The destination is election which handed victory to Governor Akpabio. It is alleged that the election “lacked credibility.” The vote was marred with technical shortcomings, systematic fraud, possible vote tampering and vote inflations in arrears of the state favorable to incumbent Governor.” A fierce battle for the Governorship election in the state is ahead, should the court declare the result of the last Governorship election a nullity.
Trying to fix losers and winners is a daunting task here is why.
AKPABIO ELECTABILITY:
Governor Akpabio’s persona is stiff and patrician and cyber space is full of Akpabio’s awkwardness, subject of withering attack by political pundits. He lost relevance and so has PDP and is in deep political trouble in the event of his second coming.
REMOVAL OF OIL SUBSIDY:
The removal of oil subsidy is in my opinion, the most perilous sentence or potent wounds PDP leaderships has ever inflicted upon the party in addition to its inability to contain the rein of terror by Boko Haram. People living on fix income are bound to be affected disproportionately with those in higher income brackets as a result of the removal of oil subsidy.
But substantial numbers of our electorates are not well informed and voting formula is by collective leadership. How this will impact the votes remains to be seen.
SOME POTENT DEFICIENCIES IN AKPABIO’S LEADERSHIP:
Government riddled with dysfunctionalism and corruption. A subculture of poverty has taken root all over the state - men ignored by government, families destroyed by unemployment, domestic violence, drugs, alcoholism and prostitution. We have rejected the perils of political violence and subculture of poverty, immorality and the leaders who promote them. The social devastation and political ruin brought on the state by Akpabio’s leadership leaves no room for his second coming.
TRIBAL POLITICS:
He uses his political power to do things only for his people with unfulfilled promises to Eket Snatorial District that gave him 100% support. He is an impediment to Eket sons and daughters building a refinery for the people of the state in general and Eket in particular mocking our people as irrelevant. This will be clearly articulated and made a hot button issue in Eket Senatorial District. No one ever brought this issue up not even the so called leaders of Eket during the last election. This time around it’s going to be totally different. He will find a skeptical audience which will not fall for his political rhetoric.
PLAYS GOD:
He plays God. Employs religion as a kind of identification and, easily woes those from religious political tribe like Pastor Bush deviating attention of the faithful from focusing on his resume, skills and domestic agenda. He polarizes voters using ethnicity and clanship. But tribal and sectarian politics as we all know is toxic and destroys nation states and has no place in our scheme of religious and Constitutional values. We expect a feisty campaign replay over his political leadership or contentious new turn in the race for the Governorship. We have emphasized time and again that this is not who we are as a people.
The troubling question however - is there any other candidate that can challenge Akpabio for the win in the event that the election result is overturned by the court?
UDOEDEHE’S ELECTABILITY:
Udoedeh’s electoral advantage in my opinion is sociological.
His common man working class sensitivity is highly appealable to a state whose majority of the populace are common working families. These attribute diminishes Akpabio’s political family and nobles’ calling card who taunted him as former “ Washington state cab driver.” Such put down was totally unacceptable for self made men. He might have offered a viable political alternative. But his fundamental problem is partisan and ideological.
AKPABIO – UDOEDEHE’S ODYSSEY:
Both share distrust and hatred for each other. Violence has become the staple of state politics of their legacy. The level of hostility between Akpabio and Udoedehe is clearly evidenced by the number of violent incidents during the past two years. The horrific images of charred property and bodies at Ikot Ekpene and Uyo transfixed the nation, the state and the world. The incidents could have escalated into a major tribal war but for God’s grace and the patience of our people. This highlights the problems facing Udoehe’s candidacy and makes both unfit for the office. The security of lives and property remain tenuous. Instead of becoming a donor state modeled for development we have been divided by these two rivalries.
As long as they occupy the center stage of our political lives, violent confrontation can very easily flare up and engulf the state in flames at any time.
The state citizens are divided by these two rivalries who are not interested in any reconciliation. None of them has ever proposed a dialogue nor intend to reconcile –showing an intractable positions, mutual distrust and confrontational attitude which our people cannot afford. They are not pursuing peace, unity and democracy.
Thus, forum warriors waging a battle for these two candidates must redirect their focus. If there is ACN alternative that might help ACN but with the image of Udoedehe still on the focus, winning the state is a losing proposition primarily because, you are trying to wipe clean a blood stained record when memories are still fresh and that is not going to be easy.
There is no distinction between Akpabio and Udoedehe. Both share same violent past, deceptive practices and confusion/conflict politics. Therefore, both of them must exit the political stage.
RECAP:
EKET SENATORIAL DISTRICT :
With Akpabio’s razor thin record in Eket Constituency he is history.
Serialized chronicle of abuses of political power, kidnappings, murders, robberies and his failure to fulfill his campaign promises to Eket Senatorial District makes his second coming of limited or no appeal on his record to our people.
UYO SENATORIAL DISTRICT :
Akpabio has a very limited or no appeal to Uyo Senatorial District either. However, some political leaderships of Uyo Senatorial District cannot be trusted at all. They are exceedingly corrupt and will do anything for money.
They are full of traitors, are selfish and will betray the general cause by accepting bribes and gifts from Akpabio Administration. It is difficult to predict leaders who can do anything for money.
THE DEATH OF PDP AS A RULING PARTY:
The end of subsidy that had kept the fuel prices down for decades in a country where majority of the population are financially strapped, sectarian tension is at its heights, coupled with a staggering unemployment rate is an unconscionable act which Nigerians should peacefully resist with their last blood. Nigerians with no jobs cannot now afford to pay transport fare to look for a job. This is going to lead to increase in crimes and other evils too numerous to lists.
Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that the intended beneficiaries of the proceeds from the subsidy removal are not average Nigerian citizens but the ethically bankrupt government leaders. Already petroleum prices have spiraled out of control in the state and the entire nation. The increase in transport fare has paralyzed commerce because Nigerians cannot match the increase in fare with their income.
On this record, no rational human being can support a party that has done this to our people. Therefore, PDP and Goodluck must be ousted by mass but peaceful protests. Governor Akpabio must be voted out of office.
I find that the only way forward absent a new political party is for the people of the state to join Congress for Progressive Change under Buhari’s leadership. We must leave these two battle ridden leaders who hate each other with a passion, are deeply suspicious of each other -intractable adversaries Senator Udoedehe and Governor Akpabio and their scratch head party alone if the election result is overturned.
If you contend otherwise, present your argument and not name calling or unwarranted insult.
Dr. Oduok.
Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Oduok,
as the Bible would say, "these things have been revealed to you not by flesh and blood".
For a very long time now, I and a lot of well meaning citizens have been thinking on the same wave length, and I am glad you also see the point.
The only variance being that I do not believe the solution to our problems lies within a political party of whatever name. The fact that CPC has a holy mallam Buhari as their presidential candidate, does not mean there are no demons and crooks taking up other very sensitive possitions within the party.
Take ACN for instance, they have quite a number of perfoming governors, does that mean if Ribadu had been President he would have fared better? The truth is that there is no barometer to determine when a good person joins a party and when a bad one does. They will not always look like Obasanjo. Wait untill Johnathan is unveild.
I assure you that if Tommorrow CPC hakes hold of the Hiltop Mansion, the same names you hear today, will resurface. They just redistribute themselves, old wine in new skin. They all see politics as a carreer. You ask a woman today what does your husband do? and she replies, he is a politician! And in truth he has never done anything in life, just a soldier of fortune.
The key to a turn around in our political fortunes is not in any political party but the person .
My take; let's critically asses those who come out to represent us and be bold to tell them like you have done here. Dear Sir, YOU ARE NOT FIT TO LEAD US. NEXT Person please.
Anthony Ebuk
Uyo
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