•As Mixed reactions trail their ‘Trade by Barter’ alliance
By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo
THE confusion which had enveloped the Akwa Ibom political space following conflicting results declared by the State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) for the council’s Chairmanship seat, in Essien Udim local government, where the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio hails from has been resolved.
Saturday Vanguard reports that the reversal of the result has further cemented what many in Akwa Ibom described as the cordial relationship and alliance between the Senate President and Governor Umo Eno. Some tagged it, Trade by Barter’.
The cordial relationship between Akpabio and Umo Eno was largely unexpected given the bad blood between the governor’s political godfather and his immediate predecessor, Udom Emmanuel and the Senate President. However, that cordiality was one that was set to be tested with the local government election. That trial is one that may have been obviated with the reversal of the election result at the AKSIEC headquarters in Uyo.
Prospect of a rebellion within the PDP ranks in Essien Udim was what led to the meeting held on Wednesday October 9th between Governor Umo Eno and stakeholders of the PDP from the local government area including the candidates in the said LG election held on October 5, 2024.
Governor Umo Eno reportedly placated the PDP candidates in Essien Udim LG in order to let the dust settle over what many see as his personal deal with Akpabio.
And the move has ensured that the tension and controversy that had trailed the outcome of the poll did not escalate. As at the time of filing this report the political atmosphere appeared calm and peaceful after the stakeholders meeting.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that during the meeting which was held at the Government House Uyo, the governor was said to have compensated the aggrieved candidates of his party (PDP) whose victories were reportedly upturned to give victory to the APC in Essien Udim.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that during the stakeholders meeting, aggrieved PDP Chairmanship candidate Enobong Patrick Friday, who is a Civil Engineer was placated with yet to be revealed government patronage.
Also the Vice Chairmanship candidate, Mrs Sussana Nyoyoko as well as Dr Ephraim Okon who recently decamped from Young Progressives Party (YPP) to PDP were appointed as Special Assistants (SAs) to the governor on Grassroots mobilisation.
Eleven other persons, comprising the PDP Councillorship candidates and defectors from opposition parties in Essien Udim LG were also consoled with appointments as Personal Assistants (PAs) to the governor on Grassroots mobilisation, Protocol as well as Domestic Affairs.
The appointments were contained in a statement dated October 9th, 2024 and signed by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prince Enobong Uwah.
The statement read, “The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has approved the appointment of the following persons as Special and Personal Assistants to the governor with effect from October 1, 2024.
“Consequently the appointees are invited to the office of Secretary to the State Government for their appointment letters accordingly”
According to the statement, two children of the most revered political leader and elder in Essien Udim LGA, Chief Michael Afangideh were among those appointed as PAs to the governor.
It was gathered that the 106 year-old political leader and father who was irked by what transpired in his LG, was among the stakeholders invited to the meeting convened by the governor last Wednesday.
This is even as it was reliably gathered that Governor Eno had earlier (on Sunday October 6th) refused to see the centenarian when he went to meet him and probably confront him (governor) for keeping him and his people in the dark over his decision to award the Chairmanship and majority Councillorship positions to the APC for the sake of his relationship with Godswill Akpabio.
Among the governor’s kitchen cabinet members present at the meeting were Secretary to State Government (SSG), Prince Enobong Uwah and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Frank Archibong.
Expectedly, the outcome of the local council poll in Essien Udim provoked emotions among the citizens especially members and supporters of PDP over the political alliance between the governor, Pastor Umo Eno and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Some people feared that the governor’s relationship with Akpabio was risky. Others appeared to agree with the governor that the close relationship with the Senate President was intentional and good for sustaining the existing peace in the state.
Some ardent supporters of the governor however argued that his deal with Akpabio does not mean that the governor has hopes of defecting to the APC as some have been saying.
Those against the alliance wondered why the Essien Udim incident was shrouded in secrecy if it was actually a gentleman’s agreement aimed at saving Akpabio from embarrassment.
They expressly faulted the governor for not consulting chieftains of the PDP before concluding the decision to cede the Essien Udim LG Chairmanship and some Councillorship positions to the APC in the LG polls.
A PDP stakeholder who spoke in confidence said, “For me what happened in Essien Udim LG was not surprising. Some people said it was done to save Akpabio from embarrassment , that the relationship was in the best interest of the state.
“But as far as I am concerned that relationship is too close for comfort. For the governor to make concessions to Akpabio, he is in trouble. I am yet to see how their political alliance has benefitted Akwa Ibom State so far.
“When people talk about peace, we were not enjoying that even during the immediate past administration of Udom Emmanuel. And if this is all about interest, does Governor Umo Eno think that Akpabio will not want to present a governorship candidate for the APC in the 2027 general elections?
“Unless the governor is planning to defect to the APC, which would be the only option for him in 2027. That’s why I’m uncomfortable with whatever is going on between the two of them. You cannot predict Akpabio, I am only concerned”
But former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN) hailed the governor for keeping to his promise to Akwa Ibom people that the local government elections would be free, fair and credible.
He advised that people should only discuss the outcome of the Essien Udim LG poll and Akpabio’s alliance with the governor based on facts and not mere speculations.
Nwoko asserted; “We should be discussing issues based on facts. As for the one local government that the APC won in the LG election in the state, it goes to show the democratic credentials of the governor who had promised Akwa Ibom people a free, fair and credible Local government election.
“Even before the LG election, the governor said he was very aware of the people’s perception regarding his closeness to Senator Godswill Akpabio and, accordingly, sometimes had taken time to explain things and allay fears.
“For instance at the media interaction to mark the state’s 37th creation anniversary in September he had appealed to the citizens especially the PDP members not to continue to misread his body language.
“We are going for the LG election now, and I am working for my party, the PDP. We are campaigning, and we will win. Some people have accused me of my body language. Please don’t misread my body language. I don’t have a body language. I’m working for the PDP, and we have shown the people that we can be trusted” Eno had explained.
On his political alliance with Godswill Akpabio and how the APC alliance would benefit the state, Gov. Eno asserted, “The first thing we get from building this relationship is the peace we are all enjoying. Maybe that’s why some people feel that I am neither here nor there. I am a PDP person, and as a state we will continue to support the party.
“But we must differentiate between party issues and governance issues. I am not raised to be the kind of politician that makes a lot of noise, that goes about insulting people and starts a fight. If we start that, let us not forget that the other party has people that can make that trouble and the state becomes ungovernable and we have issues everywhere.
“Let’s continue to maintain a cordial relationship, let’s continue to respect the people that God has put in charge of us. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Senate President, and I will continue to do so. That does not mean that we don’t disagree when it comes to party issues.
“The truth is, to be the number three citizen in the country is not something you just take for granted. We are blessed as a people and I can tell you that a day will come when I will tell you what this collaboration is doing for us. That is why we collaborate with people”.
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