By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Event marking this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration in Akwa Ibom State turned rowdy on Monday at Ibom Hall grounds, Uyo, as the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet, attempted to overrule the instructions of the wife of the state governor, Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel on the programme of the day.
The First Lady according to witnesses, had through the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, asked the wives of all 31 Local government chairmen to mobilize women for the event, with each of them mandated to bring 40 to the venue in two buses.
It was gathered that while the wife of Ini Local Government Area Chairman, Mrs. Edith Idaisin who is also the Women Coordinator of Maintain Peace Movement, Ini Chapter brought women with two buses, as directed by the wife of the governor, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet brought five buses filled with women from across different local government areas in the state to the venue of the event contrary to instructions by the First Lady.
The Women Affairs Commissioner, Dr Adiakpan, who found Dr. Edet’s action not only as an embarrassment to the governor’s wife, but also disruptive to the peace at the event, approached her and demanded reasons for her action.
Dr Adiakpan’s question it was gathered, erupted severe arguments, which led to exchange of blows between Dr Edet and Dr. Adiakpan as the former shouted saying, “I am the Dean of Commisioners and leader of all the women in the state and I have the right to bring women to the event and nothing anyone can do to stop me.”
The argument and physical combat between the duo of Dr. Edet with her women as they wanted to occupy the canopy kept for Ini women which were led by Mrs. Idaisin, ensued till the First Lady, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel arrived venue of the event.
During the march past, Dr. Glory Edet was said to have stood up from the podium where she was seated and asked her women to enter the line, an action which again was rejected by the Commissioner for Women Affairs.
The fracas started and Her Excellency, in an effort to broker peace, sent Senator Akon Eyaenyi to ask Glory Edet to leave that place as she had no business being there.
She was said to have shouted at the Senator and was still adamant that her women will partake in the march past.
This was also rejected by the women who came with the chairman’s wife.
Senator Akon Eyakenyi is Senator representating Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District of the State at the National Assembly.
As Dr Edet appeared adamant to move away with the women she brought, the governor’s wife had to further ask the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Felicia Bassey to approach Dr. Edet to jettison her efforts to showcase her women, since the wife of the Ini chairman has already brought Ini women, in compliance to her directives.
This, according to witnesses, resulted in more trouble as Dr. Edet shouted, “I am the leader of all women in this state, Dean of all Commissioners and the incoming member representing Ini/Ikono Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives. Nobody here can stop me.”
Dr. Edet’s refusal to oblige with the First Lady’s directive led to a fight between the women that she brought and the Ini women who came with Mrs. Edith Idaisin.
The security details attached to Dr. Edet engaged in a serious fight with those who came with the wife of Chairman of Ini and at that point, Government House security details were drafted in and together with Felix Ekuri “Only God” security team, through which effort were able to send them out of the event on the orders of Her Excellency.
That done, Dr. Edet who made a different feeding arrangement for the women that she brought, approached the podium and made attempt to climb and take her seat, that was rebuffed by Her Excellency who at that time was angry and shouted angrily on her not to come near that place and she should be taken away by the security team.
This was carried out as she was dragged away and molested by the security team.
She turned and wanted using the back to climb the podium to get her seat against the directives of Her Excellency, again, the security personnel blocked her and finally discharged her from the event ground.
The First Lady who felt highly embarrassed left the venue of the event mid way into activities and the event stopped due to the insults from Dr Glory Edet to Her Excellency.
This, our reporter gathered, angered Onna women who felt that the wife of their son was not accorded due respect as the First Lady of the state.
They confronted Dr. Edet and more fights erupted, as the body guards of the First Lady, were asked to whisk Dr. Edet away.
It is a known fact that Dr. Edet has made it part of her habit to be insulting the Fisrt Lady”, a Government House source who pleaded anonymity said.
