Akwa Ibom mapping based on court rulings, not politics – Coastal LGAs

The coastal people of Akwa Ibom State have faulted the attempt by some individuals to politicise the mapping of the state with a law by the state House of Assembly, saying the action was purely based on court rulings spanning years.

The group, under the auspices of Coalition of Aboriginal Coastal Local Government Areas of Eket, Esit Eket, Onna, Mkpat Enin and Ikot Abasi, noted in a statement released in Abuja yesterday that they were disturbed by the falsehood being introduced into an entirely legal procedure, which had led to the disturbance of public peace in parts of the state.

In the statement signed by the president-general of the Ekid Nation, Dr Samuel Udonsak, the group warned those fanning the embers of crisis over the mapping of the state to be properly guided by both historical and legal facts and desist from causing avoidable trouble in the peaceful state.

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Dr Udonsak said, “The leadership of the Coalition of Aboriginal Coastal LGAs of Eket, Esit Eket, Onna, Mkpat Enin and Ikot Abasi met to review the mapping of the state, the disturbances within its territory and the need to improve the security within its areas. The Coalition found the need to also address the unsuspecting public on the facts of our littoral status and wish to state as follows: “The Coalition thanks the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, immediate past governor of the state, Deacon Udom Emmanuel and the state surveyor-general for their courageous and bold step in giving Akwa Ibom State an official map since its creation. It is believed that this would put an end to the irritating, chronic and perennial conflicts emanating from lack of official boundaries between some local governments in the state, especially along our Atlantic coastline. Akwa Ibom State has never been mapped before and we agree that this exercise is the constitutional responsibility of the state.”