Udom Progresses With His Farmers’ Cabinet

Weeks after Governor Udom Emmanuel affirmed that only farmers would find their way into his second term cabinet, the governor has sent his commissioner-nominees to the State House of Assembly.

The governor sent the list on Tuesday to the 7th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly with an attached list of 19 Commissioners and two Special Advisers nominees for screening and ratification.

The list which was read on the floor of the House by the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Mandu Umoren during plenary showed that 98 percent of immediate past cabinet members were returned by the governor.

Besides the decision of the governor to retain former members of his cabinet did not surprise majority of the residents, the release of the nominees list has also calmed the anxiety among lobbyists and stakeholders.

Both supporters and critics of the governor have come to admire him for keeping to his promise of carrying all his former cabinet members along in his second tenure.

Recall that Governor Emmanuel few weeks ago had upon pressures from lobbyists and stakeholders had declared that he would retain all his cabinet members.

Accordingly, he had warned lobbyists not to pressure him over political appointments.

“Don’t come and tell me that this person didn’t work during the election and should be dropped, because everybody worked and they all supported me,” the governor had declared.

“If you attempt to blackmail anybody, that will even spur me to reappoint that person. Like I always say, nobody should send me text to lobby or pressure me for any candidate because that is the surest route to the disqualification of such a person.”

However, many are yet to understand is whether all the named appointees actually own farms as the governor had also averred that owning a farm was a requisite for appointment into his second term cabinet.

The list of nominees for screening and approval as Commissioners are Mr Akan Okon, Mr. Ime Ekpo, Mr Nse Essien, Uwemedimo Nwoko, Mr. Monday Uko,  Mr. Linus Nkan,  Honourable Okpulupum Etteh, Mr Ephraim Inyaneyen, Barr. Ekong Sampson and Mr Charles Udoh.

Others are Mr. Orman Esin, Mr Iniobong Essien,  Dr Dominic Ukpong, Dr Gloria Edet,  Mr Udo Ekpenyong,  Mr Uno Etim Uno, Mr Rapheal Bassey, Mr Victor Bassey and Ukpong Akpabio, while those named as Special Advisers  are Hon Sunny Ibuot and Mrs Ekemini Umoh.

Okpulupum Etteh, a former State Lawmaker is the only fresher in the Commissioners-designate list.

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