The Former Minister of finance Etubom Anthony Ani, has reportedly said that if he is given the chance to be the Obong of Calabar he will rehabilitate the abandoned Calabar-Ikoneto Road project that was initiated 25 years ago.
Etubom Ani who promised to do everything within his reach to ensure that the Ikoneto bridge and road linking various communities within Odukpani LGA are completed within 36 months if he is given the opportunity, said the road project was abandoned soon after the death of his boss by the successive administrations.
Born July 6, 1936, the finance Minister to the former head of state late Gen Sani Abacha, made the promise while receiving the people of Ufok Ekpo Edem Okoho, who paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Calabar.
The 87-year- old Etubom said the road was aimed at easing accessibility to some hard to reach areas in Odukpani LGA but was unfortunately abandoned after the demise of Sani Abacha.
According to him, Since 1998, successive administrations have abandoned the road project causing untold hardship to residents of Adiabo and other communities in that area.
The Leadership News reports that Etubom Anthony Ani who has indicated interest in the rehabilitation of Calabar-Ikoneto Road which begins from Adiabo Community in Calabar Municipality LGA to Ikoneto Community in Odukpani LGA of the state is now the Obong of Calabar-elect.
He was reported to have said that Adiabo people call him “Iberedem Adiabo” and that Adiabo Road from Calabar to Ikoneto, since he left office in 1998 that road has not been done.
“Since I am the Iberedem Adiabo and I love the people very well, I will not mind what has happened and will see to the completion of that road”, Etubom Ani said.
The inform source said that Eturbom Ani also emphasized on attitudinal change in Efik Kingdom within the next five years saying that things will change positively in the Efik Kingdom.
Truth Live News gathered that the Obong-elect who was the Minister of state for Foreign affairs and Finance Minister of Nigeria from 1994 -1998 during the Sani Abacha regime, said that he did not sue the present Obong of Calabar but the process that led to his victory.
It was further informed of Etubom Ani, sued the Etubom Traditional Council as represented by Etubom Esien Ekpenyong Efiok and Etubom Micah Archibong as well as the Western Calabar Traditional Council represented by Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu and Otu Efa Otu.
“I posited that Western Calabar chose me and I was the only person who was screened.
“I did not know how Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu entered the screening after I had been screened and they subsequently sent his name to the Etubom Traditional Council who proclaimed him Obong.
“I did not accept it,” Etubom Ani said the process was wrong and there was no Obong of Calabar at that time and I also said that he was not fit to be the Obong of Calabar.
He said the court had asked that they should go back to a clean slate and choose an Obong of Calabar and it should be based on fairness, natural justice and equity.
On his part, the head of the Ekpo Edem Effiom Okoho House, Etubom Edem Ironbar said they were in his palace to celebrate with the Obong-elect Etubom Anthony Ani.