Whether you call it conceptual or concept clarification, just know that academics use the terminology when they seek to facilitate or accentuate the knowledge typology that leaves no room for doubt and invariably debate. In dire need of this deep understanding are an alarming majority of the people of Akwa Ibom (the beautiful oil-rich but politics-stricken) state in the deep south of Nigeria, who seem completely seized by next year’s general election. They are busy repeating the same chronic mistake, since 1999, pursuing types and shadows when revelation is readily available and in abundance. This bunch have vehemently refused to learn from the great teacher called experience.
The intendment of this piece is, therefore, to break down what has happened, what is happening and what shall happen. Of course, it is hoped, that way, those who have eyes would see clearly, those who have ears would hear clearly, and those who have both would internalise commonsense, which seems so scarce. The answer to the quiet political storm brewing in the otherwise (Nigeria’s) most peaceful state does not lie in making a noise nor in throwing insults. The way to go not only in the build-up but also in the hereafter is to imbibe that age-old wisdom of living to fight another day.
Since its September 23, 1987, creation, politics in Akwa Ibom -as is the wont of most Nigerian states- has always been tricky. It has always been even trickier when it comes to who becomes governor. Akwaibomights never completely see who the next man would be. We can together look at its interesting history.
The first civilian governor, the late Obong Akpan Isemin of National Republican Convention (NRC), ran things from January 1992 to November 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic. He had won against Social Democratic Party’s Arc. Ekong Etuk, who was considered far more popular. When democracy returned in 1999, not many people gave Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah even a dog’s chance. Yet, after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had chosen him ahead of Engr. Benji Okoko, in the election proper, he beat the hitherto better known former governor, Obong Akpan Isemin, of All People’s Party (APP).
That’s two over two. In 2007, the ballot was decided intra-party as it were. Everyone had thought PDP’s ticket would go to the then sitting governor’s son-in-law, Dr. Udoma Bob Ekarika. No, instead, it was his executive council colleague, Chief Godswill Akpabio, a lawyer, who took it as well as the main election.
And 2015 was something else. Almost everyone (including this writer) gave it to and worked overtime for Mr. Umana Okon Umana, a vastly experienced technocrat, who in the nick of time had to crosstitute to APC. Alas, it was Mr. Udom Emmanuel who had never been on the political radar that PDP had brought in who went on to win. He repeated the feat in style in 2019 against a former deputy governor and political heavyweight, Obong Nsima Ekere of APC which from 2015 has been in charge of power at the centre. That’s four over four. From the foregoing, the odds of 2023 favour an unknown political quantity. As Global Ba’aba, Dr Abel Damina, would say: keep that somewhere, we shall come back to it presently. Meanwhile, let’s tell you what has awoken all 2023 sleeping dogs in the state.
Penultimate Sunday evening, right inside Government House, Uyo, the real stakeholders and more got together and naked politics played out. Honourable Commissioner, Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, was subsequently unveiled as Gov. Udom Emmanuel’s preferred successor. From that last day of the first month of the year, the state has been caught up in a cacophonous political logjam on- and offline. You can almost cut the effect with a knife.
Unfortunately, most people have jumped into the fray with emotions rather than with sense. Nobody has been spared in the name calling free-for-all, even by family, supporters and protégés. This space will not and cannot be used to further the dissemination and cause of such vitriolic attacks. So, we will not and cannot repeat even one of such insults but we can report that top on the list of those targeted and for good measure are: Gov. Udom Emmanuel, his elder and younger brothers, Gabriel and Ekerete (who have both managed to keep an impressive low political profile until now), former Gov. Attah (who’s said to have presented Pastor Eno after he was unanimously chosen), and the number one Ibibio monarch, His Eminence Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, who also doubles as the chairman of the state’s traditional rulers’ council; not forgetting Pastor Umo Eno himself.
Let’s indirectly profile the grouse against these men as espoused by those crying foul. Starting with Gov. Emmanuel on whom the people have for nearly two years piled insane pressure to name a preferred successor. Show me one Akwaibomight or Nigerian or African or any incumbent anywhere in today’s world who -for whatever it is worth- would not be interested in who takes over. Are those shouting themselves hoarse only doing so because the governor didn’t choose their person?
That is, would they have rejected the governor’s support had their own man or woman been the one chosen? Are they therefore not being dishonest, even hypocritical? Should the governor have chosen two or more persons for one office to cause confusion? Or, is the furore because this governor is known to be a dangerous, taciturn politician?
If only one person had to be picked, why not Umo Eno? Is he not from the state or is it -as I promised I would come back to it- because with very little political experience, they suspect he’s the one? Does he not meet the homegrown criterion and does he not have verifiable business? Does he belong to any cult; which we said we didn’t want?
About the governor’s brothers and the minister of God who neither hails from nor resides in the state but who has received generous angry mention, I would rather we didn’t dignify some things. Unprintable insults should never be discussed, because really they derive mostly from envy and gossips. When you beat the sides of the gong, no one hears your message. Always leave out people’s family and private affairs when discussing public matters.
Now, to Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah, the one man who -as I know it- first brought grace, class and humility to the high office of governor. I experienced him firsthand, good and bad. He afforded me hours on end privately while still serving as governor and told me deep things about power. Regrettably, nearly 16 years since he left office, Akwaibomights still don’t know the man in full.
I hope we won’t realise it too late, as usual. The fine architect only has one weakness that I know: he’s too desperate for this state. He loves this state more than the state loves him. While in office, he put his hand into the federal fiery furnace in Abuja to extract resource control gold for us.
Did we say thank you, even when we saw how he got burnt in the process? Have we since then, even upon the mountains of dividends we have received? Shall we ever? As I see it, nothing other than love for our state would make the former governor, who has seen it all, interested in something he knew would be controversial.
For those who dismiss his current involvement on the basis of none of those he anointed in the past ever won, be warned: this time is different. This is the first time the former governor has partnered an incumbent on succession. Please look for another insult. And, another too for the Oku Ibom Ibibio and president-general of Ifim Ibom Ibibio, who is the paramount ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
Tell me how the world would describe the leader or father who turned down an invitation (because of the national lie that traditional rulers ought to stay off politics) on the day his son -one of his subjects- was to be prepped for governor. With no hands up, I know there’s too much shame for you to think of casting any more aspersions let alone the first stone. Had I been picked, my family head, village head, clan head, paramount ruler complete with my pastor would have been there for the unveiling. You must count yourselves lucky it wasn’t me.
Furthermore, the other points about God and imposition are neither here nor there. If Pastor Umo Eno is God’s choice, we shall see; hence, no need to dissipate too much energy. Those who believe they also have God’s say-so on 2023 should simply quietly continue to work rather than heat up the polity with insults and petitions.
By the way, what has taken place is not and cannot and should not be called imposition.
It can only be so-called if the intra-party process to select the standardbearer is truncated or sidestepped. Which is why those going about their anti-Umo Eno disagreement, peaceably, should be allowed to do their thing, for they may only be acting out a strategy of ensuring that this push doesn’t suddenly transmogrify into a shove when it matters most. For those distributing insults on the social media, they should be careful one, that the same people they are rooting for are not going behind to align and two, that they don’t use their hands and mouth today to burn their tomorrow bridges. Finally, everyone should be smart enough to exercise tact and caution knowing that 2023 is still too far away and with Politics Nigeriana -as fluid as we know it- anything can happen.
God bless Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria!