…lambasts Victor Antai over ‘Bulk Purchase’ comment
The Media Consultant to Governor Umo Eno, Hon. Aniekan Umanah has dismissed the recent criticism of the Bulk Purchase Agency by a former local government chairman in the State, Mr. Victor Antai, describing his utterances as mischievously emanating from someone with poverty of knowledge.
He stated while answering questions as guest on a radio programme, Update Akwa Ibom, on Comfort FM, Uyo.
Hon. Umanah frowned at Victor Antai’s recent outburst in which he insinuated that Governor Umo Eno’s Bulk Purchase Agency is aimed at impoverishing Akwa Ibomites, describing it as mischief taken too far and advised him to desist from such acts.
It could be recalled that Mr. Victor Antai who is now the Executive Director of Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission (EDP, NDDC), was the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 gubernatorial election which Pastor Umo Eno won in landslide.
Speaking, Umanah maintained that the position of Executive Director of Projects at NDDC is high enough for someone to be of good behaviour, and well guarded in his utterances.
The former Parliamentarian also took a swipe at the opposition in the state stating that Governor Umo Eno’s achievements in less than one year has suffocated them and made them bereft of ideas.
“I’ve seen the video in circulation which a former Commissioner in this state publicly described the Bulk Purchase Agency as a weapon of poverty and I laughed over it. Recently we’ve seen opposition become choked and bereft of what to use against Umo Eno because he has silenced them with several life touching projects such as a total of 76 road projects, 15 Billion Naira for workers’ gratuities and leave grants which some of the opposition’s relatives are beneficiaries, the opposition will soon run out of what to say again” he said
Hon. Umanah also described as laughable, the insinuation from the opposition that the Akwa Ibom State got more than 20 Billion Naira as allocation but they also failed to mention what amount gets into their agencies with nothing to show in the State.
He said rather than complimenting Governor Umo Eno’s efforts, they have become emergency Accountant General of the Federation.
He further thanked Pastor Umo Eno for being a shepherd Governor who has the interest of Akwa Ibomites and his achievements such as provision of food to the poor, rural and infrastructural development especially in schools, shelter for the poor speaks volumes of his ingenuity and zeal to make the state a model of good governance.