Zoning has been distorted in Akwa Ibom, says Etiebet

Former Petroleum Minister Chief Don Etiebet has condemned what he described as targeted zoning, saying it will not work in Akwa Ibom State.The politician, who spoke during the 55th birthday of former past Secretary to Government, Obong Umana Umana, said Governor Godswill Akpabios zoning formula is discriminatory, and that it has a pre-determined motive. He explained that Akpabio is scheming to anoint his friend as successor. However, Etiebet declined to mention the name of the friend.He said: I do not agree with the governor over the targeted zoning. It is zoning to a friend. The targeted zoning cannot work; the targeted zoning cannot produce the next governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015.Etiebet chided the governor for scuttling the tripod arrangement on which the sharing of positions in the state was based.He said, if Akpabio had stuck to the arrangement, the next governor would have come from Oron.Etiebet, who spoke on the theme: Democracy and the challenge of leadership in Nigeria, recalled that the governor had benefitted from the tripod arrangement.He said: If we had stuck to that consensus arrangement, peace and tranquillity would have reigned, and it would have aided the development of Akwa Ibom State by harnessing all the materials and natural resources. There would have been no problem because we would have been obvious that the next governor would come from Oron. This was the agreement Godswill Akpabio was a party to. But, he does not want to keep that consensus arrangement as he wants to bring another Ibibio man to succeed him. This is not fair. That is why I have fallen out with him. That is why we are not agreeing.We as a people are saying that we can never allow one man to cook the food and make all us eat and go to sleep and he goes about gallivanting to put his man in position. We cannot eat that food.As I am standing here, I have 15 governorship aspirants that have consulted me officially, traditionally, and legally. I have not heard of any other one outside these 15 that have consulted me.]]>
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