The Okobo Traditional Council of Chiefs in Akwa-Ibom State, has given their blessing to the Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, of Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim to contest the governorship of the state come 2015.
The blessing and endorsement of Barrister Ntekim, who was on consultations to seek the consent of his immediate family, community, ward, chapter leadership of his party and the Okobo, traditional institution has put to rest speculations about the disposition of the Attorney-General’s resolve to contested for the overnorship of Akwa Ibom state.
The Paramount Ruler of Okobo, HRM Obong Bassey Ndem alongside other traditional rulers who gave their blessing to Barrister Ntekim,expressed delight for his courage against the erroneous claim that the Oron Nation as a whole did not have a competent person who can vie for the office of the governor of the state.
The Okobo traditional head used the opportunity to draw the attention of the 2015 gubernatorial hopeful to the allegedly long-neglected Obufi-Okobo Road which serve as the main access to the community and implored him to fix the road as well as address the general exclusion of Okobo and Oron nation from infrastructural development if God blesses him to emerge as governor of the state.
The royal father also implored to also consider Ntekim to creating job employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state so that they may not have justification to indulge in antisocial vices. .
While intimating the royal fathers and party members about his resolve to contest the forthcoming governship election in 2015, Barrister Ntekim, said he was convinced in his heart of hart to take the decision before he came out to seek the blessing ,support and content of his people.
He said it would be wrong for him to commence the governorship project without seeking their consents before embarking on state wide consultation.
His words, “I have come to consult with you the custodians of our culture, tradition, norms and values of the people of Okobo on my decision to contest the governorship of Akwa-Ibom State and to obtain your royal blessings, even as I have absolutely resolved with my heart of heart and backed by my personal conviction to take the bolt step, to come forth, I still need to seek your consent as my fathers
and leader”
As he appealed for the support of the leadership and members of his Nung Atai Ube Ward 11 and the Okobo chapter of the People Democratic Party ( PDP), he assured that they will be victorious at the end.
The Chapter chairman of the Party Mr Bassey Ntekim, had appealed to the PDP family in the state to throw their weight behind the aspiration of the Attorney-General even as a formal motion was moved by an elder of the Party Eyo Offiong to adopt him as their sole candidate.