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I can’t negotiate Akwa Ibom unity says Governor Udom


Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has reiterated that the unity of the state was non-negotiable.

The governor who made the remarks shortly after swearing in the new Secretary to State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem at the Banquet Hall of the Government House Uyo said he was poised to bring together the whole state irrespective of tribes as part of his government’s political inclusiveness agenda.

According to Emmanuel “Akwa Ibom is all one, joined by a common destiny and aspirations and our unity in non-negotiable, our common ethos and fidelity to the Akwa Ibom project remains sacrosanct.”

The governor who said the greatest asset God has given to Akwa Ibom is her people, maintained that it is the people that will make the different once they all come together
He assured that he will do everything possible to ensure that every part of the state has a sense of belonging, saying “I enjoin you to celebrate this mutually inclusive tendencies and put those naysayers, to shame that we will never be derailed from the path of unity and collectively sworn to uphold.”

He charged Dr. Ekuwem on the huge expectations of the government from the people who came to witness the event, reminding him that he must work to justify the reason for his appointment which was mainly to add value to the government industrialization process.

Extolling Ekuwem’s qualities, Emmanuel said the state was happy with both his achievement in the outside world and his conduct, stating “We are happy that your name has gone across everywhere and it was your integrity that worked for you when you contested for and won as the President of Nigeria Internet Group.”

Emmanuel who further challenged the new appointee to bring his leadership quality to bear so that the state can unite and bring everybody together, added, “from this moment nothing should divide the state as development has also been spread across the three senatorial districts.

He warned that no man should put asunder this one family which is Akwa Ibom family, explaining that nobody ever predicted where he or she was to be born, and sued for unity and love among all in the state.
He thanked the immediate past Secretary to Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren for a cordial working relationship with him from the time Umoren was the permanent secretary of the office of the governor till his appointment as then Secretary to Government.
He said for almost three years

Umoren was a great ally who added value to his administration’s developmental strides in the state.
Meanwhile, many have attributed the replacement of Mr Etekamba Umoren with Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem as SSG as affront on former Governor Akpabio and a plot to push the Annangs out of political revevance.

However, a source close to the system has revealed that the deal to appoint the new SSG was brokered sometime during the last quarter of last yea at a high-powered meeting which took place at the A-Line, Ewet Housing Estate residence of the Senate Minority Leader, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio.

In attendance at the meeting were the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Hon. Nse Ntuen- Member representing Essien Udim State Constituency, Barrister Ibanga Akpabio, the current Commissioner, Ministry of Labour, Productivity and Manpower.



At the meeting, it was agreed that the immediate past SSG, Sir. Etekamba Umoren had stayed beyond the initial plan which was for him to occupy the position for two years and would be replaced afterwards. The deal, according to our source, was thus brokered, where the Senate Minority Leader, in filling the vacuum to be created by the exit of Sir Etekamba Umoren was asked to nominate his cousin, Barrister Ibanga Akpabio for appointment into the State Executive Council.

Another source who confirmed the deal further revealed that Wife of the immediate past Secretary to State Government, Mrs Gloria Etekamba Umoren, who is currently dean, college of permanent secreGovernor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has reiterated that the unity of Akwa Ibom state is non-negotiable.

The governor who made the remarks shortly after swearing in the new Secretary to State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem at the Banquet Hall of the Government House Uyo said he was poised to bring together the whole state irrespective of tribes as part of his government’s political inclusiveness agenda.

According to Emmanuel “Akwa Ibom is all one, joined by a common destiny and aspirations and our unity in non-negotiable, our common ethos and fidelity to the Akwa Ibom project remains sacrosanct.”

The governor who said the greatest asset God has given to Akwa Ibom is her people, maintained that it is the people that will make the different once they all come together
He assured that he will do everything possible to ensure that every part of the state has a sense of belonging, saying “I enjoin you to celebrate this mutually inclusive tendencies and put those naysayers, to shame that we will never be derailed from the path of unity and collectively sworn to uphold.”

He charged Dr. Ekuwem on the huge expectations of the government from the people who came to witness the event, reminding him that he must work to justify the reason for his appointment which was mainly to add value to the government industrialization process.

Extolling Ekuwem’s qualities, Emmanuel said the state was happy with both his achievement in the outside world and his conduct, stating “We are happy that your name has gone across everywhere and it was your integrity that worked for you when you contested for and won as the President of Nigeria Internet Group.”

Emmanuel who further challenged the new appointee to bring his leadership quality to bear so that the state can unite and bring everybody together, added, “from this moment nothing should divide the state as development has also been spread across the three senatorial districts.

He warned that no man should put asunder this one family which is Akwa Ibom family, explaining that nobody ever predicted where he or she was to be born, and sued for unity and love among all in the state.
He thanked the immediate past Secretary to Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren for a cordial working relationship with him from the time Umoren was the permanent secretary of the office of the governor till his appointment as then Secretary to Government.

He said for almost three years Umoren was a great ally who added value to his administration’s developmental strides in the state.
Meanwhile, many have attributed the replacement of Mr Etekamba Umoren with Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem as SSG as affront on former Governor Akpabio and a plot to push the Annangs out of political revevance.

However, a source close to the system has revealed that the deal to appoint the new SSG was brokered sometime during the last quarter of last yea at a high-powered meeting which took place at the A-Line, Ewet Housing Estate residence of the Senate Minority Leader, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio.

In attendance at the meeting were the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Hon. Nse Ntuen- Member representing Essien Udim State Constituency, Barrister Ibanga Akpabio, the current Commissioner, Ministry of Labour, Productivity and Manpower.

At the meeting, it was agreed that the immediate past SSG, Sir. Etekamba Umoren had stayed beyond the initial plan which was for him to occupy the position for two years and would be replaced afterwards. The deal, according to our source, was thus brokered, where the Senate Minority Leader, in filling the vacuum to be created by the exit of Sir Etekamba Umoren was asked to nominate his cousin, Barrister Ibanga Akpabio for appointment into the State Executive Council.

Another source who confirmed the deal further revealed that Wife of the immediate past Secretary to State Government, Mrs Gloria Etekamba Umoren, who is currently dean, college of permanent secretaries in the state is most qualified to be next Head of Civil Service and the state may not be able to accommodate the couple in one exco.

Confirming the likelihood of these informations, the immediate past Secretary to State government, Mr Etekamba Umoren and wife Gloria cheerfully walked into venue of the swearing in of new SSG.

Meanwhile profile of the new Secretary to State government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem indicates that he is an old boy of the Queen of Apostles Seminary, Afaha Obong, Abak and an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (former University of Ife) Ile-Ife. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Engineering Physics, Masters Degree in Physics, Masters Degree in Electronic & Electrical Engineering (Microcomputer-based Instrumentation and Control Engineering) and a PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Computer-based Instrumentation and Control Engineering).

He did his Post-PhD fellowship research work (Computer-based Real-Time Data Communication in PSTN) in the Networking and Radio Propagation Laboratory of the UNESCO ICTP, Trieste, Italy.



He has worked briefly as Head of Engineering in the then Department of Meteorological Services (now Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET) of the Aviation Ministry before going on voluntary retirement at a very young age. While in the Aviation establishment, he won a “Ministerial Award for Outstanding Productivity.

Ekuwem has served in several capacities including serving as Member of the telecommunications industry consultative and advisory forum of the Nigerian Communication commission (NCC), Member of the Infrastructure Policy Commission of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Member of the Science and Technology Policy Commission of NESG, Member of the Infrastructure sub-committee of the National IT Strategic Action PLAN, Chairman of Technology Development Company Limited (Hi-Tech development and ICT-based Industrial Automation), among others
Ekuwem is a recipient of over 110 awards, recognitions and chieftaincy titles, including “Obong Ifiok Ibaka” and “Ofriyo Mbo”, he is a fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society; Fellow, Nigerian Meteorological Society; Member of the International Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, The Internet Society, amongst others.

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