By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Less than two years to the end of the current administration in Akwa Ibom State
Governor Udom Emmanuel has declared his appointees incompetence to drive his completion agenda, just as he has sacked his Chief of Staff, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen.
Governor Emmanuel relieved Akparawa Inyang-eyen of office as his Chief of Staff in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, dated 22nd February, 2022.
Addressed to the former Chief of Staff, the letter read in part “On behalf of His Excellency, the Governor, government and the good people of Akwa Ibom State, I write to convey to you His Excellency, the Governor’s profound appreciation of the worthy contributions you made to the development of our dear State while you served as Chief of Staff to the Governor.
“However, given the urgent need to match skill set and competencies to the task of maintaining the momentum of economic development in peace, your services are no longer required and you are hereby relieved of your position, as Chief of Staff ( CoS) to His Excellency, the Governor with immediate effect.”
Our Correspondent however observed that Governor Emmanuel’s sudden decision to relieve Akparawa Inyang-eyen, his erstwhile “right hand man” of his position as his Chief of Staff is unconnected to the seeming frosting relationship arising from political indifference recently noticing between the two.
It could be recalled that the state government had on Sunday withdrew the security details attached to Akparawa Ephraim Inyang, a day after the videos of when he (Inyang-eyen then Chief of Staff) visited his kinsmen and Consultated for the Eket Senatorial District seat in the National Assembly surfaced online.
During one of the consultative visits, Inyang-eyen was put in the dock by the elders, to respond to the allegations against him that he took money meant for roads construction in the area.
Ephraim Inyang responded thus: “My fathers, because you have asked and insisted I provide an answer to your question which is like a summon, now let me reply:
“Commissioner doesn’t pay for road construction, Commissioner processes documents for road construction and the Governor approves it.
“Every Contractor in Akwa Ibom is paid by the Accountant General, directly to the account of the Contractor. No Commissioner for Works has access to that money. Roads have been abandoned, and falsehood spread that Ephraim Inyang ate the money and that is a lie.
“I’m demanding the elders to petition me to EFCC if I am found wanting, they should do to me what they want because 1 kobo of that money is not with me. That money is with the contractor and the contractor must account for it.”
Our Correspondent gathered that when the video surfaced online, Ephraim Inyang’s comment didn’t go down well with the government of the day.
First, a section of youths led by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Comrade Iwaudofia gathered and made a video, threatening fire and brimstone if Ephraim does not retract his statement which they felt is an insult to the Governor.
Iwaudofia stated that “he will march six million youths to occupy Ephraim Inyang’s house until he recants and apologizes to the Governor”.
Ephraim’s security aides were attached to him when he was appointed as Commissioner for Works about seven years ago. They were still attached to him when he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Governor.
Ephraim’s ordeal might also be unconnected to his support for the governorship ambition of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan who is not the governor’s preferred choice for his succession agenda. The Governor has endorsed the aspiration of Commissioner for Lands, Pastor Umo Eno as his successor in 2023
Governor Emmanuel relieved Akparawa Inyang-eyen of office as his Chief of Staff in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, dated 22nd February, 2022.
Addressed to the former Chief of Staff, the letter read in part “On behalf of His Excellency, the Governor, government and the good people of Akwa Ibom State, I write to convey to you His Excellency, the Governor’s profound appreciation of the worthy contributions you made to the development of our dear State while you served as Chief of Staff to the Governor.
“However, given the urgent need to match skill set and competencies to the task of maintaining the momentum of economic development in peace, your services are no longer required and you are hereby relieved of your position, as Chief of Staff ( CoS) to His Excellency, the Governor with immediate effect.”
Our Correspondent however observed that Governor Emmanuel’s sudden decision to relieve Akparawa Inyang-eyen, his erstwhile “right hand man” of his position as his Chief of Staff is unconnected to the seeming frosting relationship arising from political indifference recently noticing between the two.
It could be recalled that the state government had on Sunday withdrew the security details attached to Akparawa Ephraim Inyang, a day after the videos of when he (Inyang-eyen then Chief of Staff) visited his kinsmen and Consultated for the Eket Senatorial District seat in the National Assembly surfaced online.
During one of the consultative visits, Inyang-eyen was put in the dock by the elders, to respond to the allegations against him that he took money meant for roads construction in the area.
Ephraim Inyang responded thus: “My fathers, because you have asked and insisted I provide an answer to your question which is like a summon, now let me reply:
“Commissioner doesn’t pay for road construction, Commissioner processes documents for road construction and the Governor approves it.
“Every Contractor in Akwa Ibom is paid by the Accountant General, directly to the account of the Contractor. No Commissioner for Works has access to that money. Roads have been abandoned, and falsehood spread that Ephraim Inyang ate the money and that is a lie.
“I’m demanding the elders to petition me to EFCC if I am found wanting, they should do to me what they want because 1 kobo of that money is not with me. That money is with the contractor and the contractor must account for it.”
Our Correspondent gathered that when the video surfaced online, Ephraim Inyang’s comment didn’t go down well with the government of the day.
First, a section of youths led by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Comrade Iwaudofia gathered and made a video, threatening fire and brimstone if Ephraim does not retract his statement which they felt is an insult to the Governor.
Iwaudofia stated that “he will march six million youths to occupy Ephraim Inyang’s house until he recants and apologizes to the Governor”.
Ephraim’s security aides were attached to him when he was appointed as Commissioner for Works about seven years ago. They were still attached to him when he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Governor.
Ephraim’s ordeal might also be unconnected to his support for the governorship ambition of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan who is not the governor’s preferred choice for his succession agenda. The Governor has endorsed the aspiration of Commissioner for Lands, Pastor Umo Eno as his successor in 2023
