2015 Akwa Ibom GOVERNORSHIP TUSSLE: NEED FOR EQUITY, GOOD CONSCIENCE AND DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES. The good people of Akwa Ibom State are very much concerned about who takes over the mantle of leadership of the state from (Chief) Dr Godswill Obot Akpabio, come May 29, 2015. The political atmosphere in the state is heated and the war of words is between the Oron, Ibibio and Annan The Oron are not taking things low. The umbrella body of the ethnic nationality –Oron Union (OU) has since declared its readiness to make good use of the population strength of their people to install the next Governor of the oil rich state. Their brothers and sisters in the Other part of the State are also scheming through party lines and other political connections to ensure that power shifts to that axis next year. Therefore, the battle line is drawn and where the pendulum will swing is better imagined. For real, Governor Akpabio does not deserve some of the media attacks he is currently receiving from a section of the Oron and Ibibio ethnic nationality. It is obvious that the governor has transformed the health and educational sector, and spread development and appointment across the three senatorial districts. It is on record that some of the leaders in some constituencies and senatorial districts that short-changed their people. They cornered contracts for themselves and their loyalist and never executed the people oriented programmes after collecting funds from the state government. His youth and woman empowerment programmes has helped thousands of Akwa Ibomites to become breed winners for themselves and their immediate families. The catalogue of his performances can be downloaded from the state government official website. The peace being enjoyed today in the state is as a result of the candid efforts of the governor who used all know result oriented methodology to strike peace with the restive youths who were agitating for the overall development of the oil rich state which has been neglected by successive governments at the federal level. For me, Governor Akpabio is a distinguished leader and prudent public servant who should be encouraged and appreciated for his good works. The numerous awards bestowed on Governor Akpabio both at home and abroad at clear testimony to his good governance. Not too long ago, an Honour was bestowed on the Governor during the Brand as King International Award organised in Accra, Ghana, by a brands media and advertising firm, Executive Media Options Limited, publishers of Billboard World Magazine. The uncountable blames heaped at the door step of Governor Godswill Akpabio is uncalled for and it can best be described as anti-people, anti-progress and anti-development in all ramifications. However, there is a school of thought in Ibibio nation that do not attach relevance to the demand of the Oron Union. They are of the opinion that their fellow folks in Eket Senatorial District not just Oron should be allowed to govern the state for eight years; so as to ensure equity, peace, solid fraternal relationship and good conscience in accordance with sound democratic principles. They strongly believe that it will be a big risk to place the resources of Akwa Ibom state in the hands of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, Buhari, Atiku, Tambuwal and El-Rufai if the opposition candidate is voted into power by Akwa Ibomites simply because it presented Ibibio governorship candidate. Am Advising Oron and Ibibio and Annan nations and their leadership not to be tempted to do what Governor Amaechi did in Rivers State, for giving out the oil rich state to Asiwaju Tinubu and the APC in anger due to his political conflict with the leadership of PDP and the presidency. The state has produced three executive governors namely; Late (Obong) Akpan Isemin (an ibibio), (Obong) Victor Attah (an ibibio) and the incumbent governor, Dr. Godswill Akpabio (an annang). These three personalities have done their bits and it is a truism that the Ibibio ethnic nationality may have benefited one way or the other from the two past Ibibio Governors in the person of (Obong) Isemin and (Obong) Attah . This is not to say that the Ibibio do not deserve Governor Akpabio’s attention and patronage. But again, leadership credibility and performance in office is individual based and not necessarily the ethnic nationality. That Governor Akpabio did not reasonably satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of the Ibibio ethnic nationality (as they claim) does not mean that the next Governor will not do better irrespective of the senatorial district he or she hails from. Eket Senatorial Zone has credible candidates who should not be disenfranchised in the next election. There are some of the aspirants who have for decades blended well politically with their Uyo Senatorial Zone associates across board. As it is today, (Obong) Udom Emmanuel, (Obong Nsima Ekere) (Sen) Udo Udoma, and (Lady) Valerie Ebe (Obong) Benjamin Okoko, (Engr) Larry Esin (Barr) Okpo (Hon) Chris Abasi Eyo (Barr) Ntekim and many others are quality materials for the governorship race. Also, the Uyo Senatorial Zone has credible candidates which includes; (Obong) Umana Umana, (Obong) Bassey Albert Akpan (Obong) Ime Albert Akpan (Engr) Charlse Udonwa (Sen) John Akpanudoedehe and a few others. These aspirants have equal rights to present themselves before the good people of Akwa Ibom State. The political parties are fielding candidates for the governorship election, especially PDP, APC and the Labour Party. It is strongly rumoured that PDP may present a Eket Senatorial zone governorship candidate while the other two political parties will definitely present Uyo senatorial zone candidates to fragment the votes. Mid-way, the two Urhobo candidates may form political alliance to defeat the PDP candidate so as to produce an Ibibio governor in 2015. As good as this permutation may sound; it has its defects which are that the Ibibio will be seen as a people using their numerical strength to oppress the minority in the State. This should not be. Ibibio people in Uyo Senatorial district should meet with Governor Akpabio to negotiate and to reach amicable settlement so as to ensure a peaceful and smooth transition of power in the state. However, some political observers’ say that if an accord is not reached between Ibibio in Uyo Senatorial Zone, PDP and Governor Akpabio, the Ibibio in Uyo senatorial zone insistence on Ibibio Governor in 2015 may hit the rocks because of the might of the ruling party and the class of politicians who have benefited from the Attah and Akpabio’s administration in Uyo Zone and other parts of the state. The league of past and present lawmakers at both state and national assembly levels, past and present Commissioners in Attah and Akpabio’s administration as well as other political appointees are likely to back up the decision of Governor Akpabio and PDP to frustrate the intentions of the Ibibio in Uyo Zone, its leadership and those yearning for an Uyo Senatorial District governor, come 2015. I have always said that politics is an integral part of the “devil’s blue sea”, you never see the bottom of it. The more you look, the less you see in politics. Too many sophisticated meetings and crafty caucus deliberations in politics such that what men say in the day is not what they say at night. Therefore, the battle for the soul of government house, Uyo, must be done through proper collaboration by key stakeholders. It is not out of place if an Eket Senatorial District man becomes the next Governor of Akwa Ibom and it is not also out of place if a qualified and capable Uyo Senatorial District brother or sister occupies the government house in 2015. Therefore, the two contending groups, Ibibio of Uyo and Eket zone should reason together and negotiate power sharing in terms of portfolio allocation and developmental plans that would spread across the state. I believe that tribal sentiments should not be the basis of politicking in the twenty first century. Tribalism, nepotism and egotism belong to the Stone Age. We should discuss potentials and capabilities rather than ethnic nationality or tribalism. An Oron or an Ibibio or an Annan is reasonable and perfect to occupy the seat of governor in our dear state. The focus should be; can he or she deliver? What is the past performance record of these candidates? Does any of them showed trait of tribalism and nepotism in the past? Is there any of the candidates that truly flows well with other ethnic nationalities in the state? Who among the candidates is a progressive with good track records in governance or public administration? Who among them is likely not going to promote corruption and looting of our treasury? The above hypothetical questions and many more deliberate yardsticks should be developed as template to measure, select and elect the next governor of Akwa Ibom State. Let us therefore be guided by the precious doctrines of equity, good conscience and sound democratic principles as we nominate and elect the fourth executive governor of the oil rich Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Tribalism, sectionalism, nepotism and egotism are repugnant to equity, good conscience and natural justice and therefore should be relegated to the dust-bin of political irrelevance and adopt the twenty first century progressive principles of constitutional democracy. (Akparawa) Itohoimo Udosen Republic Of South Africa +27788744577
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:42:40 +0000
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