BY OKPO EWA
Nothing startles me in African political history like the fact that after a harrowing twenty seven years imprisonment for fighting against apartheid in South Africa Nelson Mandella when nominated to run for presidency of the country he suffered so much for still found himself contending with at least one of his countrymen for that office. That is the beauty of the byzantine affair called politics and the irony of our social blessedness called democracy. Making sports of serious issues of life. It reminds me of the sayings by a friend and colleague that “if competition no dey training no dey serious, if na only you dey play number 9 shirt na when you like you go dey go training, when the wives plenty na so them go they hustle which person food go sweet pass…”
Nothing startles me in African political history like the fact that after a harrowing twenty seven years imprisonment for fighting against apartheid in South Africa Nelson Mandella when nominated to run for presidency of the country he suffered so much for still found himself contending with at least one of his countrymen for that office. That is the beauty of the byzantine affair called politics and the irony of our social blessedness called democracy. Making sports of serious issues of life. It reminds me of the sayings by a friend and colleague that “if competition no dey training no dey serious, if na only you dey play number 9 shirt na when you like you go dey go training, when the wives plenty na so them go they hustle which person food go sweet pass…”
Put differently, nothing puts a ruling party so much on its toes in bringing the dividends of governance to its people like the existence of opposition especially a vibrantly viable one. Even military dictatorships dread the idea. So it is not in any way out of place if incumbent political officers find oppositions in the upcoming elections. For all intents and purposes, it is a welcomed challenge to strengthen and nurture the growth of our democratic institution. It tests the loyalty of one’s followership, proves the pedigree of one’s performance and shows one’s political capacity and structure. For the people of Nsit Ubium State Constituency the coming election may have this episode to wit.
Onofio Luke no doubt is no stranger to “opponent situations” like this. For someone who has weathered the storm of union politics to become Students Union Government President in the University of Uyo, rose to a life Senator in The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) through which he produce the first ever Akwa Ibom indigenes to be President and Vice President of the same organisation consecutively in the persons of Comr. Ini Ememobong and Comr. Ubon Marcus respectively, became the pioneer speaker of the Nigerian Youths Parliament and now the Honorable Member representing the Nsit Ubium State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, which feats are no tea parties, With such wealth of experience he sure is a card to beat.
Albeit, politics characteristically always goes beyond profiles to bring information about people - true and untrue. Whereas Barr. Onofiok could be said to have had his fair share of it these past seven years and counting. Thus, ranging from the rumours of him being the Don arranging kidnappers and assassins for the Governor, to the accusation that he is sponsored by the Governor to displace and insult political elders. Or that he is the Governor’s spy and recently he was accused of fighting the Governor. Fortunately, he has been able to prove himself clean of all these allegations. Perhaps our friend, brother and challenger is ready for his own share. Already it has been ‘revealed’ that Barr Ekokoi would never on his own dare venture into politics except that some elements at The Hilltop Mansion are sponsoring him to punish Onofiok for reconciling Obong Umana Okon Umana and Sen. Effiong Bob because the reconciliation has cost many their political relevance and economic well. To substantiate this it is also revealed that The Hilltop opened an account for the “Fight Onofiok Project” with a start up largesse of Thirty Million Naira (N30,000,000.00) from which Barr. Ekokoi made his first withdrawal of the Five Million Naira he used in organising a football tournament in Nsit Ubium, granted press interview and started consultation of stakeholders like Sen. Effiong Bob the political leader of Nsit Ubium. It is gathered that Barr. Ekokoi at the press interview posited that Barr Onofiok Luke owes the Nsit Ubium People a social contract which invariably is to terminate in 2015 during which as a matter of contractual obligation the comrade lawyer is expected to return the mandate so that the people would decide what to do with it within the tenets of social contract. This is countered with the argument that the Nsit Ubium People are a nation of two clans namely Nsit and Ubium. Whereas the Ubium Clan has produced state house members in twelve consecutive years (three terms on a stretch) in the person of Rt. Hon Evang. Aniefiok Thomson (a.k.a Winmos) 1999-2007 (Two Terms), Rt. Hon Dan Akpan 2007 – 2011 (who is presently at the Federal House Of Representative). The Nsit Clan has only occupied the seat for the first time in the person of Onofiok Luke. Accordingly, equity will not suppose social contract to disregard the past. Social contract theory as postulated by Hugo Grotius, Thomas Hobbes, Samuel Pufendurf, J.J Rousseau its exponents posits that individuals either explicitly or tacitly surrender some of their freedom in exchange for the protection of some of their rights. In essence, the people of Nsit Clan surrendered their freedom to occupy the state house of assembly seat three times with the understanding that when eventually they present one of their prestigious scions for the seat that their forbearance would be reciprocated in equal proportion. To this end, the controversy of social contract seems more to favour Onofiok than its proponent especially when it is also with the backdrop that the present Chairman of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area: Hon. Pst. Ekpedeme Amos Akpan is from the same Ikot Akpan Abia village with Barr. Ekokoi.
However, the foregoing has been said to be one of The Hilltop Propaganda employed as a contingency plan to compel Onofiok to support whatever candidate that the Governor would present as his successor regardless of the choice of the people of Akwa Ibom State. Those in favour of Barrr. Ekokoi argue that as a successful banker he has numerous properties to show his financial capacity to contest election without Hilltop grants as evidenced in the massive structure he has at Atiku Abubakar Road housing his Law Firm and other businesses. Riposte has it that he actually built that structure from the monies some deceased customers of his bank left behind without the knowledge of their family. As cruel as this may sound, if this is untrue as I suppose it to be, then one must bid the learned banker “Welcome” to the league where anything can happen.
On the other hand, the Nsit Ubium People, in handling this fledging political nay ethnic miasma it is gathered did send a delegation to the Hilltop with the allegation of the Governor trying to pitch their sons against each other asking that the people of Nsit Ubium be allowed to run their affairs themselves without external meddling. This mission is believed to be the reason Barr. Ekokoi’s campaign appears to have been truncated because it made The Hilltop freeze the project’s account - stopping him from further withdrawals and actions.
Now, my candid opinion on the foregoing is that contesting against a person like Barrr Onofiok Luke is analogous to pitching the present image of President Goodluck Jonathan against the goodwill of Presidents Obama and Clinton of America - suicidal for starters! You cannot expect his host of supporters and beneficiaries to fold their hands and watch you challenge their benefactor even if good men refuse to act goodly, bearing in mind that this is the man who introduced the concept and practice of “constituency briefings” to our politics where he gave out eleven brand new saloon cars under Constituency Transport Scheme, two 18-seater buses to Nsit Ubium students body and Nsit Ubium Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) plus One Hundred Thousand Naira And Fifty Thousand Naira Seed Fund For Business Start-Up (SFBS) to a total of forty Nsit Ubium State Constituents including, Women, Widows, Men, Youths and Disabled at the maiden briefing which he consolidated in the sophomore briefing in December 2013 where he gave out One Hundred Thousand Naira Seed Fund For Business Start-Up (SFBS) to fifteen women, ten Widows, ten physically challenged, thirty four men and ninty-one youths all evenly and proportionally drawn from the ten wards of the state constituency, Ten Brand New Cars for Constituency Transport Scheme and Three 18- seater buses to Nsit Ubium Traditional Rulers Council, Nsit Ubium Chapter of Nigeria Legion and Ubium Clan Council. All these amidst the motions sponsored and numerous social amenity projects provided by the Learned Comrade like building and renovations of Markets, Primary Health Care Centres, Schools, Water Projects and Civic Centre. Indeed Nsit Ubium people are more than too lucky to have him. For some of us of the Oron extraction all our leaders in the present administration put together will not measure up with this man.
But Barr. Ekokoi must he applauded and encouraged for daring. While we in Oro pray for people like Onofiok Luke as a leader youths like Ekokoi are needed too to restore some semblance of sanity to our system. This is why Ekokoi must brace himself , take his chances and not give up his fight because under the bridge of politics many different waters flow. We have heard how Sen. Effiong Bob asked him if he didn’t have anybody because he went consulting the political leader with one Alex obviously oblivion of the fact that one does not steal into the dance of the big masquerades. He must upgrade his game, do the right thing, clean up his records and clear the air. For instance, it is said that he is proud and tight fisted, even the ladies say “he never gives without collecting.” Hence, he would need a lot of image work to stand a chance and as far as he is not running a fools errand I wish him good luck because it would be too shameful for such an enterprising young lawyer to allow himself to be reduced to a political mannequin. If it were so then his career, am afraid as a politician, may have already ended before it ever begun.
More so, for Barr. Onofiok Luke such oppositions could prove resourceful in a way. History has shown us how good men became bad because they were so good even their wrongs were deemed perfection. Thus, this could help him identify his true and core supporters and expose him to hidden truths he never would have learnt from his supporters and beneficiaries. And while Nigeria needs more of him I cannot wish him good luck but more in his good works. For where there is goodwill good luck is only but overrated.
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