Mischief: CSOs lock horns over Akwa Ibom forum

Ememobong Okon

A storm is brewing in Akwa Ibom’s civil society community as two opposing groups clash over the existence and legitimacy of the Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum.

On 15 August 2025, a coalition of civil society organisations disowned the Forum on a press statement, accusing one Mr Harry Udoh of “parading himself” as chairman of a non-existent body.

The coalition, led by Otuekong Franklyn Isong, Director of the Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), declared: “There is no umbrella civil society organisation in Akwa Ibom State known or recognized as Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum. Anyone transacting business with Mr. Udoh in that capacity does so at his or her own peril.”

The group further claimed that it had alerted law enforcement agencies, warning donor agencies, government institutions, and members of the public to avoid dealing with Mr Udoh in that capacity.

Other signatories to the statement included Barr. Clifford Thomas of the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, Comrade Ifot N. Ifot of Peoples’ Rights to Life Development Foundation, and several others, all insisting that the Forum had no recognition within the state’s civil society space.

Forum fires back

Barely three days later, the Guild of Community Development Advocates in Akwa Ibom State – also known as the Akwa Ibom Civil Society Organizations Forum – issued a counter statement, describing the publication as a deliberate attempt to “mislead the public” and “erase the Forum’s legacy.”

In its rejoinder dated August 18, 2025, the forum asserted that it was established in 2008 and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in 2014 under the name Guild of Community Development Advocates in Akwa Ibom State (AKGCODA).

The statement, signed by members of the forum’s Board of Trustees, maintained that the forum is part of a wider network of sub-national CSO platforms in Nigeria.

It further defended the legitimacy of Udoh, stating: “Mr. Harry Udoh serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Executive Council of the Forum. In 2023, he was also elected by his peers nationwide to lead the National Civil Society Initiative on CSO Self-Regulation in Nigeria, in recognition of his experience, integrity, and leadership.”

The forum emphasised its track record, noting that its members had attracted millions of dollars’ worth of socio-economic interventions from donor agencies and development partners to the state over the years.

Two civil societies, one battlefield

The rejoinder also highlighted that the Forum’s founding trustees included respected Akwa Ibom citizens such as Dr Nsekpong Udoh, Prof. Selina Ekpo, Mr Idem Udoekong, and the late Obonganwan Imo Isemin, among others.

Its current Board of Trustees lists prominent figures like Dr Uduak Akpan, Mr Tijah Bolton-Akpan, Mrs. Emem Akpan Nkereuwem, Mr Ekaette Anwana, and Dr Ini Adiakpan.

On the other hand, the coalition that issued the disownment boasts leaders from long-standing human rights and accountability organisations within the state, further deepening the split within the civil society space.

The public left the middle

With both sides standing firm, the development has created confusion among government agencies, donor partners, and members of the public, many of whom rely on civil society groups for advocacy, accountability, and grassroots development initiatives.

While one camp insists the Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum is a phantom organisation used for self-promotion, the other insists it is a duly recognised platform with a verifiable history and institutional structure.

As at press time, neither the Akwa Ibom State Government nor security agencies had issued an official position on the matter.

For now, the question lingers: Is the Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum an act of mischief or a legitimate mandate?