It is time to play politics. It is another season of intrigues. This time around, even the Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, is being deceived. They’re truly hiding something from him.
Show me a leader worth his title, I will show you a leader who knows exactly what happens around him. Point to a leader who is on ground, that would be a leader whose heart daily meditates on the good of his kingdom. Although leaders are no spirits, they have their foot soldiers on constant errand. They bear their tidings every minute, making their kings the richest in the stories tightly hidden in the dark hearts of men. Indeed, as the Akwa Ibom local government election adds 30 more days to its extended pregnancy, Governor Emmanuel deserves to know what bearers carry in their womb. Perhaps like Prophet Jonah, reluctantly trying hard to pass a message to an uninterested people, I will tell this story to my governor.
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears ‘resurrecting’. The party’s revival may have sprung from a review of its past. It was a party which preached leadership. It was founded on the will of the people. But after veering off track and falling off, the party was flat on the ground, failing in leadership and direction. Of course, human imperfections are not limited to any group of persons. And so it came to pass that they saw their place and made a move towards reconstructing their ‘broken walls of Jerusalem’.
Having made an ‘informal’ promulgation that there must be one elected chair-lady from all the federal constituencies, the party is hell-bent on getting it achieved in the state. As a leader whose ears are closely lapped on the ground, Governor Emmanuel understands how delighted the women folk are. Apart from the PDP granting an official waiver of sundry charges for women aspirants, the governor may have promised to leave a legacy of women inclusion in politics. Set to uphold the 35 per cent affirmative action on women’s participation in politics, Governor Emmanuel is leading by example, having nominated two more women to join his State Executive Council. Dr Glory Edet, the commissioner for agriculture, women affairs and social welfare may be crouching with loads of responsibilities on her tilted shoulders. But supposing she escapes the dangling bar of exit from the State Executive Council, Governor Emmanuel would be having three female commissioners in his renewed cabinate.
Be that as it may, the chairmanship position in the five local government areas of Oro Nation is suffering some corrugated affliction. The politics of selecting a female chairperson is gaining some calculated twists. While some are pushing themselves away from having it on their table, some already know where the actual seat should be, hence if they are yet to tell this story to the governor, a quick narration here could do the magic.
As it is recommended elsewhere, it is required that there must be one local government chair-lady in Oro Nation. But the realities of the political opportunities in the area are best considered. For instance, Okobo Local Government Area is ruled out for the fact that the current deputy speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chief Felicia Bassey, had been a transition chairman for one year before becoming an executive chairman for three years. While Mrs Kenim Onofiok of Udung Uko LGA had been transition chairman for one year and later executive chairman for three years, Dr (Mrs) Mercy Efiong also served as vice chairman for three years.
Again, Mrs Precious Selong of Urue Offong/Oruko had been vice chairman for three years and transition chairman for two and a half years. Stakeholders of Oro Nation however express the view that Urue Offong/Oruko has been most generous with giving women opportunities for leadership. Presently, the vice chairman of Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Council is also a woman in the person of Mrs Jenny Onwineng who by December 2, may have served for three years. The current state officer representing the LGA at the State Executive Council of the party is a woman in person of Mrs Mary Kelvin Bassey, even as the chapter vice chairman of the party, Mrs Eno John, is also a woman. The truth is the LGA has been conscious in giving opportunities to women. The current race having resided in Urue Offong Development Area has the current chairman, Hon Umana Efombruh; a fine gentleman in the person of Surveyor John Isanyedighi and a proven material in grassroots leadership, Mr Chris Ante, among others, fighting for the party’s ticket.
Meanwhile, both in Mbo and Oron LGAs, no woman has ever been at the helm of affairs. While there is a competent woman strongly contesting the post in Mbo LGA, no such contest is currently being experienced in Oron LGA, except a possible change of situation. Also, while stakeholders of Oro Federal Constituency may be right in their assertion that the search for a female chairmanship in the federal constituency should rightly be a contest between Mbo and Oron LGAs, it seems some political factors would drive the sharp knife into the flesh of the matter, taking it away from its place and settling the dust elsewhere.
In Mbo for instance, Barr (Mrs) Makim Antai is contesting the election. Favoured by zoning in Enwang axis with contenders as the current chairman, Mr Asuquo Eyo, Emmanuel Inyang and Mr Mfon Bassey, Barr Makim Antai who contested the last election in 2017 and currently serves as the council secretary, appears most experienced for the top job. Her emergence could rightly balance the equation. Just a wink of support from Governor Udom Emmanuel and his wife Martha is what could make the difference. Unfortunately, it appears some political stumbling blocks are standing tall and waging strong battle to truncate her aspiration. It is surprising how ‘learned’ men lately known for their penchant for unhidden subscription to mediocrity would boldly find an excuse of incompetence in a learned woman. Sadly, they’re plagued with dearth of qualified persons as they have no ‘competent’ woman substitute. The question is, is Governor Emmanuel not ignorant of these ugly developments? If such is being tolerated based on political grounds so as to pull the trigger to an undeserving direction, then the complex paradox of politics needs no further dialysis.
In Oron LGA, a sitting senator, Dr Akon Eyakenyi, is struggling to wriggle out of the contorted political atmosphere. The race is being cordoned by her magic fingers. But this area of interest is highly being contested. Unfortunately, a very simple arithmetic would dislodge the senator’s interest as stakeholders all over Oro Nation would boldly march their separate ways. The race favours Eyotong community which has suffered undue marginalization for complete 21 years. Statistics show that the community is grossly maltreated in terms of sharing of political offices. At least, their recent open letter to Governor Emmanuel on the matter refers. No doubt, any magic attempting to take the chairmanship from them would best be far from human powers. Hence, even if any woman springs out for the contest, she must come from Eyotong community to fly.
Ultimately, politics they say, is a dirty game. Whether its players are clean is not yet known. People try their best to correct mistakes, but when systems come up with an idea, no matter how ugly, it sadly becomes the flying kite. It may not be possible to wrestle with state might, but certain ironies are popping up. There may be anointing here and there. There may be condemnable and demoralizing happenstances. Privileged power brokers may make their boast, shifting their agonies to innocent people. Urue Offong/Oruko may become a victim of this unholy pontificating. The area may today become a waste bin, where vengeful creatures dump their wastes. But the trumpet has to sound. Is this hilltop outpouring synonymous with these fetish stories? How many oaths should politicians take? Does Udom Emmanuel know that men who would fail their community for eight years are gathering at the shrine to elongate their failures? Should we expect a return to Egypt with our cleansing mantra gaggling in our mouths? Politics sure has no meeting point with morality. But isn’t Governor Emmanuel ignorant that ignoble men are exploiting this ‘divine’ blessing to further waxen the thick smokes on our roofs?
