Owan Enoh finally breaks silence on allegation of insulting Efik

Sen. John Owan Enoh

Senator representing the Cross River State Central Senatorial District, John Owan Enoh has finally reacted to the news making the rounds on social media that he dismissed the Efik nation as being inconsequential to his 2019 governorship ambition.

There have been controversy in the past few days over reports quoting the Senator who recently declared to contest the 2019 governorship election under the All Progressives Congress, APC that he doesn't need the votes of the Efiks to become governor in 2019.

The Efik youths recently asked the Senator to apologise or be banned from entering the Southern senatorial district of state because of the alleged remarks.

But Owan, the Chairman Senate Committee on Finance has now denied the allegation in a statement personally signed him.

He described the media report as "unconscionable falsehood, unfounded rumours, shameless propaganda and pathological lies" against him.

He maintained that "The narrative which is laced with political undertone is indicative of a premeditated plan to pitch me against one of the most highly revered ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Efiks. This latest onslaught is in bad taste and has failed on arrival.

He said that contrary to the report that he doesn't need the Efiks to be Governor, he needs all the votes from the entire Efik people.

According to the statement "The baseless allegation is centered on a purported comment credited to me to the effect that I said I do not need votes from the Efiks to become the Governor of Cross River State. On the contrary, I need the entire votes from the Efiks. It goes without saying therefore that, such tissues of satanic lies and unwarranted tantrums should be confined to the garbage dump where they belong".

He added that "Cross Riverians who know me will attest to the fact that I am quite economical with words and I convey a deep dose of respect for everyone regardless of ethnic origin. Therefore to credit me with such brazen falsehood and pedestrian innuendos should be seen as the height of crass inesponsibility and extreme naivety on the part of the faceless proponents of such stories and their paymasters. This clearly exposes the rotten underbelly of some people whose brand of politics is encapsulated in the bizan•e and bitter streak of smear campaign and character assassination of their opponents. I am well known for tolerance and robust accommodation of criticism. But on this issue, I would seek to place history in the right perspective and put the records straight for posterity.

I understand that the customs, traditions and history of all ethnic groups across the State are inextricably interlinked. I believe that our State can rapidly flourish and prosper if we break the ranks of our individual ethnic prejudices and biases.

Besides, I have had a longstanding relationship with the Efiks and I've maintained a good bond of friendship with so many Efik sons and daughters for more than 30 years. At the moment, I have some prominent Efik men and women in my campaign. So, how could I have made such a statement? The statement in itself is as needless as it is reckless, to say the least. I cannot condescend to such a low, petty, puerile and infantile level of juvenile vituperation for any conceivable reason".