Gov Eno Urged to Enforce A’Ibom Map Law in Order to Get  Support for Second Term

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The five Aboriginal coastal local governments of Akwa Ibom State have threatened that they may only support the  State Governor,  Umo Eno for a second term if he enforces the state’s map law .

The five aboriginal local government areas are Eket, Esit Eket, Onna, Mkpat Enin and Ikot Abasi.

The said Map was passed into law by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the immediate past administration of Udom Emmanuel before it’s exit on May 29, 2023.

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former federal lawmaker, Mr. Bassey Dan-Abia, at the weekend said the areas were being threatened due to the non-implementation of the map.

Dan-Abia, noted that the non-implementation of the state’s map have provided a leeway for Ibeno and Eastern Obolo local government areas to lay claims to ancestral lands not originally theirs.

He specifically mentioned the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve otherwise known as Akoiyak Ekid situated in Ekid land now being claimed by Ibeno against historical antecedents and various valid judgements from 1916 till date.

“It is like making Omelette. You can’t make Omelette without breaking eggs. This is something that is threatening our peace, our unity and is also debilitating in the sense that it affects our political loyalty.

“The non-implementation of the mapping law is fueling crisis. We have extant laws and historical antecedents and valid subsisting judgements that determine who owns what.

“We are not asking the governor to give us what does not belong to us. From 1916 to date we have had series of judgements of courts of competent jurisdiction in our favour declaring that the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve belongs to Ekid.

“How can we as stakeholders convince our people to vote for the governor for his second term if the governor cannot implement the map of the state and make the Ibeno know that they don’t own Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve?”, he stated

He advocated for justice and safety of the five aboriginal coastal  areas in order to have increased rural development, promote and sustain peace in the State.