Note to President Jonathan on Akwa Ibom State

Ordinarily, this should be a season of celebration for us. In the last few weeks, God has, through men of like conscience, won some battles we have been fighting, through objective arguments and principled advocacy, for us. First, the battle for members of our dear party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), especially its Northern elements, to see reasons our brother, our friend, President Goodluck Jonathan, should be returned for a second term. Second, the battle to respect equity, justice, fair play, constitutional provision and zone the govern
orship of our state, Akwa Ibom, to Eket Senatorial District. We are, however, sad that the most basic foundation to see to it that the winning of those battles is sustained has been trampled upon. So, instead of clinging glasses, we pick our weapon of advocacy once again. This time, as in other times, we address Your Excellency, our party leader, Mr. President, once again, on happenings in our party with particular reference to Akwa Ibom State. A state you love so much, going by your record visits to commission every project of worth by your beloved “performing” Governor Godswill Akpabio. In writing to Your Excellency, we pay tribute to you, as a man who, has, through the years, kept faith with qualities of humility, comportment, simplicity, kindness, compassion and focus. You are also known to have the greatest respect for the rules of logic, clear thinking and have been objective in your focused leadership. People also know you to abhor injustice and promote equity and fair play. Others who know you can swear that money cannot change you since you have always been a modest person, who is not carried away by the vagaries and vanities of materialism. Mr. President, we give this background to your person because it is in the background of your character that we will find solace and get justice. The majority of party men and elders in Akwa Ibom State in extension. As you are already aware, on Saturday, November 1, 2014, Ward Congresses were held nationwide to elect three (3) ad-hoc delegatesper ward for the purpose of convoking the electoral collegesfor the upcoming primaries of our great party. In Akwa Ibom State, the conduct of the exercise was a great dent on the image of our great party, as the best, most sought after and popular party in Nigeria, nay Africa.
We also pride our party, as the best in organisation, the party of the people, not that of one man; and the party that promotes transparency, justice, equity and fair play. On that day, all these traits and characteristic qualities of our party were thrown to the wind – in actual fact, to the dogs. In the first place, the Special Electoral Panel for the conduct of the congress, led by TarabaState-born Senator Abdulazeez Ibrahim, were reportedly flown into Uyo in a private jet sent to convey them by Governor Godswill Akpabio. This same jet is reported to have conveyed them back to Abuja after the (mis)conduct of the exercise but this time, with two extra passengers, OtuekongIdongesit Nkanga, campaign manager of one of the gubernatorial aspirants, said to be the “anointed” of the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, and Obong Paul Ekpo, the state party chairman, who is a known apologist of the governor. The panel members were taken from the airport to Government House where they were held up and incommunicado, in guest houses provided for them there. When the panel chair eventually spoke to one of our respected elders, Atuekong Don Etiebet, the next day, he made all of us to sit at the party headquarters for over five hours, waiting for him to come and dispatch election materials in the view of all. At first, the gathering was resisted and almost scattered by the police commissioner but we insisted on staying to see materials served returning officers. When the panel eventually came, there were no apologies; they showed no respect to us and carried on like people who were sent on a mission to do the governor’s bidding. He distributed what we later found were fake materials without listening to our complaints that to carry out that exercise at 3pm was to make it liable to distortion, hijack, injustice and non-transparent. In the brown envelop distributed, there was a list of contestants (inconsistent with those who actually paid their N5,000 to purchase the form) and a list of three (3) members, who were supposed to be declared by the returning officers. All the three (3) on that list are known to be members of the Akwa Ibom Consolidation Alliance, ACA, the government-owned campaign organ for Mr. Udom Emmanuel. Please, note that at the inauguration of ACA, the deputy governor, the governor’s wife, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the state party chairman, all attended and spoke, same way they all attended (except the state chairman, this time in abeyance to the ban by our great party) when ACA organised a state declaration for Mr. Udom Emmanuel. Most of us have toiled to get the party to where it is. We are not saying our views should be law in the party. We are saying our views should be heard, our cries listened to and our worries addressed. What are our cries? What are our worries?
We see the complete devaluation of our party and its electoral value the moment our right to freely choose those who should govern us is taken away. Part of the reason for the continued impunity in the land and the sheer disrespect with which our people have been treated over the years is the illegitimacy of most of our political office holders.Those who do not owe the people cannot feel obliged to them. In our party, especially at the state level, it has always been a case of one man, lording over the majority, emasculating perpetually oppressed and depressed members always.
We have always been touted, as a party described by people as a gathering of politicians whose only binding force is power and money. Our people are made to believe that so much of their commonwealth have been paid to your court and to our party leaders in Abuja, in exchange of the power sought for Mr. Udom Emmanuel. We do not believe so – and we have our reasons. First, as said earlier, you are not one to be bought. Second, you are a change agent, who wants a change from what we are already known for. Third, you are our president, one above being in the pocket of governors. On third reason, we, however, have a reservation, which we want to draw your attention to: At a church service a day after you left Akwa Ibom, our dear governor’s wife had this to say: “If God is pleased with his son, Chief Godswill Akpabio, with what he is doing in Akwa Ibom State, why then are people troubling him? Please, people should leave Governor Akpabio alone – o! Because he is no longer in our league; he has handed over the government of the state to the commissioners, local government chairmen, state and National Assembly members, women and youths of the state. He is no more in the league of governors or senators but in the presidential league and such glory can only come from God Almighty.” We hope our governor’s membership of the league of presidents has absolutely nothing to do with the process to install a governor for us through the manipulative, dubious and unpopular means of imposition. We know you too well to be a friend of Akwa Ibom State. Because you love us so well, we believe you will preserve the sanctity of the process of elections in our great party and also do all within your power to make the process transparent and open. May God continue to bless and keep you in good health to manage our democracy to its utmost height. Amen.