Udom, PDP have failed you; keep faith with AAC - Etiebiet tells Transporters

By Nora Inwangabasi

African Action Congress (AAC) has promised transporters in Akwa Ibom State that a state government led by the party in 2023 will impact positively on their lives.

State Chairman of the party, Mr Utip Etiebiet, who spoke over the weekend in Uyo when his party and the AAC governorship candidate, Mr Iboro Otu visited the association's office in Uyo on a fact-finding mission on alleged multiple taxes and levies imposed on the transporters by the state government, said having heard directly from the transporters, his stance that the Udom Emmanuel led administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have failed Akwa Ibom people has been reinforced.

The state chairman who implored the association to support the AAC governorship candidate and other candidates on the platform assured that the party has the wherewithal to liberate the state.

He assured the association that his party will immediately wade into the situation at hand by directing relevant authorities to put a stop to same, or face redress and public backlash.

Stressing that Governor Udom Emmanuel cannot claim not to be aware of the situation, Etiebiet accused the state governor of being insensitive to the suffering of the populace.

"Let me tell you that AAC is the solution; the current government has failed us. The governor is aware of the matter. Let me tell you how these things work, once there is a court summons like the one the association made the court to send, the Attorney General informs the Governor who approves legal action on behalf of government. The governor should not rejoice that this association has gone to court, there is still room for solution because he took and oath to serve the state and her people including transporters."

Etiebiet, who is an ex-banker, also faulted the Udom Emmanuel administration's economic policies, saying it violates the principles of accountability and transparency which is the hallmark of the sector.

His words: "I am an ex-banker, the governor is an ex-banker too. We heard that 280 billion Naira was received by the state government recently, but the governor rebuffed enquires from citizens about the said money. We are entitled to be told if such funds came in. Also, the acclaimed industries does not have any impact on the state. For instance, egg is sold at about 100 Naira each. But the state claims to have a hatchery that churns out hundreds and thousands of eggs on daily basis. We claim to have peacock paints, which of course if not true, but paints is sold at a very high rate because they are brought in from outside the state. We claim to have rice farms and rice mill but we keep bringing in rice from outside the state. We are yet to attain food sufficiency in the state. They say Akwa Ibom State is peaceful, but Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo and other parts of the state have been enmeshed in crisis. Even the budget, you hardly see it being published for the public to see. We are tired of a failed administration."

He told the association that they should expect a positive outcome now that the party has waded in. "It is in our DNA, anywhere there is a challenge, we always go in, when we go in, because God is always on our side, we always win."

The state chairman also canvassed support for all candidates of the party from the presidency down to the state assembly seats.

Governorship Candidate of the AAC, Mr Iboro Otu equally promised that they will assist the association to ensure the problem is reversed.

According to him, it is highly insensitive and exploitative for the exorbitant multiple levies to be imposed without recourse to debilitating economic woes facing the state.

Otu promises that his administration will not indulge in such, that it will instead grant tax breaks and waivers to transporters.

The governorship also promised to write to relevant authorities urging them to reverse the trend.

Earlier, President of the association, Comrade Charles Ekpo described as unbearable, a situation where individual drivers have to pay close to 50,000 Naira in total monthly for different levies, and about five hundred and seventy five thousand Naira (575,000 Naira) yearly for daily tickets and multiple levies.

He alleged that they have been subjected to blackmail, harassment and arrests on grounds that they are working for opposition political elements in the state. 

According to him, the forum is apolitical, and appealed to Governor Udom Emmanuel to listen to the association instead of listening to detractors.

The session was attended by other exco members.

Their case is court was adjourned to Monday, November 14, 2022.