Legacies Of Senator Ita Enang

These wise words of Gandhi fit the narrative if one takes into account the life and services of Distinguished Senator Ita Enang, one of Akwa Ibom’s foremost legislators and constitutional lawyer into account.

Senator Ita Enang has a distinctive and unparalleled record in democratic legislation in Nigeria. He is the only Nigerian yet on record to have gone through all the tiers of legislative, local, State and national. At the national, he has sat in both houses of legislature.

Ita Enang started his leadership pursuit as a scribe of the Students Parliament. Shortly after his call to Bar in 1985, and his mandatory National Service, he was elected Councilor to Itu Legislative Council, Akwa Ibom State in 1987. He served there between 1988 and 1989. Upon dissolution of the Council, he returned to his legal practice and continued with his human rights advocacy and political activism, resisting the military administrations at the time. His advocacy caused him many inconveniences including arrests, detentions and other forms of torture and deprivations. Tough it was, but he did not yield to pressure.

In 1992, he was elected as one of the pioneers of the 1st Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to represent Ibiono Ibom State Constituency. He served until November 17, 1993 when the Assembly was dissolved by the Late General Sani Abacha administration. In the House of Assembly, he satisfied the yearnings of his people and got for himself more tasks.

The task was his being elected to the House of Representatives. He won the Itu/Ibiono Ibom federal constituency seat four (4) times consecutively but served three (3) terms of 12 years from the 1999 – 2011.

In 2011, he was elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Cumulatively, Senator Ita Enang, has served 16 years in the National Assembly – 12 years in the green chambers, and 4 years in the red chamber. In these 16 years, Enang chaired the Rules and Business Committee. Another national record yet to be attained by any Nigerians.

Beyond chairing the rules and business committee, the House of Representatives, he was Chairman, Foreign Affairs Special Committee on Treaties, Conventions and Protocols in the House of Representatives. That committee worked on and conducted hearings, produced and presented reports to the House on treaties, conventions and protocols.

Senator Ita Enang is the immediate Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs after a successful tenure as Head of the Presidential Liaison to the National Assembly – Senate.

He was the Director General of APC presidential, gubernatorial, national and state assembly election campaign 2019.

Presently, Senator Ita Enang serves as Secretary of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary. He is the driving force behind the Presidential Committee having originated the Memo to Mr. President that gave birth to it. Therefore, to his eternal credit are the Executive Order 10 and the Memorandum of Action signed between representatives of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSON), Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PSAN), the Governors’ Forum, Speakers Forum, effectively laying the framework for the implementation of Financial Autonomy for State Judiciary and Legislature.

Senator Ita Enang holds a LL.D. (Honoria Causa), conferred on him by the University of Uyo in recognition of his legislative strides, law practice, and contributions to the passage of the Law establishing the University.

An alumnus of the University of Calabar, Member, Nigeria Institute of Management; Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary Club International; Fellow, Institute of Chattered Conciliators and Mediators; alumnus of the Public Law Centre of the Tulane Law School, Louisiana, USA-2006.

He also an alumnus of the School of Management, London; International Law Institute, Washington DC-2010, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA; and consulting Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, among others.

Enang is a holder of national merit awards. He was conferred with the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic on October 11, 2022. On June 14, 2023 the Federal Government found him worthy of another honour and conferred on him the National Productivity Order of Merit, NPOM.

Senator Ita Enang contested for the  Governorship of Akwa Ibom in 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Distinguished Senator Ita Enang has proven in leadership and service, that he is a man with an excellent spirit. The patriot, statesman, community builder has yet more honours waiting. Currently, his home local government area, Ibiono Ibom, is set to receive, celebrate and honour him. The son shall be honoured by his people.

Here are some of the projects facilitated by Senator Ita Enang, at the federal level to Akwa Ibom State.

1. ABA – IKOT EKPENE – IBIONO – ITU (SPUR UYO) – ODUKPANI – CALABAR RAIL ROUTE

2. FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, UKANA, ESSIEN UDIM, AKWA IBOM STATE.

3. IKOT EKPENE – ITU JUNCTION – IBIONO (SPUR IDIDEP) – ITU BRIDGEHEAD (ROAD PROJECT) – N4 BILLION

4. ITU BRIDGEHEAD – ODUKPANI ITU – JUNCTION (CROSS RIVER) – N4 BILLION

5. POLICE COLLEGE, IDIDEP, IBIONO IBOM

6. ITAM/IDIDEP 132/33KV POWER SUBSTATION

7. DUALIZATION OF CALABAR ITU (SPUR IDIDEP ITAM)–IKOT EKPENE –ABA

8. FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, IKOT ABASI

                                                                9.FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IDIDEP

10. DREDGING AND JETTY AT ESUK INWANG, URUAN LGA.

11. SOLAR POWERED STREET LIGHT, ETINAN URBAN AND NKANA EFA

ETINAN

12.ELECTRIFICATION OF AFIA NSIT ATAI

NSIT UBUIM

13. OBIO UBUIM WATER PROJECT

NSIT UBUIM

14. WATER SCHEME AT IFA IKOT OKPON AND IKONO UYO

15. SOLAR STREET LIGHT AT ODOT AND IKOT NTUEN, NSIT ATAI

16. SOLAR POWER STREET LIGHT AT AFAHA OFFIONG AND ENVIRONS

NSIT IBOM

17. SOLAR POWERED STREET LIGHT AT NUNG UDOE/MBIEREBE

IBESIKPO ASUTAN

18. SUPPLY OF FURNITURE TO SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRE

IBIAKU ISSIET, UYO

19. SUPPLY OF FURNITURE TO PCN PRIMARY SCHOOL

OBOT ITIAT, IDIDEP, IBIONO

20. SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRE

URUAN COUNCIL SECRETARIAT

21. COMMUNITY HALL

UYO CITY SECRETARIAT

22. SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRE

IKOT UBO, NSIT UBIUM

23. SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRE

IBIAKU ISSIET,

24. NSIT UBIUM CIVIC CENTRE

IKOT NKEBEK, NSIT UBIUM

25. CONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM BLOCK, NDON EBOM, URUAN

26. IBIONO IBOM WATER SCHEME

NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

27. CHANNELISATION AND DREDGING OF IYERE RIVER (ITU – IKPA – OKPOTO – ODIOK – ATLANTIC OCEAN)

28. CONSTRUCTION OF IDIDEP – IKOT ODIONG – IKOT OBIO IBIONO ROAD/BRIDGE

29. EROSION CONTROL AT IBIONO IBOM

30. CONSTRUCTION OF IDIDEP – IKOT EKPENYONG – IKOT ETIM – AFAHA ITIAT ROAD

31. CONSTRUCTION OF IKOT EBOM – AFAHA OBIO ENO – OKPOTO – UTUAT – NSAN ROAD AND BRIDGES

IKOT EKPAT IKOT OBONG – IDIDEP USUK – UTAN MBAT.

32. SOLAR STREET LIGHT – IKOT EDIBON AND IKOT UBOH (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

32. DREDGING AND JETTY AT ESUK INWANG URUAN (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

33. CONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM BLOCKS  AT COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL, MBIAYA, URUAN (MIN. OF EDUCATION)

34. CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR STREET LIGHT AT UYO URBAN, IKOT EKPEYAK, IKONO UYO E.T.C. (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

35. COMMUNITY CENTER AT NKO IDIDEP, IBIONO (MDGS)

36. SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT, AFAHA OFFIONG, NSIT IBOM (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV.  AUTHORITY)

37. RURAL ELECTRIFICATION OF IKOT ANANGA, UDOADIA AND ESUA IN ETINAN (RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY)

38. SOLAR STREETLIGHT AT IKOT AKPA ISE ETINAN AND ENVIRONS (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

39. SOLAR STREETLIGHT AT IKOT AKPA NDUA AND MBAK EKPE (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV.  AUTHORITY)

40. HEALTH CENTER AT NKIM ITAM (NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTHCARE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY)

41. EROSION CONTROL AT EMOH/IKOT AYAN ITAM (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

42. SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT AT ETO OBODOM AND SUNDRY POWERED STREETLIGHT IN NSIT ATAI AND ITS ENVIRONS (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

43. IBIONO IBOM

IDIDEP REGIONAL WATER PROJECT(CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

44. DREDGING AND JETTY AT ESUK INWANG URUAN (CROSS RIVER BASIN DEV. AUTHORITY)

45. 2NO. 60X40 MVA  132 KVA INJECTION SUBSTATION(RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY) (WORTH 6.9 BILLION NAIRA)

46. IBIONO IBOM DAM AND WATER SUPPLY (MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES)

47. REGIONAL WATER SCHEME, IDIDEP (MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES)

48. GREATER UYO SENATORIAL WATER SCHEME (MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES) REHABILITATION AND CONVERSION TO SOLAR WATER SCHEME

49. NUNG UYO IDORO TRANSFORMER LINKING NUNG UYO COMMUNITY

50. IDIDEP – IKOT EKPENYONG – AFAHA ITIAT – NTAN MBAT ROAD CONSTRUCTION

51. WATER PROJECT AT OBOT MBAKARA, IFA UKOT UBO

52. CONSTRUCTION OF MBAK – MKPETI – ITU – OKOITA –  AROCHUKWU ROAD

53. CONSTRUCTION OF MBAK ATAI – IKOT NTU – OKU IBOKU ROAD.

– Essien Inyang, the Personal Assistant to Senator Ita Enang, writes from Abuja, FCT.