“It’s time to end successive years of failed promises” – Youths Coalition
By Ime Silas, Ekanem Iniko & Rose Ekan
The race for the Uyo/Ibesikpo Asutan/Nsit Atai/Uruan Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections gathered fresh momentum at the weekend as youths from across the four local government areas paid a solidarity visit to the Labour Party, LP, House of Representatives candidate for the constituency, Mr. Ikakke Bassey, in his Uyo office.
The visit, which drew youths from Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai and Uruan, was a show of support for Ikakke’s ambition and a clear signal that young people in the constituency are ready to take ownership of the political process and demand better representation.
Addressing the enthusiastic crowd, Ikakke thanked the youths for their solidarity and declared that the era of poor representation in the constituency must come to an end.
“Together, we’ll banish poor representation in Uyo Federal Constituency,” Ikakke roared amid thunderous applause.
“For too long, our people have sent representatives to Abuja and heard nothing from them again until the next election. That story must change in 2027, and it will change because you, the youths, have decided to stand up.”
Ikakke said the solidarity visit was not just a courtesy call, but a wake-up call to the entire constituency that a new kind of politics, driven by the people, especially the young people, had arrived.
“I am humbled by your visit today. You did not come because I sent for you. You came because you believe that Uyo Federal Constituency deserves better. And I want to tell you today, you are right, and together, we will make it happen,” he said.
“You Are The Owners Of This Movement”
The LP candidate said the youths were not just supporters, but the owners and drivers of his campaign and of the broader movement for change in the constituency.
“This is not my movement alone. It is your movement. I am only the vessel. You are the owners of this movement,” Ikakke said.
“You are the ones who feel the pain of unemployment. You are the ones who struggle to pay school fees. You are the ones who watch your communities suffer without roads, without water, without jobs, while those who claim to represent you enjoy in Abuja. That is why you must lead this change.”
He urged the youths not to sell their future for temporary handouts, warning that the price of bad representation is paid in years of poverty, neglect and missed opportunities.
“Do not allow anybody to buy your conscience with a bag of rice or a small amount of money. Your vote is your future. If you sell it, you sell your children’s future. Stand firm. Stand for what is right. Stand for Uyo Federal Constituency,” he charged.
A Promise Of People-First Representation
Ikakke outlined what he described as a people-first representation, anchored on accessibility, accountability and visible impact.
“When I get to the National Assembly by the grace of God and by your votes, I will not disappear. I will be accessible. I will come back to you. I will report to you. I will carry you along in every decision,” he promised.
“Representation is not about big grammar in Abuja. It is about whether your community has a road, whether your child has a school, whether your brother has a job, whether your mother can access healthcare. That is the representation I am offering.”
He said his focus would be on youth empowerment, job creation, skills development, support for small businesses, improved education, and attracting federal projects and interventions to Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai and Uruan.
“We will fight for empowerment that is real, not empowerment on paper. We will fight for skills, for start-up support, for opportunities that can change a young person’s life. We will fight for projects that you can see and touch in your communities,” the development expert added.
He also promised to be a strong voice for the constituency on national issues, insisting that Uyo Federal Constituency, as the political heart of Akwa Ibom State, deserves a representative who is bold, articulate and fearless.
“Uyo is the capital. Uyo is the centre. Our voice must be heard loud and clear in the National Assembly. We will not be silent. We will not be sidelined. We will stand tall,” he said.
“Go And Mobilize, The Future Is Yours”
In his closing remarks, Ikakke charged the youths to return to their communities as ambassadors of change.
“Go back to your wards and tell them that hope has come. Tell them that Uyo Federal Constituency will no longer be a constituency of poor representation. Tell them that together, we will banish poor representation and enthrone a new era of accountable leadership,” he stressed.
“The future is yours. Do not allow anybody to steal it. In 2027, your votes will speak. And when your votes speak, Uyo Federal Constituency will be heard
Youths Speak: “We Are Tired Of Empty Promises”
Earlier, leaders of the visiting youth groups, speaking in turns, said they came to identify with Ikakke because they were tired of empty promises and recycled politics.
One of the youth leaders from Uruan, Prince Ekponoimo Raphael said: “We have watched for years. People come, they promise, they win, they disappear. We believe Mr Ikakke is different. He listens to us. He understands us. That is why we are here.”
Another youth leader, Uko Sunday from Nsit Atai added: “We are not here for money. We are here because we want change. We want a representative who will remember us after the election. We believe Ikakke will.”
A youth leader from Ibesikpo Asutan, Mr. Udeme Atat said the youths were ready to mobilize across all wards and units to ensure victory in 2027, while a representative from Uyo, maintained that the visit was just the beginning of a broader youth mobilisation across the constituency.
“We will go from ward to ward, from unit to unit, from house to house. We will tell our people that a new day is coming,” he said.
The meeting ended with songs of solidarity, prayers, and a renewed commitment by the youths to stand with the LP candidate in the journey to 2027.
As the youths filed out of the office, chanting songs of hope and change, one message was clear: the youths of Uyo/Ibesikpo Asutan/Nsit Atai/Uruan Federal Constituency are no longer spectators. They are ready to lead the charge to banish poor representation.