WHY YOU WILL NOT BE OUR GOVERNOR.

By Dr Sam Etuk

*WE are tired of ungubernatorial speeches

For weeks I have been contemplating writing this letter, but discarded the idea 12 times. But since Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka says that, ‘The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny’.-The Man Died (New York: Harper & Row, 1972- p. 13), I think I have seen enough tyrannies to force me to speak up because I don’t want to die. Yes it is not in my character to die as a coward, though all of us in Akwa Ibom State are being forced to take that option, we should see and speak not. When you speak friends desert you and declare you a no go area, some even blackmail you for pittance just to satisfy their bandwagon fear of the unknown, but I will opt out of the spineless crowd and differ from such idiosyncrasy, because I know cowardice is a devastating weakness, for the sake of myself, my Children and their future, I will speak up today, I don’t need any supporter. The truth must be told. I have not compromised my integrity, no not yet not within the labyrinth of lies and confusion, elevated by threats and stock piling of ammunition for their perceived craving for power.

For weeks I have been contemplating writing this letter, but discarded the idea 12 times. But since Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka says that, ‘The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny’.-The Man Died (New York: Harper & Row, 1972- p. 13), I think I have seen enough tyrannies to force me to speak up because I don’t want to die. Yes it is not in my character to die as a coward, though all of us in Akwa Ibom State are being forced to take that option, we should see and speak not. When you speak friends desert you and declare you a no go area, some even blackmail you for pittance just to satisfy their bandwagon fear of the unknown, but I will opt out of the spineless crowd and differ from such idiosyncrasy, because I know cowardice is a devastating weakness, for the sake of myself, my Children and their future, I will speak up today, I don’t need any supporter. The truth must be told. I have not compromised my integrity, no not yet not within the labyrinth of lies and confusion, elevated by threats and stock piling of ammunition for their perceived craving for power.

In the past months, I have had to defend some gubernatorial aspirants from Akwa Ibom State, who are angling for the 2015 ticket before my very cerebral children. They believe venturing into politics in our clime is a waste of time, they are not interested in the dubious financial gains, because  they believe their parents’ antecedent is worth dying for or protecting forever. They are always proud and keep reminding me of their great grand Uncle cum father, Sampson Udo Etuk, the Ibibio Union icon, who denied himself overseas scholarship, whereas he was in charge of the funds and administration of the educational award, to allow others, who did not have the wherewithal like him to proceed abroad under the scholarship scheme to further their education, why he sponsored himself and later his children.

Today’s politicians would rather pilfer the money to build mansions for themselves and their siblings, and rape the society of such a great opportunity. The likes of Sampson Udo Etuk have long gone; even his colleagues at that time were very   much undecided about issues that favoured others. One is proud to be chiseled out from such honoured and celebrated stock. These kids   yearn to keep the legacy.

 

I read Assam Assam’s letter to Udom Emmanuel with stoic calmness that was why I chose to read it around midnightor about 30 minutes past midnight. I needed that kind of a serene environment to enable me digest the letter and perfectly decipher what he was trying to convey, knowing that “The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism”-Wole Soyinka.

I know he wrote it and did not need to pay a letter writer to do it for him. He may be a cantankerous person as his critics claim including Udom Emmanuel, but  he  intelligently marshaled out his points, forget his so called antecedence, but his language were civil, although he flew off the handle in few places, it was logical. He did not dissipate his energy trying to lie to tell the truth or malign personalities, he focused on issues of import.

 

Days after, my loquacious human right activist colleague, Clifford Thomas woke me up from my sleep and dropped a printed version of the Udom Emmanuel’s reply on my lap. I was not disappointed because as most replies (advertorials) from the Akwa Ibom State present government connote, so many innuendoes were used to convey his message.

Although Udom made his points, such submissions were beclouded by the personal attacks on Assam, which made the letter amateurish. The art of discrediting your adversary before correcting any perceived cuff could work in a court room, but Udom can bear me witness that as a boardroom player that he is like me, it is usually counterproductive rather bare facts and truth work. Udom disappointed me and others of that class. He might have made his point but it was not very convincing for a man who hopes to rule us. Politics is a different ball game, one slip can affect the mindset of your supporters, forget about the executive rascality which is a Nigeria power fort, but when the time comes, the true supporters will be revealed based on your words.

While contemplating writing this letter I stumbled on my friend, Fani Kayode’s article and this quote attracted me: ‘”why should we speak out? Why should we bother? What difference will it make? Why should we risk our lives? Why should we swim against the tide? Why should we bother fighting against the government or the authorities because we can never win?” These are deep and difficult questions but thankfully Dante Alighieri provided the answer to some of them when he wrote that ”the hottest place in hell is reserved for those that remain neutral in times of great moral crisis”. This is not only true but it is also deeply profound.’

It emboldens me and I just let off a wry laughter because most of us have been hounded into the pit, and our mind is seared, without feelings. Those who perpetrated the 2010 hideous crimes are still around- The threesome. Therefore when those mean men arrogantly want to break every bone to triumph in a democratic set up, don’t forget we had been watching your back for years.

The office of a governor is respectable and should be treated as such. No amount of provocation should make a respected governor lower his esteemed position because he wants to trade words with a mad man on the street or show the public that he also has guts. Such brash bravery is not expected from anyone who aspires to such an office, this is why like many respected Akwa Ibom people, I am disappointed. The diatribe is a reflection of what we should expect if any of such ilks becomes our governor. I also wonder what we mean by backdoor even the one expressed by our governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio was vaguely presented and if one reads meaning to it now, stones will start flying from all cylinders including the unintelligent passersby. This is one area we have not defined as we try to reinvent the story of Absalom. This is why we should succinctly present it before I write my own definition, which I have the journalistic license to do because for two good years I studied interpretative reporting, before they start accusing me of quoting Absalom, sorry backdoor out of context. Also I have THE POETIC LICENSE to be vague too. The Bible has been so battered by our claims to Christianity and respect for God, yet our actions do not portray the character of godly people. Perhaps, it is the religious titles that get our head swollen. According to the forerunner of Christianity, Jesus, the Christ, FORGIVENESS is a virtue in Christian living. It is highly desirable –even the Lord’s Prayer that we invoke on ourselves daily teaches us the right thing to do- “Forgive me my sins as I forgive those who sin against me.” Therefore it means if I don’t forgive others I will not be forgiven. God did not place this conditionality on us, we did it by ourselves by invoking it anytime we pray and should be responsible for it.

Mark my words our impetuous braveness will not make us governor of Akwa Ibom State nor claims which are underlined by lies. The Ibibio Elders Forum, once said to be a campaign team of a guber aspirant and not recognized by government as a reputable organization (advertorial signed by government appointees on behalf of the government stated this clearly) despite its founding father being late Dr Clement Nnyong Isong, our quintessential former CBN governor and civilian governor of then Cross River State, is now being used by aspirants to pep up their political profiling and their media touts resorting to blackmailing the group of those distinguished and accomplished elders, whose ages range from 55 to 90 years. A stone that was rejected….. Why claim an endorsement that has not happen,  the same Elders Council also hosted other aspirants and none turn around to claim, we’ve been endorsed by Ibibio Elders Forum.

Don’t let me say more. Once again accept my compliment and sincere gratitude for expressing your interest in contesting to serve us, but desist from insulting our sensibility, as more letters are coming from my stable in the near future.

Sincerely

Sam Inyang  Etuk

Akpabio’s 2015 Shenanigans: Overrules His EXCO, Eliminates Effiong Abia from Endorsement.

 

*Dangles SSG Position on Bassey Albert 

By Weekly Insight Newspapers

Governor Godswill Akpabio has again dipped deep into his bag of tricks and shenanigans, overruling his executive council barely 24 hours after he had made them sign an unprecedented endorsement document on who should be governor in 2015. On Tuesday, February 25, 2014, Akpabio called another meeting of his Executive council, where he informed them that the three candidates they had endorsed were too many. 

 

He said it was important to further narrow the choice to two candidates to make room for a better choice and a more effective coordination. He told them that Effiong Abia should be delisted leaving the battle for Udom Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Ntekim. As would be expected, there was no challenge to the governor’s decision, though coming just a day after he had led the exco members to select the trio of Udom, Abia and Ntekim.

Our source, a commissioner who attended the meeting said the entire proceeding was dominated by the governor, who continuously boasted that no power anywhere in the world can stop him from having his way as far as the 2015 governorship election was concerned. He said that he had the magic wand to buy over supporters of other aspirants not favoured by the Exco arrangement. He told them that even if it means using the state’s six months allocation to achieve his purpose, he was willing and committed to doing it. He said he has so far commenced the process of buying other aspirants’ supporters with the number of PRADO Jeeps already distributed, adding that more jeeps and millions of naira would be dangled before some of the aggrieved party members.

“His Excellency boasted that with the amount of inroad he has made in Abuja; that not even the national chairman nor the president of the country could stop his choice and urged us not to entertain any fear of defeat”, the commissioner said.

He was said to have pressured his Finance commissioner to drop his governorship ambition and support the preferred candidates. He was promised the office of SSG after the election. This was as a result of the commissioner’s refusal to sign the Monday night endorsement document in a meeting coordinated by Mr. Don Etim, regarded as the “Dean of Commissioner”.

This will be a major blow to supporters of Barr Effiong Abia, who had been upbeat since the signing of the endorsement document that included his name. His upcoming thanksgiving service in Oron next week has received a wide boost following the said endorsement. But one of the supporters of the Mbo-born politician insists that whatever the governor or any person is doing cannot change what God has already kept for Abia.

The elimination of Abia from the list is a surprise move by Akpabio, prompting many to assume that the governor has not still made his final moves. One Edet Amba, who spoke to Weekend Insight, insists that Abia remained the governor’s choice, adding that all the necessary assurances have been extricated from the governor.

–Weekly Insight Newspapers

The Road to 2015 Election: Beyond the Ring of Entitlement…

CONCERNED CITIZENS of AKWA IBOM STATE 

GLOBAL DIASPORA

United States of America (U.S.A.) 

(586) 260-7506

ccain.ccain@gmail.com

 

Dateline USA

Press Release

 

08 20 2013 

 

The Road to 2015

Beyond the Ring of Entitlement…

 

To close the sell, you must knock on doors and ask for the order……

 

For decades, the only emissions out of Akwa Ibom Atlantic coast line communities have been that of hydrocarbon polluting the air from producing oil wells and associated economic activities.

And yes, today, these communities (geo-politically referred to as “Eket Senatorial District” <ESD>), hold much promise for the future of Akwa Ibom State, just as it did in the past in providing Akwa Ibom with a formidable patriot and champion of good in the person of Sir Justice Udo Udoma.

 

We the Concerned Citizens of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria (CCAIN) see no dearth of leadership capacity within “Eket Senatorial District”, and so we support the quest of the district towards winning the governorship election and assuming the mantle of gubernatorial leadership in Akwa Ibom State come 2015.

 

However, recent emissions out of persons and groups purportedly representing “Eket Senatorial District” is clouded with the stench of “affirmative action” and/or “quota system”, often weak in considering excellence as a selection criteria.

 

It must be in the tactics, because we in CCAIN are certain “Eket Senatorial District” have sophisticated minds and the district extend well beyond the “Ekid” communities that have just issued a rather boring, weak, and whining communique out of the just concluded AKISAN National Convention <albeit they characterize their occasion as some International Summit>.

“Eket Senatorial District” includes Oro and MkpatAbasi communities and we encourage all from these communities to come forth with the quality of advocacy that is worthy and will assure gubernatorial election victory on the road to 2015.

We trust that “Eket Senatorial District” will return with a communique that goes beyond the ring of entitlement, to substantive value proposition; a communique that pivots away from the “Justice” mantra, to presenting a candidate with a pedigree of justice, fairness, and a heart that seeks equity for all Akwa Ibom communities.

Politics has never been about “Justice”, it has always been about substance, reason, and emotion; 

And of course in Akwa Ibom State, forced outcome through murders, kidnappings, ballot box high jacking, election rigging, and bribing of election workers and judges.

So, what lies on the road to 2015?!

 

Appealing to Godswill Obot Akpbio (a person whom when one looks at his face, one sees the Tin-Can face of a Tin-God, a Tyrant Cannibal; one sees on his face murders, kidnappings, looted Akwa Ibom treasury, profligacy, and a bitten finger that fed him stuck in his fat mouth. Many substantive Akwaibomites have no interest in looking at his face and so boycott events with Akpabio in attendance…), is the first sign the signatories to afore mentioned “Ekid” communique need to STOP, for they appeal to instincts that will return Akwa Ibom State to those dark days of murders, kidnappings, ballot box high jacking, election rigging, and bribing of election workers and judges.

Didn’t same Godswill Akpabio invade CRARN in Esit Eket and drove Sam Itauma into exile? Didn’t same Godswill Akpabio shut down all efforts at employment of Eket people through stifling Amakpe Refinery out of Eket?? Didn’t same Godswill Akpabio violate Ekpotu and Nsima Ekere of Ikot Abasi??? 

OK! He favored his family’s historical allies in Eket!!….is that what this empty and whining communique is all about in the name of the good people of “Eket Senatorial District”?!

 

In appealing to Godswill Akpabio, you tacitly become an accomplice in the evil, intimidations, kidnappings, murders, and profligacy visited upon ‘Eket Senatorial District” and Akwa Ibom State by this evil faced and evil hearted person. 

Godswill Akpabio knows he is despised for the blood on his hands and no litany of Attah initiated projects nor claim of credit for other people’s ideas will absolve him of accountability.

Alright we have seen those videos on “urban Renovation”, but so what! We have also seen the flooded-out school in Ikot Ibiok Eket! Now where is the “First in Africa” Jacked up drainage system?!

Ikot Ibiok Girls School in Eket is more representative of Akwa Ibom beyond the paint-up window dressing along the main thoroughfares. Akwa Ibom is all adorned in con; Iyayake!

That is why we need a credible “Eket Senatorial District” candidate that trusts in the power of democracy and the people’s vote, not in Akpabio’s pronouncements and election rigging.

 

Recently, some individual shared the postulate that “Politics in Akwa Ibom had since moved on”;

Question is: moved on to where?!

We in CCAIN see a tendency to move Akwa Ibom Politics back to the very dark days…it is such tendency that enable “Justice” mantra and clamor for entitlements. An overload on entitlement and emotional appeal is only begging for more of the same Akwa Ibom politics of forced outcome through murders, kidnappings, ballot box high jacking, rigging, and bribing of election workers and judges.

Is this what lies on the road to 2015?!

 

Modeling Mugabe of all people?!

“Quoting Robert Mugabe, the retired senator said that for Eket Senatorial District, “the 2015 gubernatorial election is a life and death issue.” – Samuel Essien

PEOPLE, REALLY?!

 

“You in the Diaspora must act and write open letters. Write to the leadership of PDP in Akwa Ibom. Write to Governor Godswill O. Akpabio. Write to President Goodluck Jonathan. Write to Alhaji Bamaga Tukur. Write to Chief Tony Anenih. Write to all stalwarts of PDP on this all important and weighty subject.”- Samuel Essien

 

Oh no! This is simply pitiful and somewhat desperate.

Please dear ESD people do not heed the Retired Senator Etang Umoyo’s advice.

And do not, repeat, do not bring Zimbabwe ZANU-PF style strife to Akwa Ibom State; it’s very bloody.

 

There is a better way….

The cry for “Justice” is a flawed tactic……..

We in CCAIN therefore urge a return to a campaign of “Substance, Reason, and Emotion” by every constitutionally qualified Akwa Ibom State citizen. 

 

We in CCAIN urge Akwa Ibom citizens to remain resolute and resilient in our commitment to winning the future for Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, a future devoid of insecurity, a future strengthened by our rich diversity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation.

 

On Zoning and how we select our leaders:

In Akwa Ibom State there are families and blood lines that have been historical beneficiaries of community goodwill, but have retuned to claim dominion over those who sponsored and enabled their prominence.

These families and persons thereof come under the pretext of wishing to give back to the people of Akwa Ibom State, they talk “POSITIVE ANGER!” but turn around to remain perpetual leaches, plundering Akwa Ibom common wealth whenever they have the opportunity. 

 

It is important that you know this and reject any future derivatives from these families that have demonstrated they are not good for Akwa Ibom State.

 

As we look for leaders, 

Akwa Ibom must reject the tendency towards leaders with potential of further fragmenting Akwa Ibom communities. 

Akwa Ibom must reject candidates from communities with deep seated historical grievances that eat away at them and manifest in over compensation and shear evil while in government. 

 

To ignore these facts, is to extend the days of murders, kidnappings, mayhem, and fear.

The one thing Akwa Ibom must never do again is select her leaders out of a stock that come with grievance against Akwa Ibom people. They have consistently come with scourge earth agendas and vengeance.

 

And to those that insist on zoning –

Zoning arrangement within PDP political party is not an “Akwa Ibom State Policy”. 

Zoning is not in Akwa Ibom State governing laws.

So if PDP party agreed to a rotating representation schedule, that is fine and should be honored within the Party; an agreement is an agreement and carries TRUST as an inherent element. 

 

But if a candidate is outside the PDP party, he or she should be free to go out and persuade the electorate (that is if such a person has the resource and political platform).

 

A fundamental question to ask is: what is the expectation when an Uyo person is Governor?! 

Develop Uyo only? Take turn in emptying Akwa Ibom treasury?? Benefit only folks from Uyo senatorial district??? Appoint, employ, and favor only family members and persons from Uyo????

 

If the answer to above questions is YES, then alright, there is value in the rotations and entitlements.

 

But if ultimately we expect a Governor to serve the entire Akwa Ibom State equitably, then the zoning logic is confounding. It would not appear to matter where the person originates from!

Zoning seam simply an exercise at appeasement; just so that an Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, or Eket person may earn bragging rights that their neighborhood person governed Akwa Ibom State (competent or not). 

 

Affirmative actions (zoning, quota, etc) have always bred a sense of entitlement and the mockery of diminished performance. 

 

Socio-Politically, affirmative action endorsements may seek to solve one problem, but they generate yet other conflicts and concerns. 

So invariably, the TRUST problem remains. Some one somewhere will always complain!

 

The populist candidate goes to every constituency and persuade since there are no guarantees; the populist candidate then must demonstrate why he or she is the best for every constituency or be sufficiently charismatic to appeal to all or the majority.

Oh! How naïve we are…in Akwa Ibom State votes do not matter…. Leaders get APPOINTED and names get crossed out and written in….well then… may be the whiners are on the right road to 2015!

 

Zoning we characterize as an unsustainable socio-political model; it has the potential of exacerbating divisions to a point that there will be outright conflict if a group strongly feels marginalized; it stifles competency and suppresses the emergence of “best candidates”.

 

Flawed processes consistently yield flawed or substandard outcomes.

 

We at CCAIN urge Akwa Ibom to promote processes that lead to the emergence of “best candidates”, over affirmative action candidates.

 

CCAIN wishes Akwa Ibom State a safe journey on the road to 2015.

 

CCAIN Can…

 

Obong E. Umana

@ObongandI on Twitter

for CCAIN Board of Directors

 

About CCAIN: 

 

Who We Are

 

Concerned Citizens of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria (doing business as CCAIN) –

CCAIN is a Not For Profit US Corporation (a MEMBERSHIP organization) dedicated to advocacy for Public Safety, Good Governance, and Economic Empowerment in Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria in particular. 

 

We are citizens and residents of the United States of America. All of us are working professionals while some are small business owners. Our common bond is that we are all originally from Akwa Ibom State (one of the states in the Petroleum oil producing Niger Delta region of Nigeria) who, at different times, migrated to the United States. All of us are strong advocates for a better Nigeria through effective leadership, guided by the rule of law and the principles of participatory democracy. 

 

By Obong Umana