ORO NATION STAKEHOLDERS PASS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON MARTINS ESIN, ENDORSE TINUBU, AKPABIO, UMO ENO FOR SECOND TERM

ORO NATION STAKEHOLDERS PASS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON MARTINS ESIN, ENDORSE TINUBU, AKPABIO, UMO ENO FOR SECOND TERM

John NTEKIM

Stakeholders of Oro Nation have passed a resounding vote of confidence on the Member representing Oron/Mbo/Okobo/Udung Uko/Urueoffong Oruko Federal Constituency and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development, Rep. Martins Esin, in recognition of his sterling performance since assuming office in 2023.

The vote of confidence was unanimously adopted at an enlarged Oron Federal Constituency Stakeholders Engagement on the actualisation of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron (UMSO), held in Uyo on Sunday.

At the same meeting, the stakeholders also endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Governor Umo Eno for a second term in office.

Addressing the gathering, Rep. Esin highlighted his sustained efforts towards the actualisation of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron, noting that the institution had already been legally established following the assent to the enabling Bill in 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

He further outlined his key achievements recorded within the period under review, including the facilitation of employment for 51 constituents into the Federal Civil Service, completion of 1.5 kilometres of roads with side drains, installation of over 500 solar-powered streetlights across communities in the constituency, donation of laptops to 133 constituents to boost ICT literacy, and the financial empowerment of youths, women and students through targeted intervention programmes such as the Oro Youth Enterprise Scheme (OYES), Oro Women Industry Scheme (OWNS), and the Oro Students Engagement and Education Development Scheme (OSEEDS), the completion of a Youth Development Centre in Oron, among other infrastructure and human capital projects.

The motion for the endorsement, which received unanimous support from the stakeholders, was moved by the Chief Whip, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Effiong Johnson, flanked by all members of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly of Oro extraction, and seconded by the Executive Chairman, Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Council, Rt. Hon. Uno Etim Uno, flanked by all the Local Government Chairmen of Oro extraction.

Those who spoke in support included the former Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Efiong Akwa; former Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Senator Nelson Efiong; former Members representing Oron Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Sir Esio Oquong Udoh and Chief (Barr.) Peter Linus Umoh; former Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem; ex-Presidential aspirant, Sir Edet Amana; Former State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Arc. Otu Ita Toyo; former Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Orman Esin; MD/CEO, Ceedapeg Hotel, Sir Efiong Afiakurue; and Paramount Ruler of Udung Uko LGA, Odidem Bassey Etim Edet.

While setting the tone for the meeting, former General Manager, NNPC, Sir Asuquo Inuikim updated the stakeholders on the state of the agitation for the actualisation of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron, thanking specific personalities for their efforts, particularly the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who made known his commitment towards the upgrade of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron to a full-fledged University during a meeting with an Oro delegation led by Rep. Martins Esin in Abuja on December 3, 2025.

Among other resolutions, the stakeholders urged the Federal Government to constitute a Governing Council and appoint a Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers to mark the take-off of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron.

Other participants in the meeting included all Paramount Rulers from Oron Federal Constituency led by Ahta Oro VIII, His Eminence Edidem Ita Okokon; Chairman, Oro Elders’ Advisory Council, Ikpoto Okon Osung; Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Greece, Sir Etim Uye; former Deputy Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Felicia Bassey; President-General of Oron Union, Sir Essang Nsa Bassey; Methodist Archbishop of Uyo, Most Rev. John Koko-Bassey; former members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and former commissioners of Oro extraction, all chapter chairmen of the APC and the PDP alongside other party officials from Oro Nation, as well as representatives of women, youth and student bodies, and the clergy, among others.