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Northern Group Kicks Against Military Honour To Akpabio
By Chuks Ehirim Newsdiaryonline Sun Sep
25,2011
Gov Akpabio with President Jonathan at the NDA
ceremony
The Northern Youth Integrity Club yesterday condemned the award
given to Akwa Ibom State’s Governor Godswill Akpabio by the
Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, saying it is unwarranted and
uncalled for. The group’s national president, Malam Abdul-Azeez
Suleiman, told press men after a meeting in Kaduna that Nigerian
progressive youths would come together and pressurize the
Military authorities to withdraw the award.
Suleiman said the Nigerian Military still remains a respected
and credible establishment that should not dent its image by
honouring the likes of Governor Akpabio.“The Military should
ordinarily limit its associations to only reputable Nigerian
leaders who have contributed to the positive grouth of the
nation and the defence industry in particular,” Suleiman said.
He wondered what contributions to the nation’s defence were made
by Mr. Akpabio as to warrant such high honour on him.
“Here is a man whose ascension to his state’s governorship
remains debatable, and even at that, still maintains a very poor
human relation record with elders of the state while choosing to
associate more with elements of doubtful character,” he said.
Akpabio, the two-term Governor of Akwa Ibom State got the
honour alongside the
Minister of Petroluem, Desieni Alison Madueke, but the youths
are said to be protesting against it because of the likely
political nature of the award.
The Governor, our correspondent
learnt, is trying to lay foundation for his political
ambition in 2015 when he will be leaving office as Governor. It
is already being insinuated in some quarters, that Akpabio may
be eyeing the Presidency after his two term governorship ends.
Suleiman said the North and its people are not likely to forget
the barrage of insults rained on the region and its elders
during the 2011 elections by the same Akpabio.
He said, “ we shall not therefore relent until the award to this
man is reviewed by the Military authorities to serve as a lesson
to insensitive leaders.”
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