By Orok Ebak
The claims by Dr. Valentine Ntui’s media team regarding the political representation of Awi Ward are nothing more than tales by the moonlight. First, the statement that Hon. Innocent Iterim is from Uyanga is entirely false. He is not, and never has been, from Uyanga. His supposed association with the ward is a fabrication designed to mislead the public.
The notion that Barr. Patrick Abakum was elected to office as Akamkpa Chairman is another falsehood. Abakum was never elected but served as an administrator for a brief period. The media team can fact-check this, as no records will support their erroneous claim.
Power in Akamkpa has always been shared between the Ejagham bloc and Dusanga Iyong Iyong, a fact that Dr. Valentine Ntui is well aware of. It is local politics, and it is natural for people to follow the established norms of political rotation.
The challenge now falls on Dr. Ntui’s media team to clearly state when this so-called power rotation was ever done on a ward basis. If this were the case, Awi Ward would have benefited. Instead, they seem to vanish into oblivion whenever key political positions are shared within the Ejagham bloc.
Dr. Ntui’s media team is simply crying wolf. The betrayal of their own people during the last election—allowing Akamkpa Urban to secure the position—is solely their responsibility. They cannot now rewrite history to claim marginalization after failing to act when it mattered.
The narratives being pushed are not rooted in facts but in self-interest. Awi Ward has not been marginalized in the way Dr. Ntui’s team suggests; rather, their current position is the result of political miscalculations and betrayals from within. Which is not even true.
The rotation of political offices has always followed a logical sequence in Akamkpa, ensuring that each bloc has its turn. What Dr. Ntui’s team must address is why their ward did not benefit during these rotations which is a big fat lie. Blaming others for their own failures is not the solution over their ignorance is very sad.
Since Dr. Valentine Ntui and his media team are not good students of history, the possibility of their misfiring is now evidence. For the record, Awi Ward have been represented in 1999 in the Cross River State House of Assembly in the person of Hon. Victor Okon – House of Assembly 1999. (The form he filled captured Awi Ward).
Power dynamics in Akamkpa are based on history and consensus, not on arbitrary decisions by individuals or media teams. The claim that Awi Ward has been systematically denied power is a distortion of the truth.
It is time for Dr. Ntui and his team to accept responsibility for their past actions rather than trying to scapegoat other wards or the system itself. Political victories are earned, not handed out based on cries of unfairness.
In conclusion, the claims from Dr. Ntui’s media team are nothing more than tales by the moonlight, devoid of substance or facts. The people of Akamkpa deserve leadership that respects historical norms, not one that distorts them for personal gain.