HE ATTACK ON SENATOR HELEN ESUENE, A DISGRACE TO AKWA IBOM PEOPLE.

By Sam Ikpe Itauma
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Senator Helen Esuene

I read with utter consternation the attack on Her Excellency, Mrs. Helen Udoakaha Esuene, a serving senator and former First Lady of South Eastern State by some desperate political thugs in Essien Udim Local Government Area, during her political campaign tour as one of the frontline gubernatorial aspirants in Akwa Ibom State.

When I first read of the attack in some online media, I actually did not believe it, as it sounded like one of the bogus news meant to create sensationalism in the thick of the electioneering campaign until I read a press statement from the Akwa Ibom State government condemning the criminal act.

It's no news that Esuene is one of the most respected names in Eket nation and beyond. That a group of individuals constituted themselves into political thugs and unleashed terror on the only female governorship aspirant in the state is beyond imagination and speaks volume of the level of desperation in our body politics; and how vicious the political climate of the state has suddenly become.

I hereby condemn in no uncertain terms, the brutal attack on Senator Helen Esuene and her campaign team in Essien Udim. The attackers did not veil their faces and can be identified even with the videos and still pictures while unleashing their mayhem. Such primitive action is highly prejudicial to our nascent democracy.

The Police and the Department of Secret Service (DSS) should swing into action, get these criminal minded individuals arrested and bring them to justice to deter future recurrence. No stone should be left unturned to unmask these dare devils. It's the responsibility of the the good people of Essien Udom to assist the security agency in identifying these miscreants, as no sane person would want to associate himself with such medieval act of cowardice.

These barefaced criminals should be ashamed of themselves for attacking a woman instead of encouraging her.

In civilized climes, women of such distinguished pedigree and calibre are not only accorded respect but given the necessary support.

The Eket people should not tread the lane of tit-for-tat and vendetta but put pressure on the relevant authorities to take appropriate action, as vengeful attribute has never been part of our culture, going by the peaceful nature and rapprochement embedded in our custom and tradition.

True to type, Mrs. Esuene is not only an asset to the Eket people but Akwa Ibom State and beyond. Besides, before resurfacing into political arena, Mrs. Esuene has been an industrial renaissance champion, creating employment and skill acquisitions for thousands of youth till date. If most of the political office holders have done half of what Mrs. Esuene is doing in their various constituencies, the desperation, thuggery, disenchantment and political hooliganism which the youths of our dear state are currently witnessing due to dearth of employment and enlightenment would be off the record.

Akwa Ibom youths should not allow themselves to be used as thugs by misguided and desperate politicians during election period only to abandon them as soon as they climbed to power.

Itauma is a New York based right activist from Akwa Ibom State

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