….describe ‘outgoing’ Mark Esset’s transformer as ‘Greek gift’
By Ekanem Iniko
The youths of Afaha Udoeyop in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have reiterated their support for their son, Ikakke Bassey, who is contesting the Uyo/Ibesikpo Asutan/Nsit Atai/Uruan Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Labour Party.
The youths, who rose from an enlarged meeting held on Sunday, described the recent donation of a transformer to the community by the ‘outgoing’ lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Mark Esset of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a Greek gift that cannot change their resolve.
According to them, Afaha Udoeyop has suffered years of darkness in the hands of the PDP government which has now metamorphosed into the APC.
Speaking during the meeting, Comrade Emmanuel Obot said the community has been crying for electricity since Mark Esset was elected in 2023, but was ignored until Ikakke Bassey started speaking boldly about their plight and offered himself as a tool to rescue the community and the entire Ibesikpo Asutan from years of neglect.
“The outgoing national assembly member, Mark Esset was elected since 2023 and since then, we have been crying for electricity until Ikakke stood up to speak boldly and openly about our sorry situation. So, when Mark Esset heard Ikakke Bassey promising to restore our electricity and other social amenities, jobs, empowerment and skills, he rushed to bring the transformer. The question is, where was he all this while and where was the transformer?” Obot asked.
He said the sudden transformer donation is a classic Greek gift – beautiful on the outside but laden with deceit and political trickery on the inside.
“For many years, we were in darkness. He never came. Now that Ikakke has promised us light, jobs and empowerment, Mark Esset is running to bring a transformer. It is a Greek gift. Why did he wait till election time? It is coming too late and for the wrong reason,” he added.
Another youth, Mrs. Bonny P. Johnny said the community cannot be deceived by what she called an election-induced gift.
“Besides, we hear that in Mark Esset’s community there is no electricity and good roads upon his many years in corridors of power. He is just doing this because of 2027 election. But we will vote massively for Ikakke Bassey in order to send Mark Esset parking. Just like others have spoken, Mark Esset is outgoing Reps member and no afterthought transformer donation can change that fact. We reject this Greek gift,” she declared.
Also speaking, a community stakeholder Comrade Edidiong Hanson said Afaha Udoeyop has seen through the plot.
“We have suffered darkness from the hands of PDP government which metamorphosed into APC, for many years. This transformer is not love, it is fear – fear of losing election. Like the Trojan Horse, it looks like a gift but its intention is to deceive us and keep us in bondage. We will not accept it as substitute for quality representation,” he said.
The youths vowed to mobilize house-to-house, unit-to-unit to ensure total victory for Ikakke Bassey, whom they described as a son of the soil, credible, accessible and in touch with the people’s pains.
They maintained that Ikakke Bassey’s promise to restore electricity, attract social amenities, create jobs and empower youths through skills acquisition remains the real deal, not a Greek gift hurriedly packaged to secure votes.
They called on INEC to conduct a free and fair election and urged security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and votes.
Our Correspondent who monitored the commissioning of the transformer over the weekend reported that while the event was ongoing, the youths of the community were spotted brandishing Ikakke Bassey’s posters at different locations in the village, chanting solidarity songs.
Meanwhile, our team of Correspondents who visited Rt Honourable Mark Esset’s Ibakang village reported that not only is there no electricity in the village, all roads around Idiaba, Unyenghe and environs are bad.
Efforts to reach Rt. Hon. Mark Esset for reaction were unsuccessful as of press time.