Ukanafun Bombshell: PDP does not care- Etimbuk Benson
Etimbuk Benson is one lady who is bent on changing the political narratives of Ukanafun Local Government Area as the first female chairman in the area on the platform of National Rescue Mission, NRM.
In this interview, she x-rayed her political journey, her contributions in the local government and why she will win the ruling party, PDP in the forthcoming local government election.
Excerpts:
Can you please give an overview of yourself and political background?
My name is Etimbuk Benson. I’m from Ukanafun Local Government Area. I have been a class room teacher for twenty-two years. As a classroom teacher, I have also been a good mobiliser. I have passion for politics truly. Even while I was a classroom teacher, I did a lot of mobilisation.
In my ways, by the grace of God as a teacher, I have been able to impact lives in my local government. As a teacher, there are certain things you will not be able to do in your locality, your ward and in the lives of people. Apart from teaching, there other things I think if you are out of classroom, you will be able to do them better. That is how far I have gone.
Before now, which political party were you a member?
I have been in PDP and a very good mobiliser. I’m the founder of Imminent Women of Ukanafun. I’m also the founder of Northern Afaha Utuho Development Women Association; that is my clan. I have been a leader of Ibom Women Concept. I have been the Chapter Women Leader of Akwa Ibom Democratic Voice and I have also been a very good grassroots mobiliser because of the passion I have for youths and women in my local government.
I have been able to impact on their lives by accessing loan through my connection just to have them to boost the lives of my local women and youths, which, through my connection, I was able to get a loan of about fifteen million for women of that local government. I did that because I needed to support those petty traders. That was why I said let me just go by my person to get the money and assist them because of the passion I have for women and youths.
What motivates you to contest for chairmanship in Ukanafun Local Government Area?
What motivates me is that as a mother and as a citizen of Ukanafun, I’m from Ukanafun, married to the other axis of Afaha. We have Afaha and Ukanafun and as a mother, a woman has never emerged as local government chairman before. As a mother, I think people believe that in my local government nothing good can come out, but as a mother, I will join the women, the youths and the elders together. I will have a listening ear and as a mother, I will know what to do with the elders at a time and what to do with the youths at a time and will carry everybody along.
Why did you leave PDP to National Rescue Mission, NRM?
In 2012, I put a resignation letter from service because of the passion I have for my people to contest in the platform of PDP. By that time, we were 13, men were 12 and I was the only woman running with them and I was robbed openly in Uyo Township Stadium. I was robbed.
They denied me the ticket because they knew I have the popularity. In their usual way, they promised to give me the ticket, but in the last minute, the returning officer was changed. I was stranded by that time, then, I was still working with PDP.
I thought something good would come out, but they did not care. So, that is why I said since they refused giving me ticket in the party we built, let me test my popularity in another platform.
PDP is a party that can go all out to make sure there is no opposition candidate. What happened that you are still in the race?
Why they can’t influence me is that I know what I’m looking for. I cannot be influenced. If I am influenced now, what I have been telling the women, the men, the youths will be worthless. I can not be influenced. If I am influenced, I will not be able to do what I ought to do for my local government to make a difference.
What are the chances that you are going to win this election in your local government?
The chances of winning this election are high. I am winning election on ground, why? Women have the largest voting strength. Two, as a classroom teacher, both in private and public schools, they are all out for me. The women are there too. Assuming I do not need teachers again, the women are there. I will pick election on the ground without stress.
Are you sure you will pick elections on ground?
Well, I do not believe in what people say. I believe in what I say. All of us were in PDP. We are testing our popularity. I do not think I will win the election on ground, and the ruling party will influence it.
Can you give me an overview of the plans you have for the whole local government?
If you are from this state, you would recall how Ukanafun local government was some years back. It took somebody with a good heart to rescue the local government from the mess. And in that time, I was the only woman that came out, called other women to broker a truce with the warring youths.
For that; by the grace of God, I will be able to talk to women as a mother. I think I’m the one to rescue the local government from the menace that we have been in for years back.
The State Chapter Chairman of PDP is from that local government. Don’t you think it will be a big slap for him that you defeat him?
I do not think that should be a slap because we are working together. All what the state PDP Chapter Chairman who is my brother, my elder, and my mentor is looking for, is how we can rescue that local government. I think if I emerge in another platform, he too will be grateful to have me.
There is this saying that there is no money in local government. Where will you get money to carry out all these programmes?
I want to believe God, although there is no leader that will execute all the projects, but by the grace of God, we are going to touch the major ones that affect us.
What is your message for the people of Ukanafun Local Government Area?
My message to the people of Ukanfun is that they should come out and vote me. They should not have fear, because right now, people are saying that AKISIEC has two results, that even if I win on ground, AKISIEC will go and use another results.
So, what I am telling the people of Ukanafun is that, they should disregard that. It is not true. Come out with your voter’s card, vote your conscience; vote me so that I can rescue Ukanafun. Vote NRM, National Rescue Mission.
We only come to Ukanafun to rescue and not to fight with any other political party; to have the understanding of how we should put Ukanafun in where it is supposed to be.
