Sen. Gershom Bassey(L), Chief Okoi Obono-Obla(M), Sen. John Owan Enoh(R)
Efio-Ita Nyok|29 November 2016
Sequel to the allegation making the rounds on social media that the Senators representing Cross River Southern and Central Senatorial Districts, Chief Gershom Bassey and John Owan Enoh respectively at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, were directly involved in the surprising removal of Yakurr-born human right activist and Special Adviser to the President on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla from the confirmed list of NCC board members as Non-Executive Commissioner representing south-south geopolitical zone of the country, a legal practitioner by name, Chief (Barr) Utum Eteng, who hails from the same local government area of Chief Obono-Obla and is a constituent of Owan-Enoh's central senatorial district has requested, via an open letter to the distinguished lawmaker, that he clear the air on the allegation. Below is the full script of the said open letter:
AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR JOHN OWAN ENOR, SENATOR REPRESENTING THE CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT OF CROSS RIVER STATE.
RE-BEHIND THE BACKDOOR WITHDRAWAL OF CHIEF (BARR) OKOI OBONO OBLA CONFIRMATION AS NON-EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER IN THE NCC BOARD.
My distinguished Senator Owan Enor, I Chief (Barr) Utum U. Eteng, you very well know, a native of Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area in your senatorial district do hereby make the following representation to you with a view to ascertain the veracity of the blackmail and news making the rounds both in Abuja and the our State about you and your senator colleague also from Cross River State. I am minded to make this open representation to you knowing fully well that, you are in the senate today courtesy of the votes and mandate of the people of our central senatorial district including the votes of the people of Ugep, Yakurr Local Govt, where Chief Okoi Obono Obla comes from. I am pungently sure that you will not shy away from letting the people know the alleged role played in the purported mischief to influence the leadership of the Senate to use the backdoor of the senate to withdraw the confirmation of the nomination of Chief Obla by Mr. President. I heard as concerned Cross Riverians particularly from Ugep Urban that out of a purported mischief of your humble self and another Senator from Cross River State, you influenced the leadership of the Senate to send a letter to the Presidency withdrawing an earlier confirmation of Chief Obla, as a non-Executive Commissioner (South South) in the Nigerian Communication Commission. It is alleged that this withdrawal was done consequent upon your joint pressure and possible blackmail. I Chief Utum Eteng do not believe that you Senator John Owan Enor I know before now could degenerate so low as to have a hand in such pettiness and illegality. I do not believe, you have a hand in it, be that as it may, I still make room for my understanding of politics to be a concentric layers of conspiracies cartoon in day-light-smiles laced with nocturnal/midnight betrayals. I make room again that you could be blackmailed by your detractors haven’t met you in Obla’s office soliciting to work together as people from the same senatorial district.
Distinguished Senator, could it possible that you later thought otherwise as to be associated with this blackmail?
I wish to emphatically state that if before this open letter to you, you have not heard this embarrassing story and haven read it now in this my open letter, the ball is more in your court to let the people of Cross River State particularly the people of Ugep in Yakurr Local Govt where Chief Obla’s comes from and also the people of Etung, the traditional brothers of the Ugep people to know the truth if you are to set the record straight.
For the avoidance of doubt, let it be known to you as our representative in the senate that Chief Okoi Obla mean a lot to us the Ugep people just as you mean to the people of Agbokim Village in Etung Local Govt.
I say this because we as a people and a community that gave you their mandate, we are anxious to know the truth from you in so far as you have been variously mentioned and perhaps confronted by concerned Cross Riverians.
You know as a seasoned parliamentary that it is an affront to common sense and particularly against legislative ethics and procedures to purport from behind to reverse a confirmation like that of Obla done in plenary before the eyes of the whole world as widely covered and reported in print and electronic media without a 2/3 vote of Senators at plenary sitting to revisit the issue? I am not a Senator but you know that the rules of the Senate are comprised in a public document which is within the reach of any applicant who applies to have it upon payment of fees.
My distinguished Senator, let it be known that the full volume of the proceedings of the business of the day Obla was confirmed which is before me now unequivocably show that the nomination of Chief Obla by Mr. President was confirmed unconditionally. I have the document complete and the senate is yet to sit at plenary to state therwise.
Distinguished senator, let me also emphatically repeat without equivocations that as our senator representing us in the senate you have an unshakable burden to explain to us, the people of the district what indeed happened and if any, what role you played as may be falsely alleged. This is a serious matter, I urge you with respect and beloved representative not to take the matter lightly or for granted.
You will agree that throughout the tenure of our distinguished former Senator, Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, OFR in the Senate, there has been no one single case or time a Cross Riverian who appeared before the Senate was disqualified or his/her confirmation withdrawn. This is a precedent you the new Senators who were thought to be better than the previous ones should not encourage against our people. Those senators that came before you never showed meanness or pettiness.
We expect you to see ahead of our today and perhaps your personal interest or idiosyncrasies. It pays to be liberal minded than to be political intolerant.
Distinguished Senator, you well know that, being a non-executive commissioner in the NCC board does not carry with it a monthly remuneration but carries with it only a sitting allowance, conclusively, it is common sense that Obla is not engaged in two salary appointment.
You know by law, the President has the prerogative to select whosoever he wants to represent him in any board or government agency, and if he has chosen Obla your kins-man who had gone through the political turf with him since 1999 to represent him in the NCC Board lets not conspire with others to antagonize him, what goes around comes around.
A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.
My warm regards.
Chief (Barr) Utum Eteng
Cc:
1. Obol Lopon of Ugep
2. Obol Kepatu of Ijiman Clan
3. Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, OFR
4. Christ Njambu Ogar
5. Chief Emmanuel Ikuri – Village Head Agbokim
6. Mr. Augustine Attah Asu
NegroidHaven made a call to Sen. John Owan Enoh yesterday twice which was neither taken nor reciprocated. It will make attempts to contact Sen. Gershom Bassey with regard to the said issue.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
