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Tag: Akpabio

  • Akpabio explains interest in Minority position

    Akpabio explains interest in Minority position

    Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State Godswill Akpabio has expressed why he wants to be the Senate Minority Leader.

    The PDP has  zoned the position to the Southsouth.

    He spoke in Abuja yesterday shortly after a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    The former governor said he was still holding consultation on the seat, adding that the decision would ultimately belong to PDP members in the Senate.

    Akpabio, who said he was at the party’ secretariat to discuss national issues with the leadership of the party.

    According to him, “It is not a question of interest. It is a function of capacity, whether I have the capacity to lead my colleagues. My colleagues will decide.

    “You know, in the Senate, everybody is equal except our bosses who have been there for a long time like the ranking senators and all that. “So, once you are opportuned to be in the red chambers, you have equal rights, you can aspire to any position.

    “But you first have to be sure that your colleagues will be interested in your leading them.

    “I’m aware that my name has been mentioned severally by my colleagues and am consulting. At the end of my consultation with stakeholders of our party across the nation, I’ll be able to make an appropriate statement”, the senator said.

    According to him, the emergence of an opposition member as Deputy Senate President  would ensure that issues before the legislature were examined in a more wholistic and all encompassing bipartisan approach.

    This, he said, would place the 8th Senate above the previous session in terms of performance and quality of legislation.

    “I think the development is very good for democracy because Ekweremadu was freely elected by senators.

    “If you recall, he scored about 54 votes and the total number of PDP members in the senate are about 49. Which means he was accepted across party lines.

    “It is also possible that some of the senators of PDP did not vote for him and that we probably have more senators of the APC voting for him than the PDP.

    “But the major thing is that he was voted for across party lines. That’s the way the Senate wanted it. They want an experienced person to work with the Senate President and they want a very stable Senate. They want a Senate that will be productive, a Senate that will have serious continuity.

    “And I think it is good for politics and is also good for President Buhari, that at the end of the day, we have a Deputy Senate President who has been there before, who is not from the APC so that we can look at things from a wholistic point of view, from a national perspective and not always through party binoculars.

    “So, for me, I believe that the 8th Senate will achieve far more than the previous sessions did because of the fact that issues are going to be looked at not from a partisan point of view but in a bipartisan way.

    “I am very proud of the decision by the Senate. I stand by the Deputy Senate President and the Senate President and the Senate for what they have done”.

  • Ekweremadu’s emergence good for Buhari – Akpabio

    Ekweremadu’s emergence good for Buhari – Akpabio

    Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday said the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Deputy Senate President is a blessing to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    He states this in Abuja shortly after a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    According to him, the emergence of an opposition member as Deputy President of the Senate would ensure that issues before the legislature were examined in a more holistic and all encompassing bipartisan approach.

    This, he said, would place the 8th Senate above the previous ones in terms of performance and quality of legislation.

    The ex-governor said, “I think the development is very good for democracy because Ekweremadu was freely elected by senators.

    “If you recall, he scored about 54 votes and the total number of PDP members in the senate are about 49. This means he was accepted across party lines.

    “It is also possible that some of the senators of PDP did not vote for him and that we probably have more senators of the APC voting for him than the PDP.

    “But the major thing is that he was voted for across party lines. That’s the way the Senate wanted it. They want an experienced person to work with the Senate President and they want a very stable Senate. They want a Senate that will be productive, a Senate that will have serious continuity.

    “And I think it is good for politics and is also good for President Buhari, that at the end of the day, we have a Deputy Senate President who has been there before, who is not from the APC so that we can look at things from a holistic point of view, from a national perspective and not always through party binoculars.

    “So, for me, I believe that the 8th Senate will achieve far more than the previous sessions did because of the fact that issues are going to be looked at not from a partisan point of view but in a bipartisan way.

    “I am very proud of the decision by the Senate. I stand by the Deputy Senate President and the Senate President and the Senate for what they have done.”

     

     

  • Akpabio, PDP, INEC lose bid to stall election tribunal’s proceedings

    Akpabio, PDP, INEC lose bid to stall election tribunal’s proceedings

    The senatorrepresenting Akwa Ibom Southwest and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one other have lost their bid to stall proceedings at the state’s Legislative Election Tribunal.

    The Justice Goddy Anunihun led tribunal, in a ruling yesterday, refused the prayer by Akpabio, his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for an indefinite adjournment of all the tribunal’s activities pending its ruling on an earlier application challenging its sitting in Abuja.

    The tribunal had adjourned to yesterday for ruling on the application by Akpabio, challenging the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja and the commencement of pre-trial proceedings in the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate Inibehe Okori who contested against Akpabio.

    Yesterday, Justice Anunihun announced that the ruling was not ready, but sought to proceed with the other business scheduled for the day, a decision Akpabio’s lawyer, Offiong Offiong (SAN), PDP’s lawyer, Adekunle Oyesanya (SAN) and T. Nweke (for INEC) objected to.

    The judge gave two reasons why the ruling could not be read. He said it  was not yet written and that the tribunal would await the decision of the Court of Appeal in a similar case.

    “The tribunal is yet to conclude work on the ruling. It is the tribunal’s position to await the Court of Appeal’s decision in a case referred to it from the Federal High Court for the determination of similar issue.

    “The need to defer the ruling is to avoid conflicting rulings on the same issue by different courts of coordinate jurisdiction.”

    All parties in the case agreed that the tribunal reserved the right to decide when to deliver its ruling, but with petitioners’ lawyer, Solomon Umoh urged the tribunal to begin the pre-trial proceedings, while the respondents’ lawyers urged the court to stay further proceedings until its ruling was ready.

    Offiong argued that the tribunal could not proceed to conduct any business while it was yet to rule on the application challenging it’s jurisdiction. He said since the court was yet to decide the issue of whether or not it was right for it to sit in Abuja, it could not take any further steps in relation to the petition.

    “It is a fundamental principle of our jurisprudence that once an issue of jurisdiction is raised, it must be treated first and promptly. The tribunal should adjourn the matter until ruling is delivered on the objection on jurisdiction,” Offiong said.

    He argued that since the case referred to the Court of Appeal was not an electoral matter, the appellate court’s decision might not be binding on the tribunal.

    Nweke and Oyesanya agreed with Offiong and urged the court to defer further activities in the case till the tribunal was ready with its ruling.

    Responding on point of law, Assam Assam (SAN), who took over from Umoh referred the tribunal to Paragraph 25(1) of the First Schedule of the Constitution, which requires a tribunal to hear election cases on a daily basis.

    He urged the tribunal to note that similar applications were pending before other tribunals transferred to Abuja, but that although the tribunals have ruled on the application challenging their jurisdiction, they have proceeded to conduct pre-trial proceedings.

    “Similar situation exist in other tribunals that were transferred to Abuja. While they are yet to rule on this issue of jurisdiction, they have all proceeded to conduct pre-trial proceedings. One has even given a judgment in favour of the respondents,” Assam said.

    Justice Anunihun said while the tribunal would awaits the decision of the Court of Appeal which will help it in deciding the pending application relating to its jurisdiction, it will proceed with pre-trial proceedings.

    He said the pre-trial proceeding would be conducted here in Abuja as the application was earlier heard here since the proceedings will not affect the main petition. He also noted that time was of the essence in election cases.

    Justice Anunihun adjourned to July 14 for the commencement of the pre-trial proceedings.

  • I’ve uncovered plots to discredit me, says Akpabio

    I’ve uncovered plots to discredit me, says Akpabio

    Immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, yesterday raised the alarm over alleged plots to discredit  him.

    He said those behind the plots would send “spurious and baseless petitions” to  anti-graft agencies and circulated them in the social media.

    The plots, he said, are multi-faceted and primed to scandalise him as well as instigate the public against him.

    The former  Commissioner for Information in the Akpabio administration, Aniekan Umanah, said information reaching him, showed that “the desperate people who are behind the anti-Akpabio and anti-Udom project, are already spreading spurious allegations of  unfanthomable aquisitions while in office”.

    He said: “ The immediate past administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio also has nothing to hide.

    “Information at our disposal showed that these desperate elements whose identities we know, were being sponsored by certain sore losers with their selfish motives.

    “We also gathered that fake petitions containing spurious allegations are being sent to anti-corruption agencies to probe the last administration. We welcome this development since we have nothing to hide. But we are challenging these dodgy characters to be truthful enough to tell the said anti-corruption agencies their hidden agenda which is well known to us.

    “At the appropriate time, we will expose these scheming characters and their sponsors. Another of their plan is to engage in massive negative media against Akpabio and the incumbent Governor , with the intent to weaken and distract the current administration in the state. We can confirm that huge war-chest has been assigned to this project.

    “If these people love the state so much as they claim, why can’t they channel the money being set aside to create crisis in the state, into more productive venture like creating more jobs for our teeming youths, thousands of who, were employed by the Akpabio administration, with this administration also planning to engage several thousands in productive engagements.

    “We are bringing this into public domain not because we are afraid of whatever steps being taken by these unpatriotic elements, but for the good people of Akwa-Ibom and Nigerians to know who to hold responsible in an event of a crisis in the state.”

    The statement added that the Udom Emmanuel administration would remain focussed and not be distracted. He expressed  confidence that the place of Akpabio in history of purposeful governance was already assured by posterity and “no amount of blackmail would rubbish it”.

    It added that even in the heat of campaign in the last general elections, one area that the opposition could not fault Akpabio and his team was quality delivery of dividends of democracy.

    “It was not a government on paper or of abstract performance. Akwa Ibomites could see what Akpabio spent their money on. Nigerians could also see. Even the whole world applauded it”.

  • Buhari needs more money to heal the economy – Akpabio

    Buhari needs more money to heal the economy – Akpabio

    Senator Godswill Akpabio has said that given the parlous state of the nation’s economy, he would support moves to shrink the cost of governance, particularly, at the centre to ensure development.

    Akpabio said President Muhammadu Bubari needs sufficient funds to embark upon growth and development projects for the country, adding that if reducing legislators’ allowances would make more money available to him, so be it.

    The former Governor of Akwa Ibom state made his views known to reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, shortly after a closed door meeting with ex – President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Abeokuta home on Presidential Hilltop Estate, last Friday.

    In attendance at the close door meeting are Akpabio’s successor, Governor Emmanuel Udom, whom he led to the former President, and past prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria and ex – President, Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Sunday Mbang.

    The Peoples Democratic Party Senator(Akpabio) who noted that he was delighted at “seeing Obasanjo in good health,” said money should be conserved to enable the Federal Government execute its programmes.

    Akpabio said: “I will support any move for the downward review of allowances or cost of governance in the country. The economy is bad now.

    “I will support it if that will save money and put more funds in the hand of the President to carry out developmental projects since the economy is bad.”

    On the past general elections conducted in Akwa Ibom state, he said there is nothing wrong in those who have approached the Election PetitionTribunal, seeking to upturn the outcome of that polls.

    He expressed confidence that the judiciary in the country are alive to their respinsibility, lamenting that his state is reputed for petition writting, rivalled perharps only by Ekiti state.

    He said:”Akwa – Ibom is the second largest petition writers in Nigeria after Ekiti state. It dates back to when we were in the former old Cross Rivers state.

    “But it is normal, since after election we are going to have winners and losers. The judiciary is very much alive to its responsibility and is still the hope of the common man.

    ” Peoples Democratic Party is a major factor in the state politics, boasting that, if election is conducted five times in Akwa Ibom today, the PDP will still win. The party is like a religion in the state and nobody can take this away from us.

    Also, Governor Emmanuel Udom who described Obasanjo as “the father of the nation” for supporting his political ambition, said his agenda consolidate on things in Akwa Ibom along the path already charted by his predecesdor.

    He said: “we are looking at varieties of blue prints and we have a direction. First of all, we need to see what capacity do we have on ground and that must be accessed.

    “And we have also discovered that it is one state so blessed by God. So, we’ll equip the people with the right capacity to build, since we have a solid foundation and with that foundation that we have on ground, we believed that we want to set up a solid structure that can actually take us higher.”

  • Babcock honours Akpabio, Fashola, others today

    Babcock honours Akpabio, Fashola, others today

    As part of activities to mark this year’s convocation, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, will honour three former governors its senate has adjudged to have made significant contribution to national development and their various states.

    •Fashola
    •Fashola

    They are: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, and Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State – all of whom spent two terms as governors.

    While Kwankwaso is being honoured for improving education in his state, Akpabio is being recognised for transforming the once backward state. Fashola’s recognition is for his visionary leadership in innovatively attracting foreign investment to the state, among others.

    The trio would be honoured during the Postgraduate Convocation of the university where over 150 masters and 50 PhD students would graduate.

    Chairman of the UBA Group and Heirs Holdings Limited, Mr. Tony Elumelu, is scheduled to speak at the event.

    Last year, the university conferred honorary degrees on Mosunmola Folashade Abudu (called Mo’ Abudu) and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The undergraduate convocation comes up on Sunday, June 7 at the university’s stadium.

  • As Udom takes the baton from Akpabio

    The Holy Bible  says that there is time for everything under the sun; going ahead to cite the transient nature of life and living. In the same vein, there is time for every government to come to an end; when office holders will look back at the years spent in service and beat their chests in pride or become downcast at the fluffed opportunities and efforts wasted, which could have translated into better lives for the people or greater service.

    For Nigeria, that time is now. As the country witnesses another transition tomorrow, there is no doubt that many present office holders would officially become yesterday men, with only the memory of the good or bad they had done lingering. The evil [or good] that men do, they say, lives after them.

    It is also time for the today men, those taking over different offices, bearing in mind posterity and the transience of political offices, to set their sights on good governance and selfless service [or rejoice over the opportunity to enrich themselves]. Whichever way it goes, whatever has a beginning will always have an end. But that end doesn’t always have to be regrettable or viewed with disappointment. This is the case in Akwa Ibom State, where Chief Godswill Akpabio, has spent the last eight years in office building infrastructure and developing human capacity in different ways. Though opinions may differ on the performance of the outgoing government in the state, there can only be one conclusion; that Akpabio is leaving the state better than he met it in 2007 and that Akwa Ibom people do, indeed, have a reason to rejoice about the state in the areas of physical development, education, agriculture, fiscal discipline and infrastructure.

    Right from his first days in office, Akpabio had set his sight on changing the story of the state, which was hitherto known for being the highest supplier of house-helps and children engaging in dirty lowly and menial jobs in different parts of the country. Back then, hardly would one get to any middle class home in Lagos and not meet an Okon, Akpan or Idarabong attending to one’s needs on the order of the home owners. But immediately Akpabio took over power, he demonstrated his determination to put an end to such despicable record. With the introduction of the free compulsory education scheme, children of school age were not only returned to schools, many who had been ferried off to distant places for menial jobs were returned to the state to enjoy the free primary and secondary school education introduced by the government, with the government paying for examination fees and the provision of text books. The free education scheme earned Akpabio several awards and commendations, with his action being likened to that of the late Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose legacy of free education placed him shoulder above other leaders. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka was one of the many people who commended Akapbio’s stride in education.

    The Akpabio government also helped in the accreditation of courses in the higher institutions in the state, while there he also instituted a foreign scholarship for students in science and engineering disciplines. Under the Akpabio government, the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) grew in leaps and bounds, becoming an enviable institution, which indigenes of the state can be proud of. Only last week, the governor promised to release the balance of N500 million grant for development projects in the institution, noting that his government had earlier released N1.5 billion for the same purpose. Without a doubt, it will be difficult for the history of AKSU’s development to be written without mentioning the outgoing governor.

    To cap his commitment to education, Governor Akpabio ensured that the infrastructural transformation of the state also touched the education sector, building hundreds of classrooms and other facilities. However, what will remain one of his greatest achievements in this regard is the e-library he constructed in Uyo, a development that attracted the attention of who-is-who in the country as a first of its kind project.

    Without contention, the complete overhaul of the state’s infrastructure is the handiwork of the Akpabio administration. From the first year in office, the governor turned the state into big construction site and eight years down the line, Akwa State can boast of world-standard roads across the state, with over 400 roads spanning over 1,300 kilometres built. During the same period, the outgoing government delivered a standard airport, which has now become the pride of the Niger Delta; built a first-of-its-kind flood control mechanism in Uyo and Abak, constructed one of the best stadium in Africa, christened The Nest of Champions, constructed a world class entertainment centre called Ibom Tropicana and also the Ibom Power Plant, which generates over 80 megawatts today. As a matter of fact, Akpabio’s detractors always come short of words whenever they reach the topic of infrastructure, anytime they criticise him, with some noting that infrastructure was the only thing he achieved in eight years, though they know that this is far from truth for a governor who delivered an all-round development.

    To drive home its vision of human development, the state government introduced several empowerment and employment schemes ranging from micro-credit facilities for the market women and youths interested in agriculture to the introduction of inter-ministerial direct labour jobs, which engaged youths in some of the projects of government. The government also encouraged private investments, making the state attractive and conducive for local and foreign investors. The government-introduced empowerment programmes for women and farmers were to make life easier for the people of the state. While some may argue that poverty is pervasive in Nigeria, Akpabio’s efforts at empowering women through agriculture as well as taking the restive youths off the street, no doubt, lifted the state from the abyss of poverty. Through the Women Agro-Entrepreneurship Development Programme, a scheme that earned Akwa Ibom State a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) award in 2012, the state government under Akpabio changed the story of the state in terms of agriculture. The governor, it would be recalled, received a United States Congress Award for human development.

    In the tourism sector, the outgoing Akpabio administration has placed the state on the world tourism map, with the organisation of the yearly 9999 carol singers, and just this year he broke the Guinness Book of Records as the only governor to have had the largest number of choral singers in one place in the world.  The construction and commissioning of the Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene, the almost completed Tropicana Hotel and other tourism infrastructures across the state are enough testimonies of his giant strides in that sector.

    In the health sector, the recent completion of a 308-bed international specialist hospital in Uyo appeared to be the icing on the cake for a government that has shown nothing but passionate commitment to the improvement of the health sector in the last eight years. But before then, the government had built general hospitals in different local governments of the state and equipped several hospitals to give care to the people of the state. The cottage hospitals built in Ika, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Essien Udim and Ukanafun Local Government Areas are a few examples, with the provision of medical equipment to the School of Nursing, Anua. Other efforts of the outgoing government in the area of health include: donation of N50 million to University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) and building of a paediatrics block; building of an oxygen plant at General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, activation and expansion of eight Anti-Retroviral therapy centres; construction of Renal Dialysis centre/donation of 17 Dialysis machines to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; procurement of state-of-the-art ambulances, among others. But for me, and probably thousands of Akwa Ibom indigenes, the biggest achievement of the Akpabio government in the health sector is the introduction of free medical services to children, pregnant women and the elderly.

    Today, Akpabio can only look back and retrospect on what he has achieved for the state and it is sure that posterity will speak well of him. Also, the new governor and the man who receives the baton from Akpabio can beat his chest for being part of the state’s success stories in the last few years, having occupied the office of the Secretary to the State Government before this call for higher responsibility. But Udom Emmanuel has more reasons to beat his chest in pride. He is the man saddled with the responsibility of taking the state to the next level; he is the one who God’s will has fallen on to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

     

    • Udom is Special Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Media.
  • Akpabio challenges NUC on workable mechanisms

    Akpabio challenges NUC on workable mechanisms

    •AKSU graduates 42 at maiden convocation 

    Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio has challenged the National Universities Commission (NUC), to adopt workable mechanisms targeted at handling issues in the society instead of dwelling on mundane theories, which are not helping.

    Akpabio addressed the maiden convocation of the state-owned university over the weekend.  The university graduated 42 out of the 300 admitted into the institution in 2010/2011 academic session.

    His words: “The world is changing and our university system must change in line with current realities. Our universities must change from curricula dwelling on mundane theories, issues that lack ample connectivity with issues at hand and adopt workable mechanisms targeted at handling issues in the society. This is what we expect from the Akwa Ibom State University and other higher institutions in our country.

    Akpabio also spoke on the maiden convocation. “We are gathered here to celebrate the actualisation of a dream, realisation of a vision and the fulfillment of hope. Today, in coming to mark the maiden convocation of our prestigious institution of higher learning – the Akwa Ibom State University, we celebrate that love and passion for education. Furthermore, we mark another  milestone in our uncommon transformation of our dear state and in our efforts in building a vibrant education sector to power the development of our polity.

    “In today’s world, institutions of higher learning proffer solutions to issues in the society and move the society forward through research and development of relevant academic curricula. Our state is transforming into an industrial stage, and it is therefore, expected that our university will play a prime role, through research and expertise in this transformation.”

    Akpabio also congratulated graduating students.

    A breakdown by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Eno James Ibanga indicated that two of the 42 graduates had first class, 18 second class upper, 19 second class lower, and three third class.  Ibekwe Eteobong emerging  as best graduating students with a GPA of 4.69.

    Ibanga said the university, which started with three faculties in 2010, now has six approved faculties with 34 departments and 39 degree programmes respectively.

    He said admission intake has been raised from 300 in 2010 to 5000 in the 2014/2015 academic year. To this end, he said 24 out of the 50 indigenes sent abroad for  further studies have returned with PhD to boost the staff strength.

    His words: “At inception, 50 indigenes of  Akwa Ibom State were sent abroad on sponsorship by the state government through the university for their higher degree programmes in Europe, America, Canada, Asian countries, among others in the field of Engineering and Science specialisations. At present, 24 have successfully completed their studies  and have joined us, 22 are still in various parts of the world, while three are undergoing sponsorship training programmes locally.”

  • Akpabio wins Akwa Ibom Senatorial poll

    Akpabio wins Akwa Ibom Senatorial poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, as winner of Saturday Senatorial election in the state’s North West district.

    Akpabio polled 422,009 of the 439,449 to defeat Chief Inibehe Okorie of the All Progressive Congress who recorded 15, 152 votes.

  • Senate seat: Akpabio walks tight rope

    Senate seat: Akpabio walks tight rope

    I had argued that in Nigeria, governors can change man to woman while a President can change man to a hermaphrodite and vice versa. This perhaps explains why governors who are supposed to be suzerains of democratic ethos, rule with impunity; many of them in a brazen manner, desecrate their political parties’ constitutions, turn their zoning formulae upside-down. This arbitrariness has forced some political analysts to dub governors as the greatest threat to democracy in Nigeria!

    The Akwa-Ibom State governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, is reputed for absolute use of power. So when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apparatchik in 2011, zoned the 2015 Ikot – Ekpene Senatorial seat to Abak Division on account that even though the division is the most populous and can on its own, produce a senator without the votes of the other axis, only Senator Itak Bob Ekarika had occupied the position for a single term from the Abak axis since the return of civil rule in 1999.

    Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is made up of 10 local governments, out of which Abak Division has five large local governments embedded in two federal constituencies: Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika and Ukanafun and Oruk Anam federal constituencies. While Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Essien Udim local governments make up a federal constituency and Ikono and Ini local governments which are predominantly Ibibio form a distinct federal constituency with the senatorial district.

    In 2011, while campaigning for the re-election of Chief Aloysius Etok, the incumbent senator, representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Zone, Governor Akpabio urged the people of Abak Division to vote en-mass for Senator Etok so that in 2015, it would be their turn to produce Etok’s successor! Indeed Etok was the first senator from the senatorial zone ever to have been re-elected.

    But Akpabio who is the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum ate his words. The governor used his power of incumbency to thwart the zoning arrangement, took it to his local government, Essien Udim and brashly cornered the ticket for himself. The governor cleverly ceded a Greek gift to the Abak Five by zoning the position of deputy governor to them. Elder Moses Ekpo was the favoured one.

    Akpabio had thought that zoning the position of deputy governor to the Abak Five would appease them and make him stage a cake walk to the red chamber but the Abak people are bent on stopping the governor.

    Why? If Governor Akpabio wins the election, he would insist on doing a minimum of eight years, the implication will be that out of 24 years of unbroken civilian transition, the Abak Five, in spite of their numerical strength would have had just four years, making them a silent majority in a country where the majority groups hardly give the minority groups breathing space!

    Curiously, Ikot-Ekpene axis with just three local governments and next to Abak in population, would have taken 12 years because Senator Ibok Essien from Ekot-Ekpene, Essien Udim, Obot Akara Federal Constituency had been Senator between 1999 and 2007.

    Regrettably, the elites from the Abak axis also complain that successive governments have marginalized the Abak Five in appointments and government presence. The thinking is that only a senatorial position and not deputy governorship seat which they describe as ”spare tyre” can assuage their feeling for now.  .

    Consequently, all attempts by Elder Ekpo, running mate to the PDP governorship standard bearer, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, to make his Abak kinsmen concede the senatorial seat to the flamboyant Akpabio hit the rocks at press time.

    The take away from my interactions with the elites and artisans of Abak Five stock is that if it is able to produce a senator, he/she could be the rallying point and an instrument to draw the Federal Government attention to what they call the Abak woes!

    It was against this background that youth and women groups, academics, civil society groups, faith-based organisations and power brokers of the Abak Division, cutting across the major political parties, persuaded one of their own, Obong  Inibehe Okori, a political war horse and astute international banker, to dump the PDP and throw his hat into the ring through the All Progressives Congress (APC). Chief Okori hails from Etim Ekpo Local Government in the Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika Federal Constituency which interestingly, has never produced a senator.

    The APC candidate has solid cross party appeal and brings to the table, experience and terrific connection having been a two-time governorship aspirant in the state with strong ties with foreign leaders like President Barrack Obama, President Jacob Zuma and of course, President Goodluck Jonathan.

    In his recent town hall meeting, Chief Okori said if elected, he would provide purposeful leadership to his senatorial zone; consult regularly with the elites, ordinary people and party leadership, sponsor critical bills, make laws for good governance, deepen democracy, contribute to the development of the zone by attracting federal projects to his senatorial zone through lobbying, carry out proper oversight function of the executive arm of government to ensure that his people are not left out in the scheme of things, cater for the welfare of women, especially widows, youths, especially children, orphans and students, elders and the physically challenged, sacrifice his personal comfort for his people and of course, turn the Ikot  Ekpene Senatorial District into the centre of gravity of Akwa-Ibom politics!

    Indeed, Chief Okori’s entry into the race has changed the political equation. The PDP for the first time is beginning to tremble in the zone.

    This is because Okori will go into the race with the bloc support of the five local governments of the Abak Division in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the March 28th polls.

    Though Akpabio has not given up on his ambition, he is banking on his cozy relationship with President Goodluck Jonathan, his deep wallet, power of incumbency and of course, his uncommon transformation mantra!

    It will be recalled that Chief Donald Etiebet from Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency represented the Senatorial District between 1979 to 1983, Senator Nsima Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara/Essien Udim Federal Constituency was there in 1983, Senator Akaniyene Ukpanah from Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in 1992 to 1993, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien from Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara/Essien Udim Federal Constituency from 1999 to 2003, Senator Itak Bob Ekarika from Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency from 2003 to 2007 and Senator Aloysius Etok from Ikono/Ini Federal constituency from 2007 till date.

    — Francis Obong wrote in from Uyo via (francisobong2020@yahoo.com)