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Tag: Akwa Ibom State

  • Lawyer Seeks Buhari’s Intervention on security situation

    An Abuja based Human Rights lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the security situation in Akwa Ibom state.

    The activist said there was urgent need to address the situation before it escalated.

    Ekpenyong was reacting to an alleged attack on the country home of Senator Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, in a statement in Abuja.

    He said the level of insecurity in the state was becoming worrisome, and showed failure on the part of the state governor.

    According to him, with the humongous security votes accruing to the state government, there is no excuse for the worsening security situation, which he said has degenerated.

    He said the incessant attacks showed the failure of governance by the state government, and called on the governor, Emmanuel Udom to immediately resign or be voted out of office in 2019.

    The statement reads: “The fundamental responsibility of any government is the protection of the lives of its citizens. When this is not guaranteed, when security votes accruable to the state cannot be justified, then there is no need to allow such a government to continue.

    “Where a public servant, a leader who holds an office in trust for the people fails in the discharge of his responsibilities, the right thing to do is to bid him farewell.

    Read Also: Expert advises Buhari to engage Chinese investors in power sector

    “We cannot continue to lose lives and properties in scores, in large numbers without any remedial measures on the part of government to check these anomalies.

    He expressed concerns that the situation might be taking a political twist, following the recent defection of senator Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the state government should be held responsible should anything happen to the former senate minority leader.

    “The recent attack on the country home of Senator Godswill Akpabio leaves so much to be desired. The security situation in the last two years has gone from bad to worse.

    “It’s a clear signal that there is need for urgent federal government intervention. The governor of the state, being the chief security officer of the state has failed in the maintenance of law, order and protection of lives and properties.

    “It is on this note that we call on Mr. President to wade into the security breaches in Akwa Ibom state with a view to ensuring safety of lives and properties, until normalcy returns,” the statement said.

    While urging the youths to eschew violence, Ekpenyong said the people cannot resolve to self-help, but have resolved to follow the constitutional process of calling on the federal government to take drastic action to avoid recurrence of the attacks.

    “We call for peace and calm among the indigenes of the state. Some of the youths are worried with political hostilities that are budding in Akwa Ibom.

    “We call on the youths to eschew all forms of violence and to resist the temptation to be used by desperate politicians to be used as agents of violence,” the statement added.

  • Akpabio, police disagree on gunmen attack at Essien Udim

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Leader in Akwa Ibom, Senator Godswill Akpabio and police authorities have disagreed on their account of Tuesday night attack by gunmen in Ukana, Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom state.

    While Senator Akpabio claims his residence was invaded by gunmen numbering 10 while he was having a political meeting with his supporters, the police on the other hand said the hoodlums only attacked a petrol filling station close to the former governor’s residence.

    Akpabio’s media aide, Mr. Anietie Ekong in a release issued to our correspondent  in Uyo via Whatsapp said, “Attempts by unknown gunmen to attack the Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area residence of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio have been repelled by gallant policemen attached to the former Senate Minority Leader”.

    Ekong said the Senator was holding political meetings on Tuesday night at his country home when unknown gunmen numbering about 10 stormed his residence and shot sporadically causing stampede.

    According to him, the incident brought the meeting into a temporary halt as those present in the meeting scampered for safety while the shooting continued unabated.

    He said a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Udom Ekpoudom who was also present at the political meeting at the time of the incident had made frantic calls for security beef up to help repel the attack.

    Speaking further Ekong said the security men attached to the Akpabio’s residence after recovering from the initial shock reportedly responded gallantly with superior fire power which forced a retreat from the invading attackers.

    However the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyemi Ogunyemilusi, has denied allegation that suspected gunmen attacked former governor Godswill Akpabio’s residence, disrupting a high profile political meeting held there Tuesday night.

    Read Also: Akpabio, Okon disagree on Emmanuel

    The marathon meeting, according to the CP, lasted till the early hours of Wednesday, August 22, amid tight security following gun scare about 200 metres to Senator Akpabio’s residence in his hometown, Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim Local Government Area.

    Although there was exchange of gunshots from security officials at the meeting, the CP explained that “six hoodlums on two motorcycles invaded a feeling station near Akpabio’s house and robbed the pump attendants of the day’s sales and customers”.

    “It was just a mere coincidence that the incident happened at about 7:30PM, on Tuesday, August 21, when the meeting was ongoing at His Excellency’s residence.

    “Immediately the hoodlums attacked the filling station, somebody at the meeting called me. The Area Commander and other policemen were drafted to the scene and within minutes, security was restored.

    “You know how Ikot Ekpene is with these hoodlums on motorcycles. So it just a flash incident of petty thieves robbing a filling station near the residence of His Excellency.

    “Even our quick response was applauded by His Excellency when he came out of the meeting to see our men heavily on guard around the area, so nobody should overheat the polity because of politics”, the CP warned.

     

  • PDP receives over 1,000 APC defectors in A’Ibom

    Despite the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, over 1000 members of the APC in Oron federal constituency of Akwa Ibom state joined the PDP on Thursday.

    The state PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, who received the defectors into the party, urged Akwa Ibom people to remain unshakeable in their support to Governor Udom Emmanuel and the PDP.

    He said despite the gale of defections of key members of the party to the ruling APC, the party is remained a religion of the people of the state and by extension, Nigerians.

    Obong Ekpo stressed that; the party’s commitment to the provision of good governance as demonstrated by the governor should stimulate all well-meaning Akwa Ibom people to vote for the governor in 2019 so as he continue in his good works.

    ”Akwa Ibom state over the years matched promises with action, as demonstrated in the developmental strides of the Udom Emmanuel administration; so I call on Oro nation to deliver one hundred percent vote to governor Udom and the PDP in the 2019 election.

    The party boss thanked the party leaders in the federal constituency for their loyalty and steadfastness to the PDP, the decampess for returning to their base having realized their mistakes, calming that, the PDP was the only party for anybody to seek for elective office without rancor.

    In her remarks, the former minister for housing and urban renewal, Akon Eyakenyi, thanked the party for accepting the decampees and assured the chairman that, Oro nation would vote PDP for 2019.

    Read Also: Why I defected to APC, by Akpabio

    Earlier, the Oron chapter chairman of PDP, Mr. Murphy Esin, assured the state chairman of the party that, the federal constituency would not disappoint the PDP, noting that, those that left the party before have leant from their mistakes and would guide against repeat of such actions.

    Some of the returnees include, Alice Ekpenyong former house of assembly member, Remigius Asukwo, Sunday Ating, Asuquo Awana, Victor Anwankak, among others.

    Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel has said that, he was not perturbed by his predecessor defection to the APC.

    Speaking after solidarity visit by local government chairmen from the 31 council areas of the state, vice chairmen and councilors, the governor noted that every person was entitled to exercise his fundamental human rights and free association.

    “The political atmosphere is helping to deepened democratic governance and reinvent the consciousness of the PDP that every member would be proud of”, he said.

    He thanked the various group for the show of solidarity and charged the council leadership to ensure their subject collects their PVC’s in their various wards and units.

    “I therefore urged you to reach out and show love among your kith and kins and also sustain your support for PDP which is the only party that has brought development to the state since the inception of democratic governance”.

  • Buhari’s anti-corruption fight a window dressing – Ozekhome

    Human rights activists/constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has scored the President Muhammadu Buhari administration low on anti-corruption fight, describing it as “mere window dressing”.

    Ozekhome also surmised that Nigeria would be in trouble if it was not restructured, adding that “Nigeria will restructure us”.

    He spoke on Tuesday at the 2018 Bar Week, currently going on in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital with the theme; ‘The Ideology of Restructuring in Nigeria: Legal, Political and Socio-Economic Imperative’.

    In his paper entitled; ‘The Bar, Bench, Investigating Agencies and Anti-Corruption Campaign in Nigeria’, Ozekhome critically examined the anti-corruption war under Buhari, and concluded that the campaign was a ruse.

    He, however, attributed the genesis of corruption to military incursion into the Nigeria’s political space, lamenting that the malaise has become hydra-headed and well entrenched to the extent that successive governments lack the courage to fight to a standstill.

    “Corruption is not limited to the payment and receipt of bribes; it takes various forms and is practiced under all forms of government including established democracies”, he noted, adding that the vice permeate every strata of Nigeria’s public and private life.

    Read Also: Ozekhome, free speech and Fawehinmi lecture

    According to Ozekhome, the Federal Government has continued to paint a picture of anti-corruption war being waged in the country, but pointed out that such action would only amount to nothing when the same system wallow in corruption and other vices.

    He chided the Federal Government for what he described as fragrant abuse of human rights and frequent disregard to the rule of law, saying such act of impunity runs counter to the anti-corruption mantra of the President Buhari-led administration.

    The Senior Advocate recalled that the wholesale introduction of corruption into the body politics of Nigeria by military governments forced former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to establish the two anti-corruption agencies (ICPC and EFCC), but regretted that such fight may never be won, after all.

    “One thing that gained prominence during these many years of military rule in Nigeria was widespread corruption, assassinations, killings, money laundering and human rights abuses and gross unaccountability and impunity which became a culture well entrenched in Nigeria.

    “Wanton corruption is unfolding in different shapes daily, but this has been given a new name in the shape of ‘corruption fighting back’, a term the government of the day prefer to adopt to explain away the violent disregard to the principle of separation of power and fragrant violations of fundamental human rights and rule of law…”, he said.

    He noted that the widespread trampling on the rule of law has made nonsense of the anti-corruption war, pointing out that “democracy must float with the rule of law”.

    The impunity of the Federal Government and the desecration of the temple of justice as could be seen in the disobedience to Courts orders, he explained, have hamstrung the judicial process not to be able to play its role as the hope for justice for everybody.

    For instance, he pointed out that in the case of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Alhaii Sambo Dasuki, currently languishing in detention, Ozekhome, “the Federal Government has disobeyed the Court order for him to be released on bail for five times”, adding that such impunity has combined to make the judiciary a lame duck.

    He, therefore, called for Nigeria to immediately be restructured to for every sections of the country to have a sense of belonging.

  • Ekiti 2018: Atiku, Makarfi, Secondus, others storm Ekiti for Olusola

    Say PDP on mission to rescue Nigeria

    Fayose alleges intimidation, ‘rigging’ plot

     

    National leaders, presidential aspirants and governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday declared readiness to displace the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Presidency.

    They sounded the 2019 general election battle cry at the mega rally in Ado-Ekiti where they rallied support for the party’s candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, in the July 14 governorship election.

    Olusola was officially presented with the party’s flag by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, at a rally staged on the highway at the foot of the flyover in Ojumose area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Mammoth crowd of party members, workers’ unions, students, youths, artisans, ethnic nationalities and members of the public utilized the opportunity to attend the rally.

    Former Vice President and presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said the PDP is on a mission to rescue Nigeria from insecurity and other challenges confronting it.

    Other national leaders who restated the readiness of the PDP to take over power at the centre are former national Caretaker Chairman and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi; former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido; former Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin.

    Atiku, Makarfi, Lamido and Bafarawa addressed the rally in their capacity as presidential aspirants.

    Read Also: Ekiti people will resist rigging of guber poll – PDP

    Atiku urged the people of Ekiti to vote continuity as represented by Olusola, who is seeking to succeed his boss, Governor Ayo Fayose, in the July 14 election.

    He said: “The people of Ekiti, I have known you since 1992; all the projects completed and taken Ekiti to higher level have been done by PDP alone.

    “PDP guarantees you good hospital, road, infrastructure, education and many other dividends of democracy, it is time for you to ensure that this administration continues because that is the key to development.

    “What we are doing is a rescue mission, we will bring back peace, security and prosperity of this country. Make sure you vote and stay there till results are announced.”

    Secondus said: “The PDP is rebranded and repositioned; we are here to rescue Nigeria from insecurity, from collapse and from hardship Nigerians are presently going through under the APC government.

    “Many Nigerians are being killed in Taraba, Benue and Plateau States. How many of our people will you kill? APC and its people are not God.

    “We refuse to be intimidated, it is their style to intimidate. Thus country is experiencing civil war because of killing and Buhari is behind it, APC is behind it, PDP will take over.

    “They have the plan to arrest our people, our members but we will not be intimidated. The APC is broken already, the broom has scattered. We have the best candidate for this election and he will take over from Fayose to continue the development of this state.”

    Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel said Nigerians are tired of APC leadership and are ready to vote out the broom party.

    Emmanuel claimed that it is only PDP states that things are working urging Ekiti residents to vote continuity and give their votes to Olusola.

    He urged security agencies to allow the conduct of a free, fair and credible election and ensure that the votes of the Ekiti electorate count.

    Other PDP governors who canvassed for votes for Olusola include Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Mr. Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Chief Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Mr. Daris Ishaku (Taraba), Prof. Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd).

    Other prominent party leaders who attended the rally include former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi; former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, members of the National Working Committee and members of the Zonal Working Committee.

    Host Governor Fayose accused the APC of planning to the rig the governorship poll but maintained that the people of the state are ready to resist any attempt to manipulate the poll.

    He alleged that the intimidation ahead of the election had started with the alleged closure of the Akure Airport to prevent governors and other party leaders from attending the rally.

    Fayose said: “INEC, we know your plan that you want to rig for APC, we will follow you bumper-to-bumper. We know your preloaded agenda, how you are planning to release ballot papers to APC.

    “We knew what you did in Kogi, we knew what you did in Ondo, we know your plan. Whether APC resort to violence or not, Kolapo Olusola will be declared governor-elect of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

    “I want to say that over ninety nine per cent of those who will conduct the election are not from Ekiti; youth corpers, police, INEC are not from here, leave our state alone.

    “Look at this crowd, look at this young people, if you are living in our state, this is not a hired crowd, we don’t hire crowd here, these are people living in the state.”

    Fayose added: “Since Monday, they have been arresting PDP people, they arrested three teachers. In this election, it will be 16-0, it will be 16-0 again, the 16-0 is loading.

    “I got a letter on Wednesday that that I should come and welcome the President but I said I am not receiving the President because he has not done anything for Ekiti.

    “I want to condemn the Federal Government for what they have done; why do you have to close the Akure Airport? That is shameful, that is not patriotic, that is shameful.”

    Speaking after receiving the flag, Olusola, who was flanked by his wife, Janet, expressed confidence that he will win the election and will be declared governor-elect.

    Olusola said: “By the grace of Almighty God, we assure our leaders and Ekiti that we will sustain the good legacies of Fayose, we will improve on it and sustain the legacies.

    “I assure you of adequate security, healthcare, excellent infrastructure, civil service, education enterprises, and exemplary leadership among others.

    “Ours is a divine agenda.  It is a divine mission with divine agenda it cannot be conquered by APC. Congratulations Ekiti, your governor elect is talking.

  • Army opens human rights desk in Akwa Ibom

    The Nigerian Army has opened a Human Rights desk in Akwa Ibom state to foster cordial civil military relationship in their area of operation.

    The Commander 2 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Abdu Hassan, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday.

    Hassan said this on the sidelines of the cleaning exercise by officers of the command at the Akpan Andem market organized as part of activities marking the 2018 Nigerian Army Day Celebration in the state.

    He said that human rights desk was opened to receive complaints and Information from the populace on military civil relationship in the area of operation.

    “In terms of civil military relation, Nigerian Army has performed very  well. We have established human rights desk and we try to reach out to the host community that we operate.

    “The celebration today, is another way of reaching out to the host community to show them that we are part and parcel of the society and appreciate them.

    Read Also: Fire station: Fed Govt partners Akwa Ibom

    “We have also selected about three schools from three Local Government Areas in the state, that we are going to give educational material to the children as part of activities marking the Nigerian Army Day Celebration,” Hassan said.

    He said that the army would continue to ensure the peace in the Today’s exercise is part of activities to reach out to the host community aside from that we do hold monthly road march around the street of Uyo and its environs just to show the populace that we are actually out there to ensure their safety. To ensure that law and order prevails. We are also out here to make them realize that we are part and parcel of the larger society

    We came from them and at the end of the day we are actually going back to the same civil live. As much as possible at every forum that have opportunity we let the civil society know this.

    And I can tell you the response have been tremendous because in   myoffice and that of human rights, people actually come in, some with complaints some with information and we also have phone numbers that we have distributed to the civil populace , which of course we have been receiving phone calls at times at night and even ought hours.

    It is my belief that in terms of civil military relationship it is quite cordial.

    In terms of security, we are getting very serious cooperation from them

    I have been seeing army at a very long distance but today am so surprise for what they have done because I have known army with the shooting today is very different because I have not seen army working this way before going inside the gutter to clear the rubbish. In fact we commend them for the effort in reaching out to us too.

  • Navy arrest rice smugglers, impounds over 400 bags of rice

    The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom state has apprehended five suspected rice smugglers.

    Navy officials also seized 444 bags of smuggled rice in addition to a 52-foot canoe, two 40 BP Yamaha outboard engines, water pumping machine, fire extinguisher and 80 empty drums.

    The Commanding Officer, Forward Operation, Ibaka Navy Captain Yusuf Idris gave the names of the suspects as Victor Esin, 30; Uchenna Lozoigbo, 34; Emmanuel Bassey, 25; Godwin Ating, 34, and Charles James.

    Idris were said the suspects were arrested in their mid-journey into the Nigerian territorial water.

    He the suspects and the seized items have been handed over to the Nigeria Customs Service for further investigation and prosecution on Tuesday.

    Speaking, Idris warned perpetrators of smuggled items into the country to desist from the illicit affairs, adding that NN will not relent in apprehending and handling and such suspects to appropriate agency for prosecution.

    Read Also: We’re coming after you, Navy tells rice smugglers

    He added that the command would do everything within its constitutional responsibility to frustrate the efforts of smugglers by seizing even the least number of any smuggled items into Nigeria.

    He said, “In line with the harmonized standard procedures, the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, is here with our sister agency from the Nigeria Customs Service to hand over 444 bags of rice with five crew members on board the vessel that are suspected to have been smuggled into the country from the Republic of Cameroon.

    “The existing synergy between the NN and the NCS is very cordial and with both sides willing, undeterred and ever ready to collaborate in our efforts to rid the Nigerian maritime environment of all illegalities and criminal activities.

    “It is in that spirit today that I will also be handing over these items and suspects to the Chief Superintendent of the NCS, Mr. John Olutola, who is representing the Comptroller, Eastern Marine Command, Mr. Elton Edorhe.”

    Edorhe confirmed of taking over the suspects as well as the other items.

    He, however, assured NN that as they have taken over the suspects, they would do proper documentation on the seized goods, investigate the matter further with a view to prosecuting the offenders.

    “I can assure you that as we have taken over those suspects and the exhibits, we will do proper documentation and investigate and prosecution.

    “The smugglers were just adamant otherwise, I believe by now they would have desist from the illicit trade,” he said.

  • Cultists kill one, injure many in UNIUYO

    …As VC annuls SUG election

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Enefiok Essien has annulled the Student Union Election (SUG) over crisis which allegedly led to the death of one student with 10 others seriously wounded.

    Our correspondent gathered that the election was cancelled following violent rival cult group fights at the Town and Annex campuses of the university leading to a disruption of the exercise.

    Elections were said to have been earlier cancelled at the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Polling Unit by the Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Aniekan Brown, due to “irregularities and electoral malpractices”.

    It was learnt that angry supporters of one of the candidates who was coasting home to victory, stormed other polling units in other faculties including education, to hijack ballot materials amid gunshots by some suspected cultists.

    Read Also: Police parade eight suspected cultists for murder

    “After the announcement was made by Dr. Brown, students from the polling unit moved to disrupt elections going on at other nearby polling units because of what they viewed as orchestrated plans to stop a non-indigene from emerging as the next SUG President”, Effiong Akpan, a member of the institution’s Faculty of Arts, explained.

    “Ballot boxes and other election materials were destroyed at the Faculty of Arts Polling Unit, Faculty of Education and extended to other polling units including the Faculties of Agriculture, Business Administration, Basic Medicals,” he added.

    According to him, attackers were, however repelled by angry students, who countered the invaders with stones and other missiles.

    At the Annex Campus along Ikpa Road, a student was reportedly stabbed and eventually rushed to the hospital, while another student, who simply identified herself as Mercy of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, complained that “my digital camera was destroyed during the chaos”.

    To restore peace on the campus, the Vice Chancellor, Essien, a professor of Commercial Law, according to the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the institution, Lt. Col. N. F. Efik (rtd), has ordered the cancellation of the disputed SUG poll.

  • Abiola would have been a PDP member if he was alive

    Winner of the June 12 presidential election, Late Chief M.K.O Abiola would have been a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he were to be alive today because he epitomized the democratic ideals of the party.

    This is the position of the Special Adviser to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Political and Legislative Affairs, Mr. Ekong Sampson who spoke on Thursday during a Planet FM interview programme, “Politics Today” monitored by our correspondent in Uyo.

    Governor Emmanuel’s aide said that Chief Abiola committed much of his wealth towards the prosperity of Nigerians through sports, building bridges across ethnic and religious divides and paying huge sacrifices for the benefit of Nigerians.

    In his words, “the essential character in June 12 is the bridge building component of that struggle. I can say clearly that if Chief Abiola were to be alive today, he would be campaigning for the PDP because PDP represents what Abiola lived and fought for.

    The Akwa Ibom political mogul said June 12 has become a rallying cry and a signature that impunity cannot last forever, adding that June 12 should be a defining metaphor for 2019.

    Read Also: June 12: A parley with MKO Abiola

    “As we immortalize Chief Abiola we must learn lessons from the undercurrents that drive his imprint in history and defend what drove their essence. We must be able to protect the character of their struggles and, to me, the character of that struggle is embedded in the principles of democracy; that the wish of the people must be respected,” Ekong Sampson stated.

    Furthermore, “we must show that we believe in the ideals that drive June 12 and to me the bigger picture is the bridge building narrative because June 12 brought Nigeria together across the religious, ethnic and other narrow considerations. That is the Nigeria of our dream,” Sampson said.

    Sampson likened Governor Udom Emmanuel to Chief M.K.O. Abiola in bridge building.

    “I got to know Chief Abiola in my early years as a sports writer. Abiola gave humanity respect, not really minding where a person came from. Udom Emmanuel, likewise, believes humanity must be protected and that is why the State government attaches a lot of premium to health care delivery, spending a lot of money and time to make sure our people get the best medical attention,” Sampson said.

  • Certificate without knowledge is useless, freshers told

    Students have been advised to be focused and study hard to acquire knowledge rather than obtaining only certificates. Founder and chairman of Governing Council of Heritage Polytechnic in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Dr Emmanuel Ekott, gave the admonition during the ninth matriculation of the polytechnic.

    Ekott said the school will not condone misconduct and vices, urging cultists not apply for admission to polytechnic.

    He lamented that tertiary institutions in the country were turning to certificate centres, noting that some admission seekers apply only to get certificates rather that acquiring knowledge.

    He warned the freshers against indolence, stressing that management would not tolerate examination malpractice and cultism. He urged parents to advise their children to stay clear from acts that could terminate their academic journey.

    Hie said: “Students should study hard for knowledge and not for certificate. Students should not be looking for certificates, but knowledge which will take them to wherever they want. People go to school nowadays for certificates and they just need the paper because they have godfathers somewhere, who will give them jobs after graduation. All they need to do is to present their unmerited certificate.”

    Ekott said the polytechnic has not experienced any incidence of violence on its campus, charging the freshers not to be involved in vices. Any student found engaging in vices, he warned, will be expelled from the school.

    He said: “The problem we are having in the society is that people join cultism at primary and secondary schools. Coming to tertiary institutions, it would be hard to tell them that they should not join cultism because they have already joined. If you are a cultist, it is better you don’t come to Heritage Polytechnic because you will not be given admission.

    “Let me sound a warning to all matriculating and continuing students that management of the school will not tolerate any act of examination malpractice and cultism. This is a private institution and we shall do everything within the law to deal with cultists. The polytechnic is not a cult centre and cultists must not come near. I urged parents to advise their children to stay clear of these vices as all measures shall be deployed to check cultism in this institution.”

    Ekott added that indecency would not be tolerated in the polytechnic, pointing out that the management would deploy punitive measures to students engaging in seductive and provocative dressing. He also said lecturers of the institution subscribed to the code of professionalism, noting that measures were in place to discourage sex-for-marks activities.

    He said: “We have put in place a central marking mechanism, which means examination scripts can be given to anybody to mark and it can be assessed outside the institutions. There is no handout to be sold to students. We have only textbooks and we have all the copies of textbooks used in the school in our library. Anyone, who can’t afford to buy,  can go to the library and read.”

    Ekott’s wife, Mrs. Helen, stressed that the polytechnic would continue to support decent and proper dressing among female students. She urged students to be diligent, hardworking and dutiful in their studies.