Day Nsit Ubium, Etinan Celebrated Umana

By Effiong Usoro             

It was a home coming for Obong Umana Okon Umana, the All Progressives Congress(APC), governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom state for the April 11, 2015 election  as he stormed  Nsit Ubium and Etinan local government areas Monday, March 16, 2015  in continuation of his governorship campaign. Accompanied by his wife, Florence, running mate, Mr Ben Ukpong, party leaders and supporters, Obong Umana  made what many observers described as a triumphant entry into Nsit Ubium as his first port of call. Umana,  a respected son of Nsit Ubium was ushered into the local  government by a mammoth crowd that waited for him at Etinan town. They included motorcyclists who wore reflective jackets with inscription boldly written at the back, “clear road for Umana”, motorists and tricycle operators. It was colourful  as the cyclists escorted Umana and his entourage in a long convoy to the campaign ground amid cheers from the jubilant crowd that lined up both sides of the road waving brooms and shouting, change, change. 

Mr Umana Okon Uamana, APC governorshi
candidate, AKS 

Two long trucks decorated with various colours conveyed people to the campaign ground. Brass band and many cultural groups were there to entertain the large crowd and also welcome Umana to the land of his birth. People from all walks of life were there to celebrate Umana’s home coming. Clearly Nsit Ubium people proved beyond all reasonable doubt that they are totally in support of Umana’s governorship project. The various billboards erected at strategic locations and posters pasted at every nook and crannies in the local government was a  clear indication that Nsit Ubium  have embraced the APC and are ready to vote massively for their son, Umana on April 11, 2015 to emerge as the next governor of the state. The former deputy speaker of Akwa Ibom state house of assembly, Elder Aniefiok Thompson, a native of Nsit Ubium used the occasion to formally decamp from PDP with his supporters to APC. As was expected, the crowd  became frenzy as Obong Umana mounted the rostrum to deliver his speech. 



Beaming with smile and embolden by the show of solidarity  by his kinsmen, Umana rolled out his manifesto and assured he will fulfill his campaign promises if elected as the governor of the state on April 11, 2015.He thanked the people of Nsit Ubium for believing in him and vowed that he will not disappoint them and the entire Akwa Ibom state when he is voted into office. The campaign train then moved to Etinan local government area where Umana’s  name is known in every household because of his enormous contributions to the development of the state and philanthropic gestures to the people. Many of his kinsmen who are so passionate about Umana’s governorship project which they also see as the project of the entire Nsit Ubium people, accompanied the entourage to Etinan stadium where the rally took place. The crowd at the Etinan stadium was equally  unprecedented. Etinan is the home of political heavy weight in Akwa Ibom. The area also parades intellectuals and top businessmen. Otuekong Sunny  Jackson, Ekong Etuk, Obonganwan Imo Isemin among other political stalwarts from Etinan graced the occasion. At the occasion, aggrieved members of PDP conducted  a mock burial for PDP as the casket was brought before the large crowd in preparation for the final burial rites. Former PDP members also brought their membership cards and Party register and scattered on the field. Those that spoke at the occasion declared that the support of Etinan people for Obong Umana and APC was total. Leaders of APC recalled that they fought PDP  in Etinan to a standstill during the 2011 election under the defunct ACN  and vowed to defeat the ruling party in all the elective positions in the coming election. Umana’s speech at the rally was brief, apparently because he was overwhelmed  and humbled by the show of support and love by the people of Nsit Ubium and Etinan. Many citizens of the area were of the opinion that Umana’s campaign in the federal constituency was a mere formality as the electorate had already resolved to vote for him and all APC candidates. They reasoned that Obong Umana has made the people of Etinan federal constituency proud in his performance in government adding that with his experience and exemplary leadership qualities  he will bring the desired change to the state. Indeed it was a memorable day for Obong Umana as the apex Ibibio socio-cultural group, Uyio Ikpaisong Ibibio had earlier unanimously endorsed him for the governorship race and also gave him royal blessings. The declaration was made by the chairman Uyio Ikpaisong Ibibio and the paramount ruler of Etinan, Edidem Ime Umoette when Obong Umana went to solicit support of the royal fathers and members of his council for his election as the next governor of the state and to also inform them that he was now the governorship candidate of APC. The meeting which was held at the palace of the paramount ruler of Etinan was attended by paramount rulers and clan heads of Ibibio nation. Although Umana’s visit to Nsit Ubium and Etinan is widely seen as a home coming for a son of the soil, the event and the pronouncement of the royal fathers were symbolic in his quest to  win the April 11 election