He was a career civil servant before Arch Obong Victor Attah, Akwa Ibom Governor (1999-2007) appointed him into his Executive Council as Finance Commissioner. He did well and succeeded in that enviable position upon the transition of government from Attah to Akpabio, the later found him fit to serve the state in the capacity of the Secretary to State Government. He secretize the first term with the Governor and he continued in Akpabio’s second term. But this time, he saw power and he allowed it swallow him.
Umana’s relationship with Akpabio is alleged to have turned soar when his over bearing influence in institutions of the state and even among his colleagues in the state Exco created ripples and anger in the state. Unfortunately the ex-commissioner never saw it coming. He was swallowed in the euphoria of his actions. Today, he has been booted out of office unceremoniously thereby creating history as the first Secretary to State Government of the 26 year old state to be sacked unceremoniously. He was short from being arrested, a source in the SSG’s office alleged.
Where is Sir Emem Akpabio
Akpabio’s kinsman Sir Emem Akpabio was one of the best friends of Obong Umana Umana when the later commanded the seat of SSG. Infact most of the stunts Umana pulled was said to have be in symbiosis with the shell man. One is yet to see the contents of the action of Sir Emem Akpabio after Obong Umana’s exit. Are they still best of friends? Did Sir Emem know what was going to happen before it did? Can we believe that Emem Akpabio is happy or not happy? Let him continue his friendship with the ex-SSG it’s a suggestion.
News Analysis:
Is Udom Umana’s script?
There have been lots of insinuations, lots of stories, lots of opinions, some written and some unwritten on the recent sacking of Obong Umana Umana from the position of the secretary to state government. The state governor Godswill AKpabiop after the hurricane hit on Umana had announced the appointment of Mr. Udom Emmanuel a director in Zenith Bank as the new SSG. His swearing in was amidst pomp and pageantry.
But he has a question tag on his back. Mr. Udom Emmanuel is alleged to be the man who wanted Bassey Albert, finance commissioner’s job not quite long ago.
It is alleged that the dethroned SSG Obong Umana Umana had in the wake of the recent cabinet reshuffle in the state brought in Mr. Udom to be made a commissioner for finance. The plot a source said was to ensure that Bassey Albert is send packing while Udom steps in. A competent source from the Uyo Hiltop mansion and another from Obong Umana’s camp had informed THE INK that Udom Emmanuel was lodged at the Le Meridien Hotel.
The information is said to have leaked to the first lady Ekaete Unoma Akpabio who rose swiftly to arrest the situation. Mrs. Akpabio is said to have queried the rationale behind the attempt to sack Bassey Albert by Obong Umana.
Umana’s camp is said to have responded that Mr. Udom won’t be made the commissioner for finance but that of Economic Development. Our source speaking further added that sensing that the excuses were lies and apparently uncomfortable with the submissions from UOU’s loyalists, Unoma Akpabio is said to have warned that Bassey Albert should not be touched. An insider hinted that with the position of the state’s first lady expressed with full amount of authority, Umana’s alleged attempt to sack Bassey from the state exco and or dislodged him from the Ministry of Finance had collapsed abysmally and Udom Emmanuel had to return to his base, he failed to land the finance commissionership job. And about a month later, he benefitted from the sack of Obong Umana and assumed the thrown out SSG’s position.
What poudits are however thinking is whether Udom Emmanuel is coming to be the eyes and ears of Obong Umana. Their closeness a source said dates years ago and it is very likely that the new SSG will seek respect from the immediate past in exchange for the prize of loyalty which he has to pay. At this stage it will be apt to think that even though Umana’s role in bringing Udom closer to the corridors of power is high, Udom will have to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that he is coming to serve Akwa Ibom State and not Obong Umana Umana (UOU2015) agenda.
Again, it will be instructive to posit that Udom’s entrance into the state exco should not create rancor in the system. Udom is not expected to turn his missiles at Bassey Albert whom he was first brought in to come and succeed, neither should he take on his fellow exco members who are said to be interested in the 2015 succession as it is no hidden secret any longer that he is seeking Akpabio’s job by 2015.
The ship of leadership of Akwa Ibom State will move on a steady path of focus if all exco members interested in the plum job go about their businesses without any form of unnecessarily distracting the system. The position of the SSG which Udom Emmanuel is now occupying should not be seen by the occupant as that of authority which is to be used against fellow exco members and politicians. Our new SSG should rather focus on the unhealthy development indices of Eket Senatorial District even six years into Governor Godswill Akpabio’s leadership.
It will be shameful on Mr. Udom Emmanuel if he chooses to instigate or fight or continue a fight for Umana Umana at the expense of his official duties and Akwa Ibom people. Though he is not an Eket Senatorial District SSG, one expects him to contribute his quota towards the success of the district’s quest for 2015 governorship. It is the prayers of Akwa Ibomites that as Emmanuel Udom settles down to work; God will protect him from distraction. But if he wants to follow in succession his successor’s brand of politics and leadership then well, he will get his boots hanged may be in a hotter manner than the immediate past.
Welcome Mr. Udom Emmanuel to the engine room of government. That is what your predecessor says that position of SSG is called.
RELIEF IN AKHA
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Hon. Sam Ikon is now heaving a sigh of relief following the sack of Ex-SSG Obong Umana Umana. The newspaper was informed that Umana’s big hands had put the Assemblymen in an hot seat and these men of the 5th Assembly were afraid of opposing Umana as he is said to have always been on the go to hit the house like a sledge hammer.
It could be recalled that the Ex-SSG was fingered in the last crises that wanted to swallow Hon. Sam Ikon who was however saved by grace. The sins of speaker Ikon as alleged by UOU camp is that he was sympathetic to zoning and Umana is said not have been okay with it. Umana’s overbearing influence saw Ikon recapitulating on his earlier stance on zoning. Now, that Umana is no more, Assembly sources say Ikon is happy and has heaved a sigh of relief.
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