General Anthony Etukudo (Rtd) has called on the member representing Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency, Hon Uduak Ududoh, to retract his motion presented to the House of Representatives during plenary on July 12, 2023, and resubmit it to capture Eket, Esit Eket and Onna local government Arears of Akwa Ibom State as coastal Areas.

In a motion presented to the House of Representatives by Hon Uduak Ududoh on Wednesday July 12, 2023, on the need to increase Maritime Security Personnel in coastal Areas of Akwa State, the law maker specifically mentioned Eastern Obolo, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Ibeno, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, Udung Uko and Urue-Offong/Oruko local government Arears, deliberately omitting Eket, Esit Eket and Onna local government Arears.

Speaking with newsmen in Eket on Thursday, the retired Army General who is the political leader of Eket Federal Constituency discribes Ududoh’s action as a deliberate move to surreptitiously and officially remove Eket, Esit Eket and Onna from the list of coastal Areas in Akwa Ibom State

“Once the document containing the Motion is referred to the Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, documented and sent back to the House for final legislation, it becomes a legal instrument in the eyes of the law”, he said.

“I’m calling on the lawmaker to withdraw the motion papers and do the necessary amendments to reflect the true position on ground”, Etukudo maintained.

General Etukudo, a former Director of the Standard Organization Of Nigeria (SON) and recipient of National Award of Order Of the Niger (OON), now a security consultant agreed with the lawmaker on the urgent need to beef up security along the coastal Areas of Akwa Ibom State and the Niger Delta.

He faulted an attempt by the Media Unit of the lawmaker to assuage public outcry over the omission, describing it as “damage control measure” aimed at deceiving Eket, Esit Eket and Onna people, adding that Mr Ududoh may be acting a script written for him by those who have been angling to remove Eket, Esit Eket and Onna from the list of coastal Areas of Akwa Ibom State.

“Eket, Esit Eket and Onna local government Arears have always been coastal Areas and has over the years been subjected to the negative impact of oil exploration while the people wallow in abject poverty because of environmental degradation caused by decades of oil activities in the Area, to covertly remove the three local government Arears from the list of coastal Areas is criminal and unacceptable”, the Army General said.