A’Ibom names Zenith Bank director as new SSG Barely 48 hours after the former Akwa Ibom Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Umana Umana, was asked to resign by Governor Godswill Akpabio, a replacement was yesterday announced. He is Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, executive director, Zenith Bank Plc. This was coming on the heels of speculations that the new SSG may be Governor Akpabio’s candidate for the governorship election in 2015. Daily Sun had exclusively reported on Tuesday that Akpabio had instructed Umana to resign following his public declaration of intention to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state. The paper also reported that a new SSG would be appointed this week. Mr. Aniekan Umana, Commissioner for Information and Communications, in a statement said the appointment of Emmanuel, who hails from Onna Local Government Area of Eket Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State, was with immediate effect. He said Emmanuel came with a rich experience, having worked as executive director on the board of Zenith Bank Plc, where he doubled as non-executive director, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). He was also director, Nigerian Interbank Settlement Systems (NIBBS); non-executive director, Zenith Bank, United Kingdom; Zenith Bank, Gambia; Zenith Bank, Sierra Leone; Zenith Insurance; Zenith Pensions and Custodian; Zenith Securities; Zenith Trustees and Zenith Registrars. The commissioner said Emmanuel was a corporate strategist and an experienced private sector player, with wide experience in various blue-chip organizations, such as Price Water House and Diamond Bank plc. He also stated that Governor Akpabio had expressed appreciation to the former SSG for his dedication and contributions to the transformation of Akwa Ibom State. He quoted the Governor as describing Umana “as a brother and a friend who displayed exceptional competence in the discharge of his duties in the last six years,” while wishing him success in his future endeavours. Meanwhile, there are speculations that the new SSG maybe in the line of succors to Akpabio. Sources said since he came from Eket Senatorial District, which is expected to produce the next governor, Emmanuel might have been picked, two years to the end of the Akpabio government, for the purpose of becoming the next governor. “Well, have you ever wondered why an executive director of a bank would join a government that has only two years to go? Something prompted this. He is from Eket zone and we hope that the governorship seat will be zoned to the area. It is obvious that the new SSG was picked for the purpose of succeeding Akpabio,” a source in the state government told Daily Sun. With the 2015 elections drawing nearer, there had been controversy in the state as to which zone would produce the next governor. While some people, including government officials, had said there was no zoning in the state, saying any senatorial district could produce the next government; people from Eket area had insisted that it was their turn to occupy Government House, Uyo. In this democratic dispensation, Eket zone is the only one that has not produced the governor. While the other two zones produced Obong Victor Attah and Akpabio, between 1999 and now, Eket zone hopes to take the next turn, after Akpabio. In expectation of this, many politicians in Eket zone have been warming up to the contest. It was as a result of this that the state’s immediate past deputy governor resigned last year. #SUNNEWS
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 03:14:30 +0000
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