An awareness and sensitization programme organized by youths under the auspices of Dakkada Ambassadors has commenced at the Akwa Ibom State Liaison office, Lagos, as earlier scheduled despite an initial attempt by hoodlums to disrupt the event.
The awareness and sensitization programme with the theme, “Supporting the Government of Industrialization,” aimed at sensitizing the people on the various achievements of Governor
The widely publicized peaceful sensitization campaign in Lagos was initially disrupted when some youths numbering about 10-12, stormed the venue led by one Inibehe arrived at the venue and started accusing the Dakkada youths of “selling” their conscience to the devil.
Their attempt to frustrate the Dakkada campaign with the alleged thugs who spoke mainly in Yoruba language, snowballed into an attack on law abiding Akwa Ibom officials in the state liaison office located at No 14 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
They attacked the officials of the liaison office, questioning their decision to allow the Dakkada Ambassadors to use the public facility to embark on praise singing for the government.
However it took the intervention of some law enforcement officials to prevent bloodbath as the hoodlums were chased away from the facility while the event went ahead as scheduled. Over one thousand youths resident in Lagos are expected to be in attendance at the ceremony.
The event is attended by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Branding Management and Marketing, Mr Ime Uwah and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Mr Aniefiok Iwaudofia.
They are expected to enlighten the enthusiastic youths on the various youth-oriented programmes and the vision of the government towards enhancing capacity of the youths in order to position them for the emerging opportunities in the state.
In a similar development, youths in Akwa Ibom State have stated their resolve to shun the protest allegedly sponsored by the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Mr. Nsima Ekere whom they are accusing of igniting tension and hatred in the State.
Report has it that efforts by Ekere, to mobilize youths on a protest against Governor Udom Emmanuel over the proposed 1.2 billion Naira Akwa Ibom lodge in Lagos, was dealt a huge blow; as the youths expressed confidence in the governor who has in the last 2 years performed creditably well.
The visibly angry NDDC boss according to an insider source is reported to have been very bitter with an Akwa Ibom born Lagos-based lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who is alleged to have swindled him of 20 million Naira with the assurance of exploiting his social media popularity to mobilize for the said protest.
According to the source, Ekere who expressed dissatisfaction with one of the presidential aides from the state who introduced him to Effiong, expressed concerns at the growing popularity of Governor Emmanuel among people of the state and called for refunds of the amount paid as mobilization to get the job done.
Trouble started when members of Akwa Ibom Community in Lagos turned down the offer by the presidential aide to hire them for the said job, insisting that he should mobilize his family members for the assignment, as they had nothing against the governor who has done well to provide leadership in the state.
Woes for proponents of the Anti-Udom rally got worsened when leaders of youth groups in the state including the Akwa Ibom State Youth Caucus, Youth Council, Village Youth Presidents, Dakkada Youths and several volunteer youth groups fixed same date for a Pro-Udom rally in support of the governor’s strides in the state that has seen Akwa Ibom emerge as a lead investment destination in the country.
The youth leaders in their separate remarks queried how Ekere and co-travelers could be so unpatriotic as to seek to cause disharmony in the state because of political interest, querying his good intentions for them when he is yet to come clean on accusation of pocketing the 2016 Christmas package for youths of the state from the NDDC.
Details for the youth rally in support of the governor, as released by the Coalition of youth leaders in the State has it that over ten thousand youths will converge on Ibom Hall grounds and process round major streets in the city in the morning of Friday 11 August.
The solidarity march, like last year’s episode is billed to terminate at the Government House Gates, where they are expected to be addressed by the Governor on plans to further move the state forward.
It would be recalled that the Akwa Ibom State Government recently came out to describe as evil propaganda the claim that it budgeted 9.1billion Naira for the Lagos governor’s lodge, saying 1.2 billion Naira was budgeted for the project, which is intended to give the state an appreciable corporate image in the nation’s commercial capital.
