Ikonowatch

"I DID NOT VOTE FOR SENATOR AKPABIO"  - AIDE CONFESSES TO TRIBUNAL ...VIDEO EVIDENCE FAILS TO SHOW COLLATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS IN DEFEATED SENATOR'S UNIT  A media aide to Senator Godswill Akpabio, Mr Anietie Ekong has told the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo that he did not vote for the former Senate Minority Leader in the  February 2019 National Assembly elections. He has also failed to authenticate the winner in Senator Akpabio's unit despite possessing video documentaries of alleged elections, claiming he left the venue with his boss before collation and announcement of results. Anietie Ekong, testifying as PW17 in Tuesday, admitted under cross examination that he is a registered voter in Ward 13, Oruk Anam local government area, but never went to vote since he was busy with the Senator at his Unit in Ukana West of Essien Udim local government area throughout the period of the elections. The media aide who was...

NEGLECT UNPRECEDENTED: THE CASE OF IBIANANG AND EDEM IYERE COMMUNITIES IN IKONO LGA, AKS. Edet John (07085733806) The Old Itu road which is a major road connecting Ikono LGA to Ibiono Ibom and Ikot Ekpene LGAs has been in a state of disrepair for over 16 years and counting. This has stalled social, cultural and economic activities amongst the affected communities in Ikono LGA and Ibiono Ibom LGA by extension. Recall that the popular Naira Market (Urua Naira) serves the people of Edem Iyere, Ibianang, Ibiono Ibom and its environs as the only ready traditional market place were these rural dwellers exchanged their commodities and wares for a consideration. Unfortunately, these people, even after making their commodities readily available for sale, do not have the means to transport same to the market place as the only access road to the market is the abandoned, dilapidated Old Itu Road which at best could be described as a death trap. Also recall that at several fora, the...

We are not against Local government autonomy – AKS Govt By Abel Udoekene The Akwa Ibom State Government has disclosed that they are not against the autonomy of Local government areas.In a chat with newsmen in Uyo- the Akwa Ibom State capital, Barrister Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN) who is representing the 31 local government area and the State government in a suit (suit number FHC/UY/CS/88/2019) filed in a Federal High court in Uyo against the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) noted that the power to legislate local government affairs according to the constitution was vested on the State House of Assembly not a mere establishment like the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). According to him, the decision of his clients to challenge NFIU guidelines which is seeking to take over the control of Local government area was out of constitutional concerns and its implication. “What we are pursuing has nothing to do with the financial autonomy of Local government, i...

PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE FOR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: THE WAY FORWARD ”There is a right time for everything that we do under the sun. A time for.....” so says the preacherman in Ecclesiastes 3:1. Of importance to us as a people are the sentences used in verses 7 and 8 of the same chapter. ”There is a time to tear something down. And there is a time to mend it. There is a time to be quiet. And there is a time to speak. There is a time to love. And there is a time to hate. There is a time to fight. And there is a time not to fight.” It is the revelation of this word that drew my attention to all that happened to us as a people in the last few months confirming that we were perfectly in the will of God and that we acted not in err. Of a truth, the time for tearing apart came and we made good use of it; the time for hatred came, we did our best. However, those times could not have lasted forever as it gave way for the time wherein we are: The time to mend, the time to speak out and ...

AWARD-WINNING CHAIR DELIVERS TWO 300KVA TRANSFORMERS IN IKONO As what is described by many as transformational leadership experienced in other communities, the advent of Itoro Columba Administration in Ikono Local Government Area has equally brought alot of developmental strides and people-centered projects in the land. The vision aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of his people at the grassroot, by extension making life more meaningful as become pivot in this administration. Today, in pursuance of State Government policy on steady power supply in many communities in the state, two 300KVA transformers, through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, have been approved and released by the Governor, His Excellency, Deacon Udom Emmanuel. The Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Akparawa (Hon) Itoro Columba was on hand to deliver the transformers to Ikono General Hospital, Ibiaku Ntok Okpo and Immaculate Conception Secondary School...

ITORO COLUMBA RECEIVES IKONO ALL-STARS TEAM ....charges the team for Unity As the stride to nurture and showcase many talents for future use thickens in the land, members of Akwa Ibom State All-Stars International Football Club, Ikono chapter, paid a courtesy call on the Sports' friendly Charman of Ikono Local Government Council, Akparawa Itoro Columba, today in his office at the council Secretariat, Ibiaku Ntok Okpo. The football club led by the captain, Mr. Godwin Etim Akpan, also had in attendance the President, Hon. Akpa Atang, management board members; Hon. Etop Umoidem and Comrade Nsima Atang, alongside Chairman of Elders Forum, Dr. Etokobong. Ikono All-Stars which is described as a subset of Akwa Ibom State All-Stars International Football Club, has been in existence for some decades with a few renounced talented Sons playing for Akwa United Football club. With ignited passion to win any football tournament across board, the club has given birth to so much...

FRAUD BY NIGERIAN PRIVATE SCHOOLS! HOMEWORK! HOMEWORK! AND MORE HOMEWORK FOR PARENTS. It has become clear to many parents that the task of teaching their children has been shifted to them despite the huge fees they keep doling out to private schools. Children come home with homework that requires over 6 hours to complete and the children are usually clueless about the topic.  Clearly some of these topics were never introduced in class and the burden of breaking in the topic is shifted to the parents. In some cases a topic is given a very brief introduction in class then  a slew of tasks is bundled as assignments and becomes the parent's responsibility to ground the child in the subject. Nigerian parents remain docile. They know they are being shafted but continue to take it. Some schools try to drive the narrative that all other kids are up to par and only yours is finding it difficult. Bull! The teachers are trained to sell you that line (the only trainin...