Jackson Gregory
A meeting convened with a view to blackmail Senator Effiong Bob was aborted as youths, women and other Stakeholders staged a walk out of the Adult Education center, Ikot Esen-ubium, venue of the meeting convened by Comrade Ibanga Brownson, and which had in attendance the immediate past councilor of Ubium North 2, Hon. Blessing Mbakara, her husband, some chapter officers of PDP, ward chairman, Mr Imaikop Udom, Mr. Isaac Etop Sam, Mr. Joel and others.
According to some youths of the area, who spoke to newsmen on the development, the meeting which was originally tagged as a get- together, to their shock suddenly turned into a political gathering, when the convener, brought up the issue of 2019 House of Assembly election for discussion. This turn of event embarrassed some of the people that were invited to the meeting, who staged a walk out, protesting that, the aim for which the meeting was called, was not derived, rather other unnecessary issues were brought up.
Our reporters gathered that, It is untrue that a communique was signed by the ward Excos, ward chairman, chapter chairman and elders of the ward, as it is being reported over the media, because before the meeting got half way, majority of the people had left the venue.
Comrade Brownson who is believed to have intentionally brought out the people to deceive them, that he was holding a get – together for the people was shouted down, and abused, when he started saying that Senator Effiong Bob is trying to impose his son on the people of the local government.
A youth leader who pleaded anonymity while speaking to our reporters, dismissed as false, the story making round that, Barr. Otobong Bob was rejected in the meeting, but maintained that, the youths of Nsit Ubium are working day and night to mobilize the people to support the aspiration of Barr. Otobong Bob, who he believes, is a great son of the area with wealth of experience and knowledge.
He further stated that the decision to have Barr. Bob is because he is a fresh breed, and not an opportunist, and it cannot be said that he is being imposed on the people because he himself is a youth, and the youth must work with him to succeed.
In a separate reaction, an elder who also spoke to our reporters debunked the rumour that some elders who were at the meeting signed a communique to disagree with the choice of Barr. Bob. The elder who did not want his name on print, said that what Comrade Brownson and Hon. Blessing Mbakara did at the meeting was a way of blackmailing Senator Effiong Bob, because his son is aspiring for the Assembly’s seat in 2019.
According to him “I was invited for a get together party convened by Comrade Brownson, just to discover that it was a set up, to bring people out to deceive them and Senator Effiong Bob became the topic of discussion, it was so embarrassing and I had to leave the venue”
He went on to say, that if all that the Senator has done for the people of Nsit Ubium were to be considered, that nobody would have convened such a meeting to call the Senator a tyrant or bring in any word near Nepotism to address him. On the angle of Hon. Blessing Mbakara, he stated that, he was shocked to know that the same woman Senator Effiong picked up and gave a say, made her a councilor, who through her reckless life embezzled the council fund, could join such a conspiracy, and calls herself a ward leader.