Youths Humiliate Ephraim Inyang Over Baseless Comments Against Apostolic Church
“I Was Never Suspended”
– Pst Henshaw
By The Evangelist edition
October 9, 2022.
Former Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Mr. Ephraim Inyang has come under criticism by several youths of Eket Senatorial district over a post he made on his Facebook page on Sunday, October 2, 2022 where he accused the Apostolic Church of trying to prevent him from hosting a thanksgiving service to flag off the YPP campaigns in the State.
Mr Ephraim Inyang also alleged that one Pastor Henshaw, the Minister in-charge of the local Assembly of the Apostolic church in Ndon Eyo, ONNA, was suspended for allowing the campaign organization of YPP to hold thanksgiving service in the church.
However, the story was immediately refuted by the church, after it was discovered that the YPP Senatorial candidate and the YPP media team fabricated false story to paint the Governor and the state government in the bad light.
The Apostolic church had refuted the news in circulation, and warned purveyors of the fake news to desist from peddling unverified reports as no pastor had been suspended.
The text of a press release signed by the Eket Field Secretary of the church, Pastor B. E. Okon, reads:
“Available information from the Office of the Field Superintendent, Pastor U. S. Ukpong Ph.D, JP shows that The Church Council which has the exclusive authority to sanction erring staff of the Church has not met since their last General Council Meeting on Tuesday, 6th September, 2022.”
“On this note, there is no way the said Pastor E. E. Henshaw could have been suspended on an issue that occurred on Sunday 2nd October, 2022.”
“To this end, the Public is hereby advised to disregard and discountenance the said information as there is no iota of truth in it.”
Also reacting, Pastor Emmanuel Henshaw, refuted the news of his own suspension.
Henshaw, who spoke in a telephone interview, said he had never been suspended by his Field Superintendent , Dr. Sunday Ukpong.
Henshaw said he was shocked to read stories of his suspension in the media and accused the media of twisting their reports.
Surprised that the former Works Commissioner would go all out to share such fabricated stories on his timeline, several of Facebook users mostly from his Senatorial district descended on Mr. Inyang, wondering why a man of such standing would descend so low, months after he was sacked from public office.
A certain Umanah Atangukara Ndem, was quick to point out that, “Commissioner for work and chief of staff for yrs, do you remember what you did to ndon eyo people?,do you know the number of people that died??,what of secretarial road,what of flyover in ndon eyo junction, where are those people you told to relocate in ndon eyo for immediate payment, you have a church in your compound bigger enough for any Thanksgiving ,but see what you have done now to an innocent pastor,am very sure no reasonable man in ONNA will vote such party,( YPP)”
Another wrote, “When you were commissioner for works you see yourself as god, talk to people the way you like, destroy people houses without paying compensation properly, thinking that it will last forever, you better concentrate on your investment that you acquire with our money and forget about politics for now because that senate seat you are looking for is very far from you with due respect Sir”, said Saviour Umana.
One Isaac Inwang wrote: “You created a lot of problems in my village, Ndon Eyo in Onna LGA. You cheated us, exploited us, and shouted at our old men and women as if they were children.
“You seized the opportunity of compensation payments to enrich yourself and impoverish property owners in Ndon Eyo in particular, and dared them to do their worse.
“So many of our people wept silently and placed curses on you. You behaved as if you will be in power forever. If you think that you are loved in Onna, you are mistaken. Forget the praise singers, the majority of Onna people can never vote for you because of the wickedness you meted out to them during your reign as Commissioner for Works.”
“Your Senatorial ambition is dead on arrival. Don’t waste your time. Enjoy the wealth you amassed (from the public till) in peace.”
A lady by name Promesse Stanley Umofia vented her anger in strong terms at the YPP strongman, “With due respect sir, if power reach your hands, a lot of people will suffer, imagine what you did as a commissioner ……….. collecting from the poor, I come in peace and go back in peace”
To Abasumo Okon, Ephraim had no right to take politics to the church, “You can’t display your stupidity before God, it’s prohibited by Nigerian law to campaign in the churches.
Go to party office and not the holy temple. This is my humble submission”, he submitted.
While Edidiong Imah maintained that, “But sometime ago when power was within your reach you used to oppress and today you are one crying, it’s shameful & pitiful that you have turned a media boy today, remember when you used to dismantle people’s hard earned properties?, You need forgiveness from your creator.”
Edima Sylvanus in his reaction queried why he rushed to post the falsehood on his timeline without hearing from both sides.
He wrote; “When you blame Apostolic Church, try to hear from them.
A facebook handle with the name; “Arise Akwa Ibom” had knocked the former Works Commissioner hard for sharing a fabricated story aimed at tarnishing the Governor’s image. He wrote; “Posting this gibberish here to gain public sympathy wouldn’t stop you from failing Sir. Most of us are deeply disappointed that you followed and shared this falsehood”.
Another facebook user, Mfoniso Dan had reminded the former Works Commissioner that Akwa Ibom is a PDP enclave, hence no other Political party can win the state.
“PDP is a religion in Akwa Ibom State”.
Moses Enang accused the former Works Commissioner of pulling down a church building during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During Covid-19 period, a certain Commissioner pulled down a church”.
Arise Akwa Ibom also reacted thus; “You were busy then destroying churches and people’s houses rendering people homeless. Karma is real bro”.