It was long hours of commotion and unsettling with sporadic shooting by security personnel in Esit Eket after the burial of the younger sister of Sir Dan Abia, the former NDDC chairman, in esit eket LGA, on 7th August 2021, when Effiong Akwa, the NDDC Sole Administrator attempted to play smart on the teeming youths that waited for him to use the opportunity to address them.

As recounted by the eye witness, Akwa, in his usual cunning manner did not want to address the youths that gathered at the residence of Dan Abia after the burial of Mrs. Sara Dan Abia, to hear from him on the issues burdening the oil-producing community, saying in an attempt to dodge the youths as he usually does, he took off through the back yard of the house that leads to Etebi village.

"Effiong Akwa is a very stingy and crooked man who is not fit to occupy any public position such as NDDC office that deals with a robust relationship with the host communities in the Niger Delta region. It's on record that since Akwa was appointed Sole Administrator of NDDC, he has never stepped his legs to Esit Eket knowing too well that the position he occupies today is through the recommendation of Esit Eket man and it was on that premise that, the youths of the area expected him to cease some minutes to attend to them shortly after the burial. It was their right to be attended to by Akwa because Esit Eket is one of the core oil-producing communities in Niger Delta where Akwa is leading today as sole administrator" eye witness recounted.

Describing the action as cowardice and unbecoming of a true leader, Esit eket youth activist who did not want his name imprinted said, Akwa has disappointed the entire Akwa Ibom state and Niger Delta at large because of that singular act; "leadership of NDDC has never been this bad. It's obvious that NDDC under Effiong Akwa is a colossal failure and is deteriorating despite the effort President Buhari is putting to restructure the agency. As a matter of urgency, Buhari needs to sack Akwa and immediately constitute the NDDC board because since Akwa was appointed, he has not been able to bring anything to table and execute it successfully other than playing around the gallery.

"There are other competent Akwa Ibom people that can be appointed into NDDC board and not someone like Akwa who does not know anything about community and public relations. We no longer need Akwa in the saddle of NDDC leadership as his continual detention as Sole Administrator could lead to chaos and disharmony in Akwa Ibom state.

Meanwhile, sensing what happens outside that escalated to the neighboring community(Urua Okok), Sir Dan Abia, the host immediately stepped outside and talked to the irate youths to calm down saying, he will address them at the appropriate time.

It was at this point that the youths who blocked the road allowed Akwa and his security details to pass from where he escaped to hide.


© COPBSMI-The Coalition