The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr. Essien Ndueso, has berated the executive director of Projects Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Victor Antai, for his recent attack on Governor Umo Eno, saying that Mr. Antai has failed to learn from history by choosing to tow the path of previous indigenes of the state who used the NDDC platform to launch political attacks against the government of their home state rather than collaborating to bring about developments.
According to him, “Those people did not end up well and I can tell you that
Insults, abuses and verbal diarrhoea may be the only developments brought to Akwa Ibom State throughout Mr. Victor Antai’s tenure as the Executive Director of Projects in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)”.
The Governor’s Aide, who addressed journalists on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in reaction to Mr. Antai’s recent comments, highlighted that aside from the earlier mentioned trademarks, nothing else has passed as his antecedence in previous duty posts, either as local government chairman for two terms or as commissioner in two separate ministries in Akwa Ibom State.
In a 15-minute viral video made available to our correspondents, Mr. Antai, apparently in a rally with APC party faithful in Eket on Easter weekend, was heard faulting the Akwa Ibom State Government’s food security programme and also accusing the government of impoverishing the people for political gains.
Antai also accused the former Governor of the State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, of remotely controlling the affairs of the state, and he invoked curses on the government, among other things.
However, Dr. Ndueso, who is also a communication scholar, posited that “by resorting to Skiamachy, Mr. Antai has summarised his mission in NDDC, which has been unable to site any visible development in the state in recent times.
“The last time we witnessed a major project from the interventionist agency was in December 2015, when a 600-metre bridge connecting the 6.7-kilometre Iko-Atabrikang-Iwuochang Road was commissioned in Ibeno.
“It might be a tall dream to expect any good from a man who cannot point out any benefit he brought about, either in his private service or throughout his public life.
“Perhaps this accounts for his serial defeats in all the offices he has aspired for, ranging from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.
“Most people, including eyewitnesses, have alleged that Mr. Antai was drunk and had little control over his speech and actions at the said event; however, I align with the thoughts of Prof. Ola Rotimi, who, in his book ‘The Gods Are Not to Blame’, said that it is what is in the mind when one is not drunk that he mutters when immersed in alcohol.
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“As an Eket son, I feel insulted that the comedian chose Eket Land for his theatric display of mockery. Eket is no place for secret altars of doom.
“The Easter season was when political office holders gathered their people to render accounts of their stewardship and proposals; Antai, who has no history and no plans for the people, chose to go shadow punching to cover up his infirmities.
“It is rather unfortunate that he also decided to venture into attacking Mr. Udom Emmanuel, a leader who has kept his promise of quietly leaving the scene at the end of his tenure.
“It has been as clear as daylight that Mr. Emmanuel, since he departed from Government House on May 29, 2023, has returned to his private practice.
“He told the state, at a public function, that there can only be one leader at a time, and that Governor Eno is his leader and the leader of the entire state. This unprecedented act of humility and support has been largely applauded, especially in a country, where predecessors compete assiduously for space with their successors.
“If not for anything, could he not have shown respect to the man who picked him up in 2015 and appointed him as commissioner in two respective ministries?”
“I am happy that Governor Umo Eno has remained resolute in his readiness to continue partnering with everyone, irrespective of party divide, to attract benefits to the people,” he added.
“As expected, His Excellency, the Governor, who has remained focused on touching lives and investing in projects and programmes of immense value to the people, has refused to be distracted by this latest antic by Mr. Antai.
“The millions of people who have benefited from the free food scheme for the downtrodden, the beneficiaries of the gratuity payments, the beneficiaries of the scholarship and bursary schemes, as well as the recipients of the free shelter initiative, are among those who will answer Victor Antai.
“Everyone knows Pastor Umo Eno was a successful entrepreneur before venturing to serve the public and has seamlessly transferred this experience into government business. Where is Antai’s second address?” he quipped.
