ZONING: WHICH WAY URUE OFFONG/ORUKO?

By Ezekiel Ibok

Recently, Mr. Kelvin Ating made a post on
Facebook in which he raised concerns about the
issue of zoning or rotation in Urue Offong/ Oruko
Local Government Area.

Unfortunately, the article,
which started as an objective observation and
genuine concern, was concluded on a rather
illogical note.
According to Mr. Kelvin Ating, “By December this
year Urue Offong Development Area will have done
2½ years in Chairmanship position via the
transition” (which by mathematical approximation
equals a tenure in office).
Surprisingly, as a mature and educated person,
Mr. Ating was expected to draw a definite
conclusion from the premise of his argument
referred to above, but he didn’t, may be for
partisan or selfish reasons. The obvious
conclusion if we are to follow Mr. Kelvin Ating’s
logic should have been “…since by mathematical
approximation, Urue Offong Development Area
would have done a full Chairmanship tenure by
December 2017, the elected Chairmanship position
during the forthcoming Local Government election
on November 11, 2017 should go to Oruko”
If in Kelvin's opinion, Urue Offong Development
Area will be doing a second term between 2018
and 2021, plus the 2 ½ years transition period, it
means Urue Offong Development would have done
two terms of 5 ½ years in all. While if Oruko
Development Area retains the House of Assembly
position till 2023, that will be a whopping 8 years.

Now let us pause and ask ourselves this: is Kelvin
Ating indirectly saying that “the impact of the
confusion arising from the delay in conducting the
Local Government election (by the PDP which has
distorted the rotation and zoning in most LGAs)
should be borne by Urue Offong while Oruko
enjoys from it? Does it make sense? Does this
make for peace and fairness?
If by Mr. Ating’s calculation 5 ½ years equals two
terms, then by that same logic, 8 years will mean
three terms! So, who is short changing whom? Do
we seriously believe that Urue Offong Development
Area will consciously allow this kind of injustice?
Meanwhile, the Transition Chairman was appointed
by the Governor of a PDP controlled State
Government and not elected by Urue Offong /Oruko
people as was originally envisioned.

FACTS ABOUT ZONING IN URUE OFFONG/ ORUKO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
What is termed zoning in Urue Offong /Oruko LGA
has in actual practice been alternation or rotation
of the key offices that are the exclusive preserve of
Urue Offong/Oruko people.
The zoning, alternation or rotation agreement
reached by the elders and stakeholders of Urue
Offong /Oruko LGA was based purely on elective
offices. It did not in any way envisage or
contemplate appointments as part of the
arrangement.

The zoning was meant to reassure the other axis
that no Development Area will ever have the
opportunity to oppress one another.
It was meant to put an end to strife, violence,
disunity and mistrust that marginalisation usually
breed.

The alternation arrangement which affects the
chairmanship and House of Assembly positions
was based on the fact that occupants were
expected to be always elected Urue Offong/Oruko
people.

The zoning, rotation or alternation arrangement
envisaged an elected Executive Chairman with full
executive powers to appoint his Supervisiors,
Special Advisers and Personal Aides.

The zoning, rotation or alternation arrangement
envisaged an elected House of Assembly member
who will speak for Urue Offong/Oruko State
Constituency and attract development to the
Constituency.

TODAY’S UNDENIABLE REALITY;
The position of Council Chairman had long ceased
to be a full executive position even when the
occupant is elected. Council chairmen are more or
less lackeys of the Governor and supervised by the
Commissioner for Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs, and member representing that
constituency in the House.
Transition Chairmanship is far worse.

They are
appointed by the Governor alongside other
members. Even some of their Personal Assistants
are appointed from Uyo.

No Transition Chairman
has been able to execute any meaningful project
comparable to those of elected councils.

While the power in the office of Council Chairman
is daily shrinking and eroded, the office of the
member, House of Assembly is as powerful and
relevant as it was when the rotation arrangement
was forged.

The Chairmanship position has ceased to be a
strictly elective position as was envisaged by those
who designed the zoning arrangement.

The House of Assembly continues to enjoy its
elective status.

Council Chairmen are subservient to and
supervised by House of Assembly members. So,
they are no longer seen as equal in strength,
relevance and power.

THE WAY FORWARD;
There has never been a time when a Council
Chairman from Urue Offong Development Area and
State House member from Oruko Development
Area were sworn in on the same day or vacated
office on the same day.

One Area always comes to
meet another in the alternate position.
For instance, Hon. Uno Etim Uno from Oruko axis
was House
member at the same time that Elder Okpoyo Etifit,
also from Oruko was Council Chairman while Urue
Offong was left bare until Hon. Victor Nkpubre from
Urue Offong axis was elected to balance the power
equation.

The same scenario played out when Barr. Etienam
and Chief Windy Isong both from Urue Offong
Development Area occupied same positions
simultaneously until Hon. Okon Tom Osung from
Oruko was elected Council Chairman to correct the
imbalance. So the argument of one Development
Area being left bare for a while doesn’t hold water
when viewed against the background of
precedence and history.

The only difference in the present case is the
length of time before the variables balance out.
If an Urue Offong person is sworn in as chairman
in December 2017, after the November 11th
election, his/her tenure will elapse in December,
2020 after which an Oruko person will assume the
position from 2020 to 2023 (assuming there’s no
transition committee)
With the obvious advantage of the House of
Assembly over Council Chairmanship, it is an
invitation to chaos and trouble when retention of
office for two terms in a particular Development
Area is contemplated.

Just as nobody in his right senses can exchange
House of Assembly for Chairmanship in today’s
circumstances, nobody can also exchange 8 years
for 5 ½ years. That is day light robbery.

Alternatively, let Oruko axis make a case for
Chairmanship in the forthcoming election.
As for 2019 House of Assembly position, even the
blind knows that it belongs to Urue Offong
Development Area, unless we are no longer
interested in zoning, rotation or alternation.

In that case, who will be the loser? Your guess is
as good as mine.

Conclusion;
Let me state again for emphasis that the present
House member who hails from Oruko will handover
to an Urue Offong indigene in 2019 after which an
Oruko person will take over in 2023. So, while an
Urue Offong indigene is still serving his tenure as
House member from 2019, an elected chairman of
Oruko extraction will join him in 2020 and both
tenures will elapse in 2023 and thereafter alternate
accordingly. Period.

God bless Urue Offong Oruko

Ezekiel Ibok, Writing from Ukuko 2.

Ward1.

Urue Offong/Oruko LGA

07051228519