Aniekan Bassey: Moving beyond borders

By Dr. Eventus Edem

Aniekan Bassey, a Distinguished Senator Representing Akwa Ibom North East in the National Assembly doesn’t speak all the time in the hallowed chambers but when he does the Senate Leadership and listens to him and all other colleagues grant him unfettered attention so that they don’t miss any part of his motions and bills which more often than not are driven by National Interest,since his inauguration to the Senate less than two years ago.

Ordinarily,the young, dark skinned Senator who hails from Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State should naturally be engaged with legislation and projects to his constituents in his Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom North East,but he thinks deeper than that.

A careful study of his political trajectory so far is supportive to the fact that Senator Aniekan Bassey PhD sees himself as first as Nigerian protecting her interest where he is convinced that it has been infringed and on the other hand, he sees himself as a true representative or voice of his home State, Akwa Ibom State.

On tuesday 18th March,2025, the Senator who is the immediate past Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly rose on the floor of the Senate by way of motion led the Senate probe of the alleged annexation of Nigerian Mangrove territories by Cameroun.

In a motion entitled “illegal annexation of Nigerian Mangroves Islands ,water and its crude oil by the Republic of Cameroun” sponsored by Senator Aniekan Bassey (PDP-Akwa Ibom North East) during plenary, the motion was co-sponsored by Senator Ekong Sampson (Akwa Ibom South )and five others.

Following this development, the Senate under the Leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio GCON set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate alleged annexation of Nigerian territories in some local Government Areas Rivers and Akwa Ibom State by the Republic of Cameroun.

Succinctly put, this from all indications if left unchecked is capable of undermining the Nations territorial integrity, sovereignty and hence allowing the poor Nigerian fishermen, traders and businessesmen who are law-abiding indigenes of Nigeria residing there at exposed to undue pressure and unwarranted attacks by the rampaging Camerounian gendarmes.

And no responsible government in any way in the world could fold its arms and watch her indigenes who looked up to the government of the day to provide their security and succour.

That is why the bold move by Senator Aniekan Bassey from Akwa Ibom State who is the deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and member of Ecowas parliament to take the bull by the horn ,he deserves Special commendations for his patriotism, nationalism and his proactive maneuvers to put his foot on the ground and add his voice to checkmate molestation and other unlawful acts faced by most Nigerians residing and doing legitimate businesses in the Mangroves communities of Niger Delta Region .

Since his inauguration as a member of the 10th Senate in June 2023, Senator Aniekan Bassey had in the past moved several key motions aimed at improving infrastructure in Nigeria including:
Motion urging the Senate to investigate the Controversial Make Up Gas (MUG) processing Deal involving the Federal ministry of Finance, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Calabar Generation Company Limited, and Aqua Gas Limited.

The last but not the least of Senator Bassey’s motion which addressed problems faced by most Nigerians was the motion on “urgent need for Enquiry into implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)2021 with regards to potential exit of International Oil Companies (IOCs) from Nigeria: Case of Exxon Mobil in Akwa Ibom State, amongst others.

Regardless of efforts by the Senator to give effective representation to his constituents in the 9 local Government Areas of the District through provision of inter-local Government rural roads, provision of science equipment to select schools, empowerment of youths and women through grants and loans for Agricultural expansion and provision of solar street lights to major cities and towns amongst others.

On the whole,the initiative by Senator Bassey who recently bagged a Ph D degree from the University of Uyo by putting the nation first on his agenda is highly commendable and should be celebrated by almost all well meaning Nigerians irrespective of tribe, tongue, gender, political affiliations or differentials.

The Federal Government on its part should explore all measures including diplomatic solution to the crises in the Riverian areas of Nigeria to save our Nation’s territories and oil wells which is the major source of revenue for the Country.
The time to act is now !

*Dr.Edem, A Senior Lecturer with Akwa Ibom State University is the Spokesperson to Senator Aniekan Bassey.

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