Chief Nduese Essien charges Youth to Desist from Blackmail

The Forum of Village Youth Presidents in Eket local government area today paid unscheduled visit to the political leader of Eket Senatorial District and former Minister, Chief Nduese Essien to seek clarification about a certain publication by Coalition of Eket Youths for Development and Advocacy.

According to the Eket Chapter Coordinator of the forum, Senior Comrade Daniel Essien, who said the Forum of Village Youth Presidents were perplexed by the said publication alleging that Chief Nduese Essien wrote petitions to anti-graft agencies against the Commissioner of Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang.

He said that they came to hear his own part of the story having known him to be a leader who guides against falsehood and blackmail.

Senior Comrade Essien made a case that Chief Nduese Essien is a highly reverred leader who had been advising and tutored the youth to embrace core values of honesty, integrity, respect to authorities, loyalty, etc,

The Eket chapter Coordinator wondered why someone who has been advising them to live right should turned his back against those societal norms as a leader whom they respect in all ramifications.

He said the forum holds Chief Essien on high esteem hence, their reason to have audience with him and know the best way to react on the issue.

Responding, Chief Essien thanked the Forum of Village Youth Presidents for coming out in large numbers to hear from him after seeing the said publication.

He said that earlier, the issue came as a rumour which he intimated the governor, saying that he has not written any petition against Ephraim Inyang as carried in the said publication.

“I have never written or send any petition to anti-graft agencies against anyone,” Chief Essien  said, noting that some people in Eket are fun of indulging in blackmailing for patronage, he added.

While commending the forum for their interest in knowing what is going on in their domain, he urged them to carry out proper investigation(s) on the matter to unearth the truth, noting that their findings will also help to debunk the blackmail.

“Let me also use this opportunity to draw your attention to the inglorious past where a lot of our people including youth, elders, women and so many others are fun of going outside to seek for patronage and in the process sell their birth right.

“I will want this group to do a thorough investigation on this matter so as to inform the people appropriately, as rumours are always misconstrued to be fact.

Chief Essien encouraged the forum to inculcate values that will distinguished themselves from others as future leaders, urging them to always remain law-abiding and loyal to constituted authorities.

Other speakers bared their minds on other sensitive issues like employment, insecurity, pipeline surveillance, etc which Chief Essien took time to address accordingly.

Having being satisfied with the elucidation given by Chief Nduese Essien on the matter, a vote of confidence by the forum was moved in support of him by the President of Ikot Ibiok Village, Comrade Ime and seconded by the President, Okon Youth Council, Comrade Vincent Henry.

They promised to always defend the right of Ekid people and called on those who are engaged in fictitious writing to stop the blackmail as they will not fold their hands and watch few recalcitrant and selfish individuals tarnish the hard earned image and reputation of Chief Essien and go scot free, promising to make an official statement on the issue in due time.