By George Ozalla
Stakeholders in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday converged at a town hall meeting where they openly declared support for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ekong Sampson and Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, in what they described as a collective push for continuity, unity and development-driven politics ahead of 2027.
The gathering brought together political leaders, traditional stakeholders, entrepreneurs, women groups, youth representatives and elders across the three political zones in the area, with discussions centred on strengthening cohesion, promoting accountability and aligning community interests with broader state and national political structures. The stakeholders stressed the need for unity of purpose and sustainable development, while urging residents to key into the Renewed Hope and Arise Agenda narratives as guiding frameworks for political engagement and community advancement.
Setting the tone of the meeting, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Sir Bassey Dan Abia Snr, described the engagement as a community driven political consultation that reflects the civic duty of stakeholders to engage constructively in governance and development matters. He noted that Esit Eket remains largely aligned with the All Progressives Congress and emphasised the importance of recalibrating development priorities to ensure the community does not fall behind in ongoing political and economic conversations at both state and national levels.
A major highlight of the meeting was the call for stronger scrutiny and accountability in the management of the Petroleum Industry Act community funds, particularly the Host Community Development Trust. Former House of Representatives member and Special Adviser to the President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, urged stakeholders to pay closer attention to how such intervention funds are administered, insisting that transparency remains critical to ensuring that host communities benefit meaningfully from oil related resources. He called for sustained civic engagement, noting that residents must continue to demand answers and participate actively in governance processes that affect their welfare and development.
Also speaking, former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Barr. Bassey Essien, and former lawmaker, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh, added their voices to the discussions, with Akpanusoh urging the local council leadership to expand stakeholder engagement across the area. He stressed the importance of zoning in maintaining political stability within Esit Eket and expressed confidence that existing arrangements would be respected in the interest of fairness and balance. He also reiterated support for Hon. Etteh for a second term in the House of Representatives while backing Senator Ekong Sampson for continued representation at the Senate level, urging further consultation with traditional leadership to deepen inclusiveness in decision making.
Representatives from the three political zones of Esit Eket also made presentations reflecting their positions. In Zone A, Prince Godwin Peter commended the spirit of unity among stakeholders and expressed support for continuity, noting that Hon. Etteh should be allowed to complete a second term in office. From Zone B, Dr. Victor Dan Ikott described the political direction as clear and straightforward, aligning the zone with support for President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio, Senator Sampson and Hon. Etteh, while noting that decisions regarding the State House of Assembly would be handled internally by the zone.
From Zone C, Martins Umoyo expressed support for a second term for Governor Umo Eno alongside backing for Tinubu, Akpabio and Etteh, urging continued cooperation between the state government and federal representatives to accelerate development outcomes across the area.
Women and youth groups also played an active role in the deliberations. Speaking on behalf of women, Mercy Sam called for increased inclusion of women in governance and stronger attention to community development needs, stressing that women expect visible improvements in social and economic conditions. Youth representative, Comrade Bassey Bassey Abia, pledged the support of young people for the resolutions reached by elders and stakeholders, while also calling for the protection of indigenous interests and greater youth participation in decision making processes.
The meeting ended on a note of renewed political alignment and community consensus, with stakeholders emphasizing unity, transparency and collective responsibility as guiding principles for future engagements. Participants expressed optimism that the resolutions reached would help strengthen Esit Eket’s political influence while advancing development priorities across the local government area ahead of the 2027 general elections.
