By Joseph Atainyang
Outgoing Councillor representing Ward 4 in Urue Offong/Oruko legislative council, Hon. Wisdom Edem Onomo has expressed gratitude to his constituents for the huge support given to him during his three year political sojourn.
He said the overwhelming support of his people gave him enough encouragement and alertness in the discharge of his duties.
Wisdom Onomo who spoke to National News Track today, stated that he had maintained a cordial relationship with his people throughout his three years in office, especially those from Mbokpu Eyokan village.
Recall that his constituency, Ward 4 of Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Area is made up of Mbokpu Eyokan village and Ikpe community.
Onomo stressed that he has not been a complete failure, as he was able to touch many of his constituents through “financial empowerment”.
He regretted that his colleagues across the state could not do more due to their “starvation by the state governor, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel”, who according to him, “retained the funds accruing to local government areas.”
He maintained that hundreds of millions of naira were monthly sent to local government areas by the federal government, but that the governor got them “incapacitated with non release of funds.”
While calling on Governor Udom Emmanuel to “repent from his ways” and “desist from withholding council funds so as to make his successors achieve what he couldn’t in his time”, Onomo predicted that “the governor will not find it easy producing his successor, if he does not allow council funds to reach the grassroots for effective development.”
“Everyone knows that I’m an advocate of good governance. I have done this all my days in the council, even though it couldn’t yield desired results.
“I thank my constituents for their support. I have had a cordial working relationship with all of them, especially in Mbokpu Eyokan.
“For some people in Ikpe community whom I couldn’t reach out to, I sincerely apologize. It couldn’t have been my desire to do so. We were barred from accessing funds to execute our projects.
“The only person that stopped us from doing so was Governor Udom Emmanuel. He frustrated all our efforts by withholding LG funds.
“I plead with Governor Emmanuel in the name of God. Please kindly release funds to the incoming local government. They do not deserve frustration like us. And also know that it will be difficult for you to land well with a successor in 2023, if you continue like this”, he said.
An advocate of local government autonomy, Hon. Wisdom Onomo, a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is popular for his frontal criticisms of the government of his party.
His social media handle (Facebook – Hon. Wisdom Edem Onomo) is replete with litanies of confrontations against the system.
It could be recalled that Onomo was on August 21, 2019, suspended by Urue Offong/Oruko legislative council over what it described as “gross misconduct”.
The house alleged that Onomo had “flouted the oath of allegiance” by “revealing official secrets”, having “divided loyalty” and causing “sabotage” by “making statements capable of bringing the government of Akwa Ibom State and that of the local government to disrepute.”
His suspension was however reversed on September 10, 2019, following a public outcry and “interventions from political stakeholders”.
Onomo was Deputy Chief Whip and Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation throughout his stay in office.
Source: National News Track
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