, the people of Ibiakot Central Zone A in Nsit Atai local government area have dragged Political leaders of the local government to court, over political marginalization of their zone.

They allege that Ibiakot Central Zone A has been denied representation in elected offices in Nsit Atai from chairmanship to House of Assembly for 25 years  and demanded compensation of 50 million Naira for damages.

Addressing an enlarged meeting of the community held at Idiaba civic center, a Former Councilor who represented Eastern Nsit Ward 10 from 2017 to 2020, Hon VICTOR UDO ETIM said a purported zoning report of 2001 has been severally abused and violated, thus invalidating the document.

He maintained that Nsit Atai Zoning actually started in 1999 when the late Engr. ATAUYO EKWERE from Ibiaikot Zone A was robbed of PDP chairmanship ticket, adding that the Zone resisted the attempt by Late General EDET AKPAN to monopolize Nsit Atai by trying to have House Assembly member and Chairman of council from Afaha, leaving Ibiakot with nothing, hence their support for Otuekong RAPHAEL BASSEY from Ibiaikot Essien Itiaba being zone B.

Hon. ETIM explained that when zoning came back to Ibiaikot, Elder MARK ESSET from Ibiaikot Atai zone C, took turn because he was already in office as Transition Committee Chairman then, and now that chairmanship zoning has returned to Ibiaikot, it should be the turn of Zone A that has never tasted any elected office and not zone B that has had a council chairman.

Consequently, the community is seeking that the court should declare that villages that constitute Ibiakot Central Zone A be accorded all rights and privileges accorded all other villages and persons in the local government area in all aspects, including the right to hold office as Chairman and House of Assembly member in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.

They are also asking the court to declare the purported Zoning formula of Political Offices entered into on 10th October, 2001 and adopted by Defendants in Zoning Offices of the Chairman and House of Assembly in Nsit Atai Local Government Area as illegal, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.

Ibiakot Central Zone A also sought an order of court restraining the Defendants from considering or selecting any person from Ibiakot Essien Itiaba geopolitical Zones to contest election in to the political Offices of the Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Council in the forthcoming 2024 local government elections in Akwa Ibom State.