Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said failed politicians were the masterminds of the protest in the state, weekend, over the installation of the President-General of the Supreme Council of Traditional Tulers in Uyo, the state capital.
In a statement, the governor gave details of the process that led to the installation of the President General, which he said was endorsed by all the traditional rulers from the 31 local government areas of the state.
The governor explained that he was not part of the process as the arrangement was made even before he bame the governor of the state, and as such should not be accused of any wrong doing.
Eno warned that any attempt by politicians to whip up ethnic and parochial sentiments in a bid to destabilise the state would be rebuffed.
His words: “There are several insinuations and misunderstanding that are being created in the minds of the people by those who failed at the elections and they think they can turn around and divide the state by whipping up ethnic sentiments. That is not going to be possible under this administration.
“Before I came into office, the paramount rulers had met among themselves. I was just a witness in that meeting. The 31 paramount rulers in the state, apart from those that were sick or deceased, met and agreed that to enable Akwa Ibom to play a role in the national traditional rulers council, there was a need to elevate the traditional rulers council to now be called the Supreme Traditional Rulers Council headed by the President-General that they had four years. I didn’t appoint him.
“And incidentally, the President-General is the Oku Ibom Ibibio. Along with him, they had a Vice President General 1 to be the Nkuku Annang, they chose Vice President General II to be the Ahta Oro.
“They said that would represent the Supreme Council of the Traditional Rulers for the purpose of playing at the national level. They now decided to rotate the chairmanship of the Traditional Rulers Council as it has always been. They did this without my interference.
“I’ll like any traditional ruler from any part of this state to stand up boldly and say he was not at that meeting. There was only one suggestion from the Paramount Ruler of Itu, who said there should be a slight modification and that slight modification was well taken, creating the two other offices (VPG 1 and VPGII).
“To make that possible, we needed to back it up by law. So, when I came into office, we had to consult. The bill was sent to the House of Assembly to make it a law. The bill went to the House of Assembly and I understand there was a public hearing.
“The bill was passed and I came back yesterday and signed it to law. Doing that was just honouring the wishes of our traditional fathers. And I had expected them to call me and thank me for honouring what they wanted. I did not originate the bill. I did not have a part in that bill.”