By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo

REACTIONS have continued to trail the recent decision of the outgoing administration led by governor Udom Emmanuel to establish a gazetted Map for Akwa Ibom State.

The latest is coming from the people of Unyenge community in Mbo local government area of the state who have vowed to resist any attempt to cede their land to other communities.

The youths of Ibeno, and Eastern Obolo last week took to the Streets, to protest against the decision of the state government, and also vowed that they would not allow any of their land be ceded to another local government area in the axis.

A group of the area, under the aegis of Oro Youths Movement, (OYOM) had in a   statement signed by its National President Comrade Edet Eyo, asserted: “The timing of the entire process, the quick passage of the said Bill and the resolve of the State Governor to assent to the Bill irrespective of public outcry suggests something extraordinary”

The Unyenge community in a statement   described the Bill to provide a Map for Akwa Ibom and other matters therewith which was passed into Law by the State House of Assembly on April 13 as an attempt to extend some landlocked councils to the coastal area.

The statement which was signed by the Community Chairman, Chief Itama Ekpe; Secretary, Mr Kany Nkwobia, and Public Relations Officer, Mr Bassey Ekpimah, said it was surprising to them to hear state government lay claim to the non-existence of an official gazetted map of the state.

 “The people of Obolo Nation of which Unyenge is an integral component, denounce unreservedly this iniquitous, unprincipled, and legislative manoeuvre of the Akwa Ibom State Government to arrogate the ancestral land of Obolo to any community or local government area whatsoever under the guise of remapping.

“Right from the creation of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Boundary Commission had carved out and precisely delineated both the external territorial borders and the internal geographical boundaries among all the local government areas that constitute the state.

“Interestingly, there is no gainsaying the fact that Akwa Ibom State is one of the subsets of Nigeria that is regulated by extant laws as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Section 8(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is crystal clear and very blunt on this issue, as it clearly stipulates the procedure for boundary adjustment, thus:

“A bill for a Law of House of Assembly for the purpose of boundary adjustment of any existing LGA shall only be passed if- a request for the boundary adjustment is supported by a two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding and the area affected by the boundary adjustment) in each of the following, namely, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the local government council in respect of the area, is received by the House of Assembly.

“Also a proposal for the boundary adjustment is approved by a simple majority of members of the House of Assembly in respect of the area concerned.

“Unfortunately, the government of Akwa Ibom State, through the instrumentality of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has blatantly flouted this section of the constitution and appropriated upon herself unjustified and superfluous constitutional power”, the statement read in part.

However, when contacted on Wednesday over the claims by the communities, the Deputy House Leader and Chairman House Committee on Information, Barr Dennis Akpan simply responded: “My answer is very simple. As a House we complied with the provisions of section 8(4) of the 1999 constitution as amended. That is exactly what we’ve done”

The Bill, for a Law to provide a gazetted Map of Akwa Ibom State was sponsored by the member representing Eket State constituency,  David Lawrence and co-sponsored by Nine other Lawmakers namely,  Sir Kierian Akpan (Oruk Anam), Barr. Dennis Akpan (Etinan), Otuekong Nse Essien (Onna), Elder Mark Esset (Nsit Atai), Victor Ekwere (Mkpat Enin), Uduak Odudoh (Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo), Barr. Otobong Bob (Nsit Ubium), Obong Godwin Ekpo (Ibiono Ibom) and KufreAbasi Edidem (Itu).