Solomon Johnny
On Tuesday, 13th June; 2023, Akwa Ibom State recorded a great feat when former Governor Godswill Akpabio emerged the tenth President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
That was an outcome of well calculated politics by Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District that even had to jettison zoning while voting just as key players in the race like Rt Hon (Bar) Emmanuel Enoidem, PDP Senatorial candidate, after losing his bid to the red chamber, conceded defeat and would therefore not challenge Chief Akpabio at the Tribunal.
Such precision by the Annangs and rare act of sportsmanship by Enoidem as an individual, spared Chief Akpabio the distraction occasioned by appearances at the Tribunal and made time available for him to lobby and win the top seat.
Akpabio’s victory as President of the tenth Senate is a pride to Akwa Ibom State which perhaps explains why His Excellency, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, dropped his party garb, congratulated and paid a solidarity visit to him on behalf of the government and the good people of the state. That again is rare. The line of politics in Akwa Ibom State (actually from Akpabio’s era) has been such that government and opposition saw no good in each other. They never collaborated for development and the people have always been at a lost.
Pastor Umo Eno just proved the point that politics, party politics and governance can be complimentary instead of being antagonistic, destructive and that the time is ripe to actually build on the foundation of peace and reconciliation that his predecessor, ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel laid.
I have read a number of persons commending Pastor Umo Eno for reaching out and acting differently. What if this is why ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel went for him as his successor from the array of aspirants who jostled to take over from him?
Udom Emmanuel, it can be recalled, had laboured on the podium to talk about peace and reconciliation explaining that development cannot really take place in an environment of rancour. Many threw darts at him. Some picked offence and drew battle line. He held his grounds. The steps that Pastor Eno had taken upon assumption of office, the latest being his embrace of Chief Godswill Akpabio, an Akwa Ibom made Senate President, who ironically stoutly rejected his (Umo Eno) choice as governor, shows God really guided Deacon Emmanuel on his succession path.
Chief Godswill Akpabio, the new Senate President lost the spirit of the moment which was that of peace, unity and reconciliation as a state led by no mean a person than the governor himself.
Chief Godswill Akpabio made comments intended to paint the immediate past governor of the state, Deacon Udom Emmanuel in bad light and advised the new governor not to inherit enemies he did not create. He also created an impression of being slighted by his successor and suggested with subtlety that it will be a bad idea for Pastor Umo Eno to show loyalty to the man who paved the way for him to emerge as governorship candidate of the PDP and waded the haze to make him governor of Akwa Ibom State against strong forces like Senator Bassey Albert and John Udoedehe of the Young Peoples Party, YPP and New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP respectively.
Journalism records history in a hurry and when human faculties are fainted leading to wrong judgement of the past and less appreciation of fact, the press naturally helps to refresh it and thus correct the records. The public should not forget so soon or be cajoled to forget the role that ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel played preserving the good image and name of Chief Godswill Akpabio to become the Senate President.
We may not know exactly what were the issues that led to Gov Udom Emmanuel parting ways with Chief Akpabio. We, however, are witnesses to how Udom Emmanuel, then a sitting governor, completed projects started by his godfather and stoutly resisted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from probing him (Chief Akpabio) over multiple petitions alleging fraud and embezzlement of state resources.
Udom Emmanuel broke the record as the first governor in Nigeria to challenge the powers of the EFCC as a federal agency to investigate state finances just to make sure his boss is safe. How else would a godson show fidelity to a godfather?
Had Udom Emmanuel gone petty, released records and corroborated the EFCC to try and convict Chief Akpabio as intended by his traducers, would an ex convict been elected a Senator to become a Senate President?
If there is one man that should be celebrated in the emergence of Chief Godswill Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate, it is ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel, his godson it seems he still holds in disdain. Udom Emmanuel ensured that his image of a good man remained intact. It does not matter whether Mr Emmanuel supported Akpabio’s Senatorial bid or continued to pay obeisance to him as the man who brought him to power, afterall, the history of Nigeria is replete with how godsons and godfathers relationships have crashed and turned sour. What matters is the maturity which a godson displays to a godfather after their relationship has crashed.
Ex-Governor Emmanuel demonstrated that high level of maturity in dealing with both Akpabio and other past holders of the office including Obong Attah, father of modern Akwa Ibom State. It is too early therefore to use innuendo to create wrong impression about the man who has made Akwa Ibom proud and should be prepared for something big in the future.
On inheriting an enemy in the field of politics, may I say that no one ever succeeded in his ambition except there is a man who incurs enemies on his behalf. Those enemies are not really enemies that should suck blood.
Chief Godswill Akpabio became Governor of Akwa Ibom State through popular struggle after being rejected by Obong Attah and the system in favour of Dr Udoma Ekarika. I am not sure Chief Akpabio has forgiven Obong Attah till date for not adopting him then as his succession plan neither is Obong Attah very happy with Senator John Udoedehe who led the plot that made Akpabio Governor against his son in-law.
Chief Godswill Akpabio later on adopted Governor Udom Emmanuel as his succession plan against his SSG, Obong Umana Okon Umana; his Deputy, Obong Nsima Ekere and I can’t tell whether these two and others who lost out are very happy with him. Somebody must make enemies for others to succeed.
In this year’s poll, Pastor Umo Eno, a relatively unknown figure became the “golden boy” of the era because his leader, Deacon Udom Emmanuel took him as his preferred successor. Udom Emmanuel not only incurred the enmity of Senator Bassey Albert for instance, he incurred the wrath of even his party who felt Eno was yet to invest in the structure like some of the homeboys he shelved. He pleaded and negotiated with power blocs and the public to secure victory for Eno. No one ever succeeded in politics except there are men who either created for themselves or inherited enemies that those they are trying to help have created.
It is equitable, just and fair that we encourage loyalty and discourage those avarice that politicians exhibited and forget so soon how they got to power. I like the smiles that Chief Godswill Akpabio beamed at Governor Umo Eno. I encourage that if he sets out to wine with the “enemy” of his Oga, he hold a very long spoon. There is a plot that he certainly is the target. He will fall a prey if he takes things for granted especially when it has to do with giving out his master to those who think he betrayed them. Pastor Eno must operate on the part of caution, inherit Governor Udom Emmanuel’s “enemies” because whatever killed the father, would like to kill the son so that the bloodline is exterminated.
I congratulate Chief Akpabio on his emergence as Senate President. He worked very hard for it and has capacity to lead the highest legislative Assembly in the land. I love the steps Pastor Umo Eno has taken to blend and balance the politics. He is setting a new order which if properly managed will be to the greater benefits of the state. Everything must be done to ensure that Mr. Udom Emmanuel is not painted in bad light for any reason and that he benefits from his investment in the Umo Eno governorship project.
Udom Emmanuel has a big positive chapter in the Akwa Ibom history yet unwritten. May we not forget so soon and thus join to seek to diminish him. Politics in Nigeria today is played by past governors and as much as we can, we must protect Mr. Emmanuel as a past Governor for future politics and defence.
Solomon Johnny is a journalist and public affairs analyst