My job as Deputy Governor’s aide

Gowdyn Mence is the special adviser to the State Deputy Governor, Valerie Ebe on Political Affairs. In this interview, he spoke on the specifications of his office, the challenges of office and other sundry issues, excerpts;  

 

CAN WE MEET YOU?
First of all let me welcome you to this lonely place where I stay, especially when we talk of community development am trying to say that if you want to be a part of your community, you try to live closer or live with your people, I am Godwyn Mense Umonyem (JP) I come from Atai-Ediene village in Ediene Clan in Abak Local Government Area. I own a diploma certificate in secretariat study from the Akwa Ibom State polytechnic, I am a fellow of institute of cooperate Administration of Nigeria, a Justice of peace, a Jerusalem pilgrimage, I hold a chieftaincy title from Ediene clan, “Uyoi Ediene” the voice of Ediene people and equally 1st January this year, I was awarded another chieftaincy title by the 5 (five) villages of Ukpom in Abak clan which is eventually my own ward am married with three wonderful kids.

I have served in a transition committee as supervisor in Charge of Agric and environment in 2007; I am presently a Special Assistant on Political Affairs to the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

AS A SPECIAL ADVISER, WHAT IS YOUR JOB SPECIFICATION?
Am a special assistant on political my jobs are clear and very specified by the name political, I am to assist when it comes to political involvement, as a deputy governor with what I know about her she is ready to give the government of the day, specifically her boss, the governor of Akwa Ibom State maximum loyalty, I mean 100% loyalty to the governor that’s what she stands for and my duty is to guide her and not to dictate for her politically, especial now that we are in electioneering period, the assistance must be one that will not allow her have conflict with her boss or with what programs the government of the day is aiming at, to checkmate excesses, there are certain times that excess comes into what you are doing

IS IT A DIFFICULT JOB?
I believe it’s not a difficult job, I know where I am coming from because I have contested for councillorship some time and the powers then rubbished my ambition, In 2003, 2004 election. I contested and decamped to PDP because I was just trying to launch myself into the game and things were not really going the way it should have gone.

In 2006, I decamped into the ruling party from the then ANPP I contested the primaries for State House of Assembly, I made waves and I should have taken it but again, I was denied that position. But I still kept faith with the Party, PDP, as I mentioned earlier one thing in politics is trust and loyalty. And I believed that, that led to the recognition that ensured my appointment as the SA to the Deputy Governor on political affairs. But people did not know, as at the time I was appointed as the S.A to the Deputy Governor some people made comments not knowing what I passed through with her, so when her Honour consider trust and loyalty and whom she will walk with she remembered me, she knew me, because my service to her is to give her that assistances, so definitely I am working so very cordially with her and I have been assisting her to give the governor what the governor wants which is total loyalty, so am really up and doing and she is proud of me I can say that. And I am equally proud of her.
   
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE WORKING WITH HER?
Yes I would have said, there would have been challenges but because of putting a square peg in a square hole I don’t think I have any challenge, my boss she is so christianic that you cannot go and temper with her faith, you will recall that she was a commissioner, legal adviser of PDP, and they dropped her after two years as commissioner she went back to the house she continued to follow Jesus, she has always been there, some people when they are dropped they will go back to the house and start fighting the government.  And if this woman was such a person she would not have gotten this opportunity of becoming a Deputy Governor. She believes in God seriously and that will not allow her to call black white, so as a person I don’t have problem, people should always look at the constitutional provision as specifying the jobs of the Deputy Governor but then my boss has been up and doing helping one another.

CONFLICT OF JOBS BETWEEN THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR AND FRIST LADY?
This is part of the blackmail we are talking about, very seriously, we have been hearing of all those stories. But those are lies, for one Mma has never mentioned that the wife of the governor has intruded into her office. Her Excellency the first lady and wife of the Governor, Unoma Akpabio does not involve herself in my boss office and my boss can openly tell you that.
So what you hear about mma and the wife of the Governor in terms of a conflict or usurpation of duties are tissues of lies and blackmail. The wife of the Governor does not interfere in the duties of her honour, am not trying to cover up anything for my boss, she believes to be righteous is to be straight forward.

WHAT IS YOUR GENERAL ANALYSIS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY ?
The Government of the day is un-common one indeed why I say so is that we have witnessed a lot of infrastructural development, some people said the government of the day has not done enough and I said it’s not so. Look at the state now, was it like this some years ago? The government of the day has work beyond expectations, on a serious note the governor Godswill Akpabio has done what others has not done. I give him kudos and I believe in him.

DO YOU SEE THE AMBITON OF THE GOVERNOR FOR SENATE AS BEING JUSTIFIED?   
It’s justified. They say one good turn deserves another, our brother His Excellency is from Ikot Ekpene senatorial District by zoning arrangement we are saying the senate seat should have gone to Abak Federal constituency, yes you are ok, but when a child washes his hands clean he eats with the elders, His Excellency has made us proud in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district, I think if we have him to represent us in the senate, we have a better take home than any other individual as I know. I pray he land well and consolidate on what he has done by bringing back more dividends to the people, by the time he gets to the senate, with his connection he will attract more development to the people, so as an individual we should appreciate him for what he has done.

ANY ZONING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE ABAK STATE CONSTITUENCY?
In Abak Local Government, we do a little to the right a little to the left, we have a bloc we divide into two. The Eastern Annang block and the Urban bloc, so when the eastern Annang is holding on to the seat immediately after it should be urban bloc and if the urban bloc is holding the chairmanship as the incumbent chairman, now by next dispensation its goes to Eastern Annang bloc.

The Eastern Annang bloc is made up of 3 clans, while the urban block is made up of two clans that are Ediene and Abak. Eastern Annang is Afaha-Obong, midim and Otoro the incumbent house member, Hon Friday Iwok is from Eastern Annang bloc and come come 2015, the House of Assembly seat should come to the urban bloc, the urban block has 2 clans, Abak clan and Ediene clan, Abak clan has gone there about 2 or 3 times and Ediene clan has never tested it, so it’s almost a consensus agreement by stakeholders that the House of Assembly seat for Abak state constituency comes to Ediene clan come 2015. By that calculation, what is due to Ceaser would have been given to Ceaser. It is time for Ediene clan to produce the next House of Assembly member.