Open letter to Udom Emmanuel By Okpo Ewa

MR. UDOM GABRIEL EMMANUEL,
SECRETARY TO STATE GOVERNMENT,
GOVERNMEN T HOUSE,
WELLINGTON BASSEY WAY,UYO,
AKWA IBOM STATE

    Dear Sir,
It is with utmost sense of responsibility, statesmanship, comradeship and stakeholding in the polity and common wealth of the Akwa Ibom Nation that I make bold to bare you these words of mine. However, I am enthused to first congratulate you for your sterling successes in the field you have chosen before now. Indeed you are a diamond arrow in the quiver of the Akwa Ibom Nation. The Akwa Ibom child is without vacillation naturally imbued with the spirit of excellence and enterprise of which you have been a worthy model.

Again, I most also commend you for finding grace to take leave of your career and former employ for the purpose of heeding the call of stewardship to your people by accepting to be the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State.
Be that as it may, permit me to state here that it is this noble humility of yours that has prompted this letter like many other reactions before now.

 

At first, it came as a rumor that you are the anointed one to succeed His Excellency Obong Godswil Obot Akpabio as Governor of Akwa Ibom State come 2015 and that the best way to sell you as a political product was to have you quoted in our political stock market. Indeed, truth and falsehood do have some level of intersection in rumors. The actions of His Excellency and yourself have not demurred in proving the rumormongers true heralds. Suddenly the same body movements of His Excellency that precipitated the “Umana Umana Must Be Governor Crusade” has been observed initiating proselytes of “Udom Gospel”. Alas, your December extravaganza of kilograms of pasta, pounds of steaks and Pentecostal handshakes cleared all doubts!
 

Please dear Uncle Emma, don't get me wrong. It is of course your constitutional right to vie for the office of the Governor and you have what it takes to be His Excellency. That same right and capacity did many before and around you possess in the likes of Obong Patrick Ekpotu The Former Deputy Governor, Obong Umana Okon Umana your predecessor, Sen. James John Udoedeghe the 2011 opposition titan, Mr. Larry Esin the most consistent contender since 2007 and Bishop Sam Akpan  your kinsman, to mention a few and so far we are all witnesses to their testimonies.
 

I know you may be tempted to say you are far distinguished from that register of political wannabes but to be sincere with you sir, that may depend on what your parameters of distinction may be because as far as the popular toll is concerned you are the most unpopular candidate presently. “Unpopular” here connotes “not to be the people's favorite” and “not to have the favorable political variables”.
 

Now, before you lend ears to whispers of sycophants and political mediocre that Dr. Willie Obiano of Anambra State was even more unpopular but presently awaits swearing in as Gov. Peter Obi's successor please open your eyes to the wisdom of variables:
    1. Akwa Ibom State is not like Anambra State.  Some quarters of the Igbos wouldn't live to have APC in their Governor's seat because in their eyes it is only another camouflage for Yoruba domination but the Akwa Ibom people did not think of this when they lent some limbs to Sen. Udoedeghe's  Broom Movement in 2011.
    2.  Again, if elections were to be  left free and fair in Anambra State there was a palpable proclivity for poor Obiano to have lost out on personality vote race which is another thing the presidency didn't fancy. Now sir if elections were to be kept on a free and fair basis today in Akwa Ibom State the question you should ask is would “Mr. Emmanuel Udom win?”
    3. Still in Anambra State the presidency is accused of going to bed with the leadership of APGA: a compromise it brokered in view of 2015 polls. Flowing from here is the question whether the leadership of PDP in Akwa Ibom can or would be willing to broker a deal with the presidency for your sake and on what terms?
 

Now if you can genuinely solve these puzzles in your favour then your candidature we can say is at bay and that's just the start of it.
Even Akpabio, it is pertinent that you acknowledge, may at some point have to decide whether to deliver himself or you. This is a test every great man passes through at a particular stage in the struggle for the Golden Fleece.
 

Also bear in mind that even if God were to place Uncle Goddy on the peak of the Hilltop mansion like Moses at Mount Sinai to declare with all his divine awesomeness that you are the chosen one, it would be fool hardy for you to expect the people of Oron Nation to go down without a genuine fight for what they believe to be rightfully theirs in equity. Meanwhile, permit me to also use this opportunity to remind you that there are commissioners in Uncle Goddy's cabinet who will put up formidable fight for that seat and are willing to do so. It's only a matter of time before they hatch their shells.
 

It is also with wisdom that I consider  to bring to your awareness that the law makers, on the other hand, have in some quarters declared that since Gov. Akpabio emerged from the executive arm it is only fair for the legislators to produce the next governor and they are more than willing to put these words to work knowing full well that some law makers are actually the political leaders in their respective constituencies.
 

If I may remind you uncle, Gov. Akpabio came from Lagos, you have come from Lagos to wont to be Governor, (even me writing as you know equally came from the same Lagos though I'm not wont to be Governor) and the people are asking what is wrong with a home grown politician becoming Governor again? How are they sure you will not come in with your Lagos people and at the end hand over to another Lagos Governor while you smoke them out to irrelevance? There is an adage that says “a kid doesn't burn his hands roasting yam only to hand it over to another kid to eat”, but this seem to be the lot of the home keepers. Sir, my point is this; your work is not much – convince them!
 

Son the other hand uncle, those in the vanguard of Emanuel Udom's governorship aspiration have been preaching the gospel of merit and experience and like we Akwa Ibom people are known to always believe that 'the taste of the puddings is in the eating' I think it is only prudent to apprise you that your externship at the government house has since been suffered to be under keen observation. And it is from this reconnaissance that it's now street knowledge that most of those working directly with you were grafted from your former work  zone- true or false as the case may be, Personally I believe that a man can only function in leadership by working with those he has relationship with in stewardship but we must also not be oblivious of the perception of the ordinary man in our community who worries thus: “if as SSG he brings people from zenith bank to work with him; as governor will he bring people from central bank or world bank to work with him?” translate this to yourself in Ibibio and imagine what your people are thinking about you sir.
 

Another common wonder on the street is the fact that today we don't know your wife and children and people are wondering when you will make introduction of members of your family and their respective roles in your campaign before some folks would appear if you eventually emerge governor to oppress us with the portfolio of “ndito-eka govnor” nay, “brothers and sisters of the governor” to form your kitchen cabinet. We don't even know your friends from Lagos and their contributions yet but we will be damned if upon your emergence as His Excellency someone doesn't assume the office of “Friend of the Governor”.
 

Now, concerning the recent civil service recruitment in the state, I hope you are aware of the fact that stakeholders are watching to see how many of their loyalists will make the list of the successful candidates and the common man on the street is equally waiting in eager expectation for his name or his friend's or family's to make the success list. Whatever might be the case just know that all eyes are on you and every finger will be pointing at you in the end.
 

I know you may be wondering how come suddenly every tom, dick and harry is concerned about you. Well, the answer to that is that you asked for it. Yes, from the very first day you accepted the public office that day you mortgaged your privacy to the public institute of tom, dick, harry and even udoh. And while you are struggling to know “who is who” politically and otherwise in our state as it has been noticed don't be surprise to know that the people already know a whole lot about you and are still busy investigating and analyzing your every move. For instance, who were your class mates at Unilag, who were your colleagues at NUGA, who are your neighbours at Victoria island, did you really use your money to launch ten copies of Bishop Ema Isong's book for one million naira N1,000,000 at Le meridian?, where did you get the money for the Xmas Extravaganza? Have you been doing something like that in your community before now as a big man in zenith bank that you were? Will you give unsparingly again when Valentine, Easter, Labour Day, Democracy Day or Independence Day and many more come?. Sir, please don't bother to answer these questions, they've been answered already. Aha, please don't be nettled over it, if those before you were pelted with stones, you should expect pebbles in your turn and be grateful to God that it's not rocks yet. 

Now talking about giving, you should know that what you did for Xmas scored a good political point for your team but also opened your flanks for attacks too. Akwa Ibom people know true givers, they know those who give because they want to take and they know those who give because they have the passion, they know those who are too frugal to give and those who can't afford to give because of their meager resources even in government. 

 Gov.  Akpabio was not voted because he gave the biggest largesse in 2007 it was his heart that won the heart of the people. So I will advise you, if you're not a natural giver which every Christian should be, don't kill yourself.  Don't compete with anyone in giving - you will lose, don't copy anybody in giving – you will fail, don't try to impress anyone with giving - it won't work! You must have your own gift. Use that to find your way into the heart of the people. Wait please, I've not asked you to be stingy oh!

Obviously it is grueling labour for you wooing supporters I do understand but I think it would be rather otiose for you not to distinguish between those whose support are “price tagged” and those whose support must be earned.

Alas, I bring you true insight about your house, Uncle Emma like your namesake your circle is not without a seed of Iscariot and where there are moles there are holes… 

Though there are many things I'd love to say I'm afraid I shall have to drop my pen here because as learned as I am there are some things that would be blunder, nay faux pas, of me to say, and as a politician certain things I cannot say now too early…

    Be that as it may, I wish you a happy New Year and very good luck in your enterprise.

    I remain.

Akwa Ibom's truly,
Okpo Ewa Edmund Esq.