Ikono is one of the three clans that constitute the local government area. The youths alleged that their people have been consistently skimmed out in the sharing of political offices in the area.
It was gathered that their action followed the refusal of the political blocs in the area and the Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs to act on their petition bordering on the composition of the current local government caretaker committees.
A youth from the area who spoke on ground of anonymity said that their action was to express their anger before government in order to correct the anomaly.
The source who is a member of Uyo Ikpa Ikono Welfare Union, one of the socio-political groups in the area said that people Ikpa Ikono Clan have been marginalised in the political offices sharing in the local government for two terms.
“There are four clans in Mkpat Enin namely, Ukpom Mminya, Ikpa Ibom, Ikpa Ikono and Ibiaku. The immediate past transition committee chairman, Ephraim Akpan came from Ibiaku and the present one, Mrs. Ekaete Usip who was the former secretary in Ephraim Akpan administration comes from Ukpom Mmiya.
Mr. Ekom Obong James, Coordinator of Advocacy for Peace and Justice at the Grassroots, in a statement in Uyo said, “What is happening in Mkpat Enin calls for questioning. We are not happy with the marginalisation of Ikpa Ikono in the political scheme of things in the area. We have been consistently been marginalised in the composition of the local government caretaker committee.“The issue is that of all the nine member current caretaker committee, the Akwa Ibom State government did not consider it necessary to include somebody from Ikpa Ikono and this was the case in the previous transition committee. So, we think, the present political arrangement in the state does not think there are qualified sons and daughters of Ikpa Ikono who could be trusted to hold leadership positions. So, what has happened is a food for thought for those who provoked this protest”, he stated.
“Last year, nobody from the clan was deemed fit to be part of the caretaker committee and now again, nobody from the clan is considered eligible to be part of the caretaker committee in a local government area. The sharing of political offices in Mkpat Enin rotates around three clans only.
“What has happened I think is a timely warning to the godfathers that this local government area belongs to all of us and not just a few individuals”, James said.
Efforts to speak with the police public relations officer, (PPRO) Cordelia Nwewa, regarding the incident were futile as she did not pick calls.
