PDP, APC, APGA, AA, SDP, NNPP others in Akwa Ibom State to Face Though Campaign as the Young Progressive Party in Akwa Ibom State got a boost from a group known as Youths Coalition for Egalitarian Society. The group in their quarterly meeting in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State Capital made the declaration to some news men that were invited to cover their event tagged Development Process In Akwa Ibom State, the Role and Place Of The Youths the group amongst other issues deliberated on the high level of neglect of Youths in the affairs of governance in the State, which have led the energetic community of young people into crimes and other social violence which no doubt is negating their greatness and productivity. The State Chairman of the group Comr. Elijah Sunday further lamented at the rate in which the Akwa Ibom youths are migrating to other States to work as gate keepers, house helps and in most cases the female ones becoming victims of sexual harassment and exploitation. Comr. Elijah Sunday further revealed that the problem with the State is as a result of leadership failure and lack of transparency in affairs of governance over the years. He went on to say that if the managers of the State resources were prudent enough Akwa Ibom State would have been a State in Africa lending money to other States instead of borrowing considering the federal allocation accrued to the State by the federal government and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the State.
Arguing at the event too was the State Secretary Comr. Ibanga Idiong Ibanga who stated that a man can not be seen in a place when he has refused to be seen, stressing that leaders over time have studied the youths and have proven that we the youths are not united and are betrayers of ourselves because of financial greed in us, so they have also devised a means of staving and enslaving us with hunger and poverty and are watching at us, and when we want to unite they bring the stolen money and divide us again. But if we rise up to sensitized ourselves politically, academically and positively they will seek for powers from us and not we begging for power as the case is now.
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On her own Miss. Nelly Eshiet who is the State Treasurer also argued that the time to build or destroy our future further is here which is the 2023. She stated that the only way the youths can be seen as responsible people and be respected is when the youths come out fully to vote their own conscience and not for what they are being given. Miss. Nelly stated that this can only be achieved through aggressive grassroots campaigns and sensitization programs to various locations of the State and get including women involved in the sensitisation.
Also the State Publicity Secretary of the group Mr. Bassey Sunday said the State and Country at large is bleeding and need an urgent attention of good drivers to drive the process, and youths who are the hope and pillars of this country must rise up to the challenges governance. Mr. Bassey postulated further that for youths to be seen they must take proactive measures and make necessary demands that will impact positively on their lives and the general society.
The Movement which resolves to swing their support for the Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) Sen. Bassey Albert, stating that he has been a man of his words who have done well in the area of human development and empowerment, good policy formulation right from when he was a commissioner to the current position he is occupying before defecting to the YPP. The forum observed that Sen. Bassey Albert is the only Akwa Ibom Son who throughout his political career has not corruption charges against him, and he is the only Akwa Ibom leader who feels the purse of the commoners hence the need for his support to become the next governor of the State. 28 out of the 31 Local Government Chairmen of the forum supported his adoption by the organisation one was neither for or against while two walked out of the meeting accusing the State Executives of collecting money for the alleged adoption. One of the Chairman who walked out vowed to challenge the adoption stating that the organisation’s constitution article 9 subsection (5a) stipulate that the organisation shall not be partisan (B) not withstanding to (A) above says all members of the organisation are free to campaign for any candidate of their choice provided that the organisation machinery is not imposed on such a person.
