Akpabio’s self deconstruction and Gov. Udom’s right to his destiny
Last week Friday, Obong Godswill Akpabio, a serving senator and his wife Unoma, displayed another ‘uncommon’ act of desperation that was unbecoming of their social standing when they attempted to usurp the official duties of Mrs. Martha Udom, the wife of Governor Emmanuel Udom and First Lady of Akwa Ibom State.
The display took place at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport, during the visit of the Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari to flag-off her “Future Assured Programme.”
It was the duty of the First Lady of the state to welcome Aisha but as her plane taxied to a halt and the door opened, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio emerged from the crowd that gathered to welcome the nation’s First Lady, shoved aside the Governor’s wife and positioned herself to receive Aisha Buhari.
Her action infuriated the security and protocol officers accompanying Mrs. Aisha from Abuja, who ordered that the door of the plane be closed while Aisha Buhari went back inside. The commotion created by the development almost led to a free for all fight by security officers attached to the various interests at the airport. It took about 25 minutes for normalcy to be restored as Mrs. Udom was given her rightful place to receive the First Lady who embraced her on stepping down from the aircraft. Still not satisfied, Unoma cornered Aisha Buhari as she was being escorted by the Governor’s wife and carried out her own illegal ‘welcome ceremony.’
As these unnecessary distractions lasted, Senator Akpabio could be seen a few metres within the crowd ‘supervising’ the inglorious act surrounded by his supporters as many people at the airport booed him and his otherwise amiable wife.
What took place on Friday is not the first time Akpabio, either directly or by proxy, is behaving in a manner that has the potency to undermine the authorities and powers of Governor Emmanuel Udom as well as breach public peace in the state since August 2018 when he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A few weeks ago in November, Akpabio was alleged to have instigated five lawmakers in the state House of Assembly to impeach the Speaker Hon. Onofiok Luke which led to serious crisis with shootings that rocked Uyo, the state capital for minutes. It took the personal intervention of Governor Udom to bring the matter to an end. While the Governor accused Akpabio of masterminding the illegality, Akpabio on the other hand said the Governor was responsible.
In August when he formally decamped to the APC after weeks of speculations, Akpabio accused the PDP of plundering Akwa Ibom State since 1999 when the country returned to civilian rule and asked the people to embrace APC as he was out to take the state to the centre.
But many people mocked Akpabio whom they accused of double speak, having been part the leadership of the PDP and one of the most beneficiaries of whatever PDP is accused of doing in the past 20 years. According to those who commented on the matter, Akpabio was commissioner in Akwa Ibom State for six years under the PDP, was governor of the state for eight years under the PDP and was for more than three years a PDP senator before moving to the APC which put together comes to nearly 18 years that he enjoyed the PDP and hide under its umbrella to acquire stupendous wealth.
Not too long ago, Akpabio attracted serious public rebuke when he likened what would take place in Akwa Ibom during the coming 2019 election to Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939. He was speaking at a funeral mass in Enugu.
Akpabio said, “Recently, I had an occasion in Akwa Ibom State and this is what happened: I went just to make a floor declaration; others do it in the social media, others just sit in their offices, some do it by text messages that they have changed platform, what we call party. But in my own, I just decided to do it in an uncommon way because they call me uncommon transformer.
“It was watched in 59 countries and somebody asked what happened there, and I said just how it happened in Poland. When they asked Hitler’s minister for information about the war in Poland, and he said Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw.
“I will say that in the Ikot-Ekpene arena, when I stepped out, this is my first function after that, Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw. We can’t talk politics in the church but in 2019 Warsaw shall see war and war shall see Warsaw. The return will be victory.” To many Nigerians, this was going too low for a person liike Akpabio.
There is no denying the fact that Godswill Akpabio brought appreciable level of development while he was governor of Akwa Ibom state from 2007 to 2015 through the provision of needed infrastructures like roads, electricity and water, among others. He invested heavily on education and rural transformation as well as empowerment of young people and women. It was because of his performance in office as governor that many people, including this writer has in the past paid glowing tributes to Akpabio. But the senator is gradually but steadily destroying the image he built for himself over the years and in the process, dragging also the name of his otherwise amiable and peace-loving wife Unoma, to the mud. Again, Akpabio has the right to pursue his destiny and in the case of politics, to move to any party of his choice. As a chieftain of now APC, Akpabio is right to canvass support for himself and his party in the coming elections and beyond, but doing that in a manner of do-or-die is to say the least unpatriotic and therefore unfortunate.
Akpabio has no reason to be desperate either for economic or political reasons because he has had the best of time. This was someone that was orphaned at young age and suffered ‘kwashokor’ during the war due to malnutrition but God benevolently showered blessings and mercies upon him, raising him from dust to become one of the most prominent and richest politicians in Nigeria.
Yes, Akpabio contributed in making Emmanuel Udom governor of Akwa Ibom State; and so what? Did Akpabio come into this world as governor? No. was it not someone that appointed him as commissioner, two times? Was it not someone that helped him become governor? And how did he treat his predecessor in office? It is completely off the mark for anyone to claim title of power giver and therefore to be worshipped eternally when they were also made by others.
Akpabio should allow the brilliant young man that is now governor of Akwa Ibom state to work and serve his people without unnecessary distractions as is the case currently. This is because the more Akpabio makes headline news for the wrong reasons, the more speculations continue to spread that he is desperate to impress APC and Abuja in order to hide from prosecution over allegations of dishonest management of Akwa Ibom’s wealth while he was in office as governor; and such thought-lines are not good for him.
On his part, Governor Emmanuel Udom has for the nearly four years of his governorship of Akwa Ibom state proved his competence in leadership and governance by providing quality infrastructure while bringing innovations to existing ones as a proof of his entrepreneurship mind. Testimonies abound in the state of his numerous achievements in all facets of the society. What the Governor needs is to remain both focused and resolute. His eyes should remain on the goal which is bringing more developments to the state as well as prosperity to the people.
While we commend the Governor for maintaining the peace in spite of the many unprovoked attacks, he should know that it is his duty to protect his people as well as pursuing his rights to political uplifting. Constitutionally Udom is entitled to a second term in office and having justified his first four years through outstanding performance, he will have no excuse to give if he allows himself to be intimidated out of his entitlement. Udom should therefore deploy all legal means to consolidate his position so that Akwa Ibom and the people can benefit more from his leadership in the next four years. He has the right also to pursue his destiny.
The display took place at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport, during the visit of the Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari to flag-off her “Future Assured Programme.”
It was the duty of the First Lady of the state to welcome Aisha but as her plane taxied to a halt and the door opened, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio emerged from the crowd that gathered to welcome the nation’s First Lady, shoved aside the Governor’s wife and positioned herself to receive Aisha Buhari.
Her action infuriated the security and protocol officers accompanying Mrs. Aisha from Abuja, who ordered that the door of the plane be closed while Aisha Buhari went back inside. The commotion created by the development almost led to a free for all fight by security officers attached to the various interests at the airport. It took about 25 minutes for normalcy to be restored as Mrs. Udom was given her rightful place to receive the First Lady who embraced her on stepping down from the aircraft. Still not satisfied, Unoma cornered Aisha Buhari as she was being escorted by the Governor’s wife and carried out her own illegal ‘welcome ceremony.’
As these unnecessary distractions lasted, Senator Akpabio could be seen a few metres within the crowd ‘supervising’ the inglorious act surrounded by his supporters as many people at the airport booed him and his otherwise amiable wife.
What took place on Friday is not the first time Akpabio, either directly or by proxy, is behaving in a manner that has the potency to undermine the authorities and powers of Governor Emmanuel Udom as well as breach public peace in the state since August 2018 when he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A few weeks ago in November, Akpabio was alleged to have instigated five lawmakers in the state House of Assembly to impeach the Speaker Hon. Onofiok Luke which led to serious crisis with shootings that rocked Uyo, the state capital for minutes. It took the personal intervention of Governor Udom to bring the matter to an end. While the Governor accused Akpabio of masterminding the illegality, Akpabio on the other hand said the Governor was responsible.
In August when he formally decamped to the APC after weeks of speculations, Akpabio accused the PDP of plundering Akwa Ibom State since 1999 when the country returned to civilian rule and asked the people to embrace APC as he was out to take the state to the centre.
But many people mocked Akpabio whom they accused of double speak, having been part the leadership of the PDP and one of the most beneficiaries of whatever PDP is accused of doing in the past 20 years. According to those who commented on the matter, Akpabio was commissioner in Akwa Ibom State for six years under the PDP, was governor of the state for eight years under the PDP and was for more than three years a PDP senator before moving to the APC which put together comes to nearly 18 years that he enjoyed the PDP and hide under its umbrella to acquire stupendous wealth.
Not too long ago, Akpabio attracted serious public rebuke when he likened what would take place in Akwa Ibom during the coming 2019 election to Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939. He was speaking at a funeral mass in Enugu.
Akpabio said, “Recently, I had an occasion in Akwa Ibom State and this is what happened: I went just to make a floor declaration; others do it in the social media, others just sit in their offices, some do it by text messages that they have changed platform, what we call party. But in my own, I just decided to do it in an uncommon way because they call me uncommon transformer.
“It was watched in 59 countries and somebody asked what happened there, and I said just how it happened in Poland. When they asked Hitler’s minister for information about the war in Poland, and he said Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw.
“I will say that in the Ikot-Ekpene arena, when I stepped out, this is my first function after that, Warsaw saw war and war saw Warsaw. We can’t talk politics in the church but in 2019 Warsaw shall see war and war shall see Warsaw. The return will be victory.” To many Nigerians, this was going too low for a person liike Akpabio.
There is no denying the fact that Godswill Akpabio brought appreciable level of development while he was governor of Akwa Ibom state from 2007 to 2015 through the provision of needed infrastructures like roads, electricity and water, among others. He invested heavily on education and rural transformation as well as empowerment of young people and women. It was because of his performance in office as governor that many people, including this writer has in the past paid glowing tributes to Akpabio. But the senator is gradually but steadily destroying the image he built for himself over the years and in the process, dragging also the name of his otherwise amiable and peace-loving wife Unoma, to the mud. Again, Akpabio has the right to pursue his destiny and in the case of politics, to move to any party of his choice. As a chieftain of now APC, Akpabio is right to canvass support for himself and his party in the coming elections and beyond, but doing that in a manner of do-or-die is to say the least unpatriotic and therefore unfortunate.
Akpabio has no reason to be desperate either for economic or political reasons because he has had the best of time. This was someone that was orphaned at young age and suffered ‘kwashokor’ during the war due to malnutrition but God benevolently showered blessings and mercies upon him, raising him from dust to become one of the most prominent and richest politicians in Nigeria.
Yes, Akpabio contributed in making Emmanuel Udom governor of Akwa Ibom State; and so what? Did Akpabio come into this world as governor? No. was it not someone that appointed him as commissioner, two times? Was it not someone that helped him become governor? And how did he treat his predecessor in office? It is completely off the mark for anyone to claim title of power giver and therefore to be worshipped eternally when they were also made by others.
Akpabio should allow the brilliant young man that is now governor of Akwa Ibom state to work and serve his people without unnecessary distractions as is the case currently. This is because the more Akpabio makes headline news for the wrong reasons, the more speculations continue to spread that he is desperate to impress APC and Abuja in order to hide from prosecution over allegations of dishonest management of Akwa Ibom’s wealth while he was in office as governor; and such thought-lines are not good for him.
On his part, Governor Emmanuel Udom has for the nearly four years of his governorship of Akwa Ibom state proved his competence in leadership and governance by providing quality infrastructure while bringing innovations to existing ones as a proof of his entrepreneurship mind. Testimonies abound in the state of his numerous achievements in all facets of the society. What the Governor needs is to remain both focused and resolute. His eyes should remain on the goal which is bringing more developments to the state as well as prosperity to the people.
While we commend the Governor for maintaining the peace in spite of the many unprovoked attacks, he should know that it is his duty to protect his people as well as pursuing his rights to political uplifting. Constitutionally Udom is entitled to a second term in office and having justified his first four years through outstanding performance, he will have no excuse to give if he allows himself to be intimidated out of his entitlement. Udom should therefore deploy all legal means to consolidate his position so that Akwa Ibom and the people can benefit more from his leadership in the next four years. He has the right also to pursue his destiny.
