Tension Rises in Ikot Ekpene as Host Communities Demand Annang Leadership for Akwa Ibom Polytechnic

Mounting tension is brewing in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area as host communities of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic have intensified calls for Governor Umo Eno to uphold fairness in appointing a new rector when the tenure of the current head, Dr. Moses Umobong, expires in December 2025.

The communities, led by their youth representatives, insist that the position should return to the Annang ethnic group, in line with what they described as the institution’s long-standing rotation policy between the Ibibio and Annang peoples.

At a press conference on Thursday in Ikot Osurua, youth leader of the host communities, Mr. Ekikere Iko, said the current leadership structure of the polytechnic had disrupted the established balance that had maintained harmony since the school’s creation in 1991.

“For the first time, both the current Rector, Dr. Moses Umobong, and the Deputy Rector hail from the same Ibibio extraction. This is a deviation from the long-standing practice of inclusiveness,” he said.

Iko faulted what he termed the unjust removal of the former Deputy Rector of Annang origin, claiming that the move contravened both the polytechnic’s establishment law and the National Board for Technical Education’s guidelines.

He argued that the development had deepened feelings of exclusion in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, which, he said, had long been sidelined in leadership appointments across the state’s tertiary institutions.

“Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District has not had a fair share of leadership across state-owned tertiary institutions,” Iko said, pointing out that the Akwa Ibom State University and the State College of Education are currently headed by individuals from Uyo Senatorial District.

Despite the grievances, the communities reaffirmed their loyalty to Governor Eno’s administration, expressing faith in his commitment to equity and justice under the ARISE Agenda. Iko appealed to the governor to ensure that “a qualified Annang indigene” is appointed as the next rector “in the interest of fairness, justice, and unity.”

He further pledged the communities’ continued political support for the governor’s 2027 second-term ambition and commended Senate President Godswill Akpabio for what he called “his steadfast leadership at the national level.”

The controversy over leadership representation has been simmering for months. On September 3, 2025, hundreds of residents from Ikot Osurua had barricaded the polytechnic’s main gate in protest against the appointment of a non-indigene as Community Liaison Officer.

During that protest, demonstrators also demanded the removal of Rector Umobong, accusing him of slashing part-time lecturers’ salaries from ₦50,000 to ₦30,000 in violation of civil service rules and at a time when workers nationwide were clamouring for a new minimum wage.

As the rector’s tenure nears its end, observers say the state government’s decision on the next appointment may prove pivotal in shaping local political alliances and preserving stability within the institution and its host communities.