2015: ORO NATION FANCIES CHRIS ABASIEYO By Aniekeme Finbarr The political Arena shares the similitude with the milky way. It is a galaxy that contains our Solar System. It contains at least 100 billion stars and may have up to 400 billion stars. It houses the brightest stars in the sky, flaunts them for human eyes to behold and the battle of brightness never seizes. So it is with politics, it is the game for the best, the most qualified, the most popular, the most acceptable, the most dynamic and the most trusted. It is not an arena for the toddlers or the weak, the never prepared or the jokers. It is a game of the stars, light for light, brightness for brightness, illumination for illumination, the brightest star always wins. The race to Akwa Iboms hilltop mansion in 2015 is underway and the stars are emerging for the big contest. What is trite is that there is a zoning arrangement in place that allows power rotate around the zones and ethnic groups in the state. And by simple political arithmetics, Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District deserves the shot from 2015. Therein is the Oro nation comprising local government areas in the District and like Nigerias Niger Delta, it is the Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs. The Oro Nation undisputedly contributes over 70% to the wealth of the state, as she is blessed with oil and gas, both off-shore and on-shore. The Atlantic Ocean on her shore opens the state to the global maritime trade and transactions. With these resources, Akwa Ibom State suddenly finds herself the richest state in Nigeria. The people in the area feel it ought to produce the next Governor. Oro Nation has Only produced a Senator once, the youngest Senator at 42 despite the fact that it has more LGAs in her Federal Constituency than any of the others. This senatorial district is made up of Eket, Oron and Ikot Abasi Federal Constituencies. Oro Nation is made up of five local government areas of Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko, Urue Offong/Oruko covering 1,021.30 sq. km while Eket is made up of 4 local government areas of Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Onna covering 742.44 sq. km and Ikot Abasi has three local government areas of Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo and covers 791.07 sq. km. Eket and Ikot Abasi have had their turns in producing senators despite their having smaller numbers of LGAs and contributing less to the state economically. Eket had produced a governor when we were in the old Cross River State. Just like Uyo, which is the core of Akwa Ibom Central Senatorial District and Ikot Ekpene which is the core of Akwa Ibom North Senatorial district produced the governors for their areas, one can also make a case for Oro Nation to be the first in line to produce the Governor from Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district come 2015. In Eket Senatorial District, Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency has produced three deputy governors in quick succession and senator while Eket Federal Constituency produced a record-setting Secretary to the Federal Government, two ministers, two senators, six ranking NDDC board members and a serving Secretary to the State Government (SSG). The only portion that came to the Oron Federal Constituency was the ministerial appointment of Prof. Ita Ewa whose tenure ended abruptly. With eight oil companies operating in its territorial waters and being the greatest producing community in Akwa Ibom State, Niger Delta and Nigeria, the Oron nation feel that they are justified and confident for the state to support a governor of Oron extraction in 2015. The strength of demand by the Oro nation stems from the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution. The 1999 constitution as amended, section 14(4) states that ‘The composition of the government of a state, any of the agencies of such government or councils, and the conduct of the affairs of the government or councils or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognize the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among the people of the federation”. On the strenght of the aforegoing, the Oro people, elders, youth and women feel they should present a credible candidate for acceptance. A man who is well schooled and has interacted widely with persons in other parts of the state. A man not new to the terrain, a man the grasses on the political field know by name. A young dynamic gentleman that can match the rigours of the office and conquer. The burden of expectation is on him to govern a state named after God himself and consolidate on the uncommon strides of the present administration. The candidates paraded so far are either criticised for being far away from the grassroots or not having previous political experience. Not same can be said of this Crown Prince of Bakassi, fine journalist and historian, uncommon grassroots mobilizer, Inspirational speaker, one-time running mate to the AC candidate in the 2007 guber poll. He made his mark during the Obong Victor Attah regime as Commissioner For Information. His people certainly fancy him. What sayest thou? blog4all-com.blogspot/2014/03/2015-oro-nation-fancies-chris-abasieyo.html#more
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 07:24:46 +0000
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