The turbulence sparked within the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State by Governor Udom Emmanuel, when he announced his cousin, the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, as his preferred candidate for succession in 2023, may consume the party and end it’s over two decade reign in the state.
A party that gained the status of a religious cult in the wealthy southern state, is teetering on the brink of disaster afflicted with chronic lack of internal democracy and spineless concession to tyrannical leaders. As usual, the system is high on steroids with visible cracks along interest lines as aggrieved aspirants and their followers mount pressure on the hierarchy to talk some sense into the leader.
All through its leadership transition phases in 2006/2007, under Victor Attah and 2014/2015, under Godswill Akpabio, the PDP has experienced similar tussle with near catastrophic outcome, making some to wager that it may not survive its election primary this time if existential threat posed by imposition of a governorship aspirant is overlooked. Others maintain that the party has been able survive the wear and tear of leadership selection process and enjoyed its long unchallenged reign because it knows enough to determine when a leader’s gain may terminate in the party’s loss and act decisively to preserve itself as was the case during Attah’s transition.
Governor Udom, who is a beneficiary of imposition and most likely unaware of what befell Attah, is adamant to push his luck, refusing to see anything wrong with his undemocratic stance. He has made himself a god to his party and believes he could pick just anyone and use the power of incumbency to actualize his wish damning effects of his misadventure on the party. The choice of Umo Eno is beyond ego tripping. To Udom, Eno is his trumpcard which he hopes to use to cover his misdeeds in office.
Udom, like any outgoing public officer, is faced with the reality of accountability and he thinks his blood relative is the best man to protect him against probe. He fears what could be unravelled if his administration is investigated. The culture of impunity and lack of transparency entrenched in his government could be hiding worse cases of misappropriation than that of his predecessor. So, the strategy is to impose Umo Eno in order to keep the veil in place. If he succeeds with the party and is rigged into the hilltop mansion, then he would cover up for his family. It is easy to joint the dots. Afterall, it is the governor’s stepbrother, Mr. Gabriel Nkanang who first championed the Umo Eno governorship aspiration. This is the same Nkanang whose front companies has littered the state with abandoned projects. By sneaking their cousin into power, the Udom and his family would be saved from the embarrassment of being asked to give account of a woeful stewardship.
In addition, for an administration infamous for executing physical projects shrouded in secrecy and without following the due process of open bidding, Umo Eno is expected to keep the lid tightly closed. Most financial aspects of projects so far executed by Mr. Udom Emmanuel are kept secret. His administration has vehemently resisted every call to be accountable and transparent about investments made onbehalf of the state. It is likely that most of the so called ‘PPP companies’ including the Metering Solutions, Kings Flour mill, Ibom Air, St. Gabriel coconut refinery, plywood factory and others are privately owned by the governor or are soon to be converted into his property. If not, let him come out clear and publish the share analysis of these companies. Akwa Ibom people deserve to know what the stake of the state in these companies are and how much profit they have so far brought into public purse.
Every right thinking citizen of Akwa Ibom should resist perpetuation of self in office in whatever guise it manifests. If the PDP does not put Udom on check then it will be its worst undoing. Only fools would swallow the governor’s yarn about divine insight and revelation of his successor. Facts show that he had already set up a mechanism to push through his agenda long before coming public to make the announcement. The governor knows how religious our people are, and has been using religion and religious bodies as tools for cohesion.
Perhaps this is why Bishop Cletus Bassey, the General Overseer of Destiny Chapel, during his online program titled “Town Hall: Political Alignment, Elections and Government Preparedness’, alerted the people against falling for politicians who hide behind the Church to impose self serving interest on the people.
According to him, while he was the State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, he had to publicly caution a certain bishop against endorsing a particular aspirant as ‘an anointed’.
“As a Church, we must pray for the emergence of godly leadership, but must allow democratic principles to prevail.” He averred.
In conclusion, the governor can not unilaterally decide who should govern the state under a democratic rule. He is just one man against over 6 million others notwithstanding the paraphernalia of office he enjoys. The real power belongs to God and given to him by the people. Even though it is within his rights to express his desire to hand over to his cousin, yet since we are not operating an aristocratic or monarchy government, his wish can not go unchallenged. It is therefore left for PDP and its leadership to weigh the self-seeking agenda of an outgoing governor against the reality of an impending loss in an open election before deciding to follow Mr. Udom Emmanuel on his wild goose chase.
Akwa Ibom people Enough is Enough! Be wise!