Ekong nke! Nke ekong abasi! Im surprised these people even believe and post their lies. Truth be told, the Akwa Ibom State gubernatorial aspirants who have constituted themselves into the so-called G22 are no fools. Some on them have been around long enough to know that theres no way anybody, no matter how powerful, can jettison the result of a gubernatorial primary that was conducted and monitored by the party and a winner emerged and endorsed by the party just because some people felt aggrieved. In fact this route we are traveling is not entirely new. In 2006, Chief Godswill Akpabio contested and won the most contested gubernatorial primary in the history of the country. He contested against 57 formidable opponents. .The Losers, as in the present case, ever willing to play the Spoilers, constituted themselves similarly into an association of failed guber aspirants, G- Something. Similarly they were said to have chosen someone among themselves as a consensus candidate. At the end of the day in an historic ceremony in Port-Harcourt, Chief Akpabio was presented the flag as the standard bearer on the party. And everybody fell in line. The only concession the G-Something was able to get was the nomination of a deputy governor in the person of the Engr Patrick Ekpotu. Some of the members of the present G-22, like Engr Larry Esin, Mr Nsima Ekere, etc were also active participants in the drama. Now we are charting the same old path again except that some people in their self foolery believe a contraption can occur and someone who was validly elected by delegates across the state would be dropped for someone who may not even have had a vote in the contest. On what basis is that possible? Truth again be told. Dr Goodluck Jonathan is a candidate in the coming election and he needs all the support he can get. We are hopeful as his supporters, that he would go into the contest with assured votes from the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones while he hunts for votes in the other regions and defeat General Muhammadu Buhari. The President, no matter the interest, cannot foist an unpopular candidate in an undemocratic manner on any state, not even in Bayelsa where he hails from. He has himself said so before. Bickering after election is a common phenomenon among Nigerian politicians. It did not start now and I dont see it ending in the near future. However, I know that what the G-22 are fighting for are essentially concessions from the party. It is instructive that after the story was planted in the media that they had met or were preparing to meet with the opposition presidential candidate, General Buhari, they had swiftly debunked such rumour and pledged to work for the PDP. In the consultations that are bound to follow, Im certain some of the G-22 aspirants could be promised ministerial appointments, ambassadorial jobs and chairmen and membership of some federal boards. This is why they want to see the President. Not because they expect the President to over turn the election of Mr Udom Emmanuel and single- handedly handpick someone else as the PDP gubernatorial candidate of Akwa Ibom State. As I had said, my pity is for those who relish and gloat in their lies and gleefully post them to assault our sensibilities. If they are fools we are not. Anietie Ekong In Uyo
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 12:25:44 +0000