Leaders are supposed to be role models both in their private and public conduct because those they lead look up to them. Many believe that before one ascends any leadership position, he/she must have displayed rare, refined and good character to sway the masses to his/her camp.
Their role is likened to that which parents have over their children. Children see their parents as tin gods. To them, their parents can do no wrong. They are infallible and without fault. They will readily tell anyone who cares to listen that their parents know virtually everything. Hence, it is almost impossible to convince them otherwise.
In any organization where there’s a head, those following do not only expect him to lead by example, they look up to him/her for inspiration – they reckon him/her to be a pathfinder and pace setter. The reality is that if he/she fails to live up to the responsibilities which the office demands, he/she without any atom of hesitation does not deserve to occupy such an office.
In our contemporary society, especially in the political terrain, those who control the wheels of government are constantly in the spotlight. The masses beam a permanent searchlight on them. They are expected to be up and doing all the time – no excuses, no trial, no error.
The cameras often click away in relish when they make public appearances. The media, both electronic, print and other forms keep their noses to the ground when they speak. Whatever they say at such moments is capable, amongst other things of making or marring their integrity and the office they occupy. In such moment, they are expected to make people-oriented utterances, comments and share ideas that will go a long way in bettering the lot of the people.
Whatever they say in those moments is carefully documented not just for the present time but for posterity. Hence, leaders in all sectors of the society and especially Presidents, Governors and their like who hold the reins of power are morally bond to, at all times conduct themselves with decorum and meticulously be choosy as regards their comments especially at public gatherings. Failure to abide by this moral imperative does not only paint them in bad picture but also rubbishes the offices they occupy.
Recently, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Dr. Godswill Akpabio sent shockwaves through the political firmament of the state during the ground-breaking ceremony of the State PDP Secretariat. In the full glare of the public and in the presence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu. Our Tiger Governor stated forthrightly that ‘those who want to take powers from him in 2015 through the back will die’. The same fate, according to Akpabio will befall those who have betrayed him. Since Akpabio made these volcanic comments, the state political spaces have known no peace.
Candidates jostling for the number one seat in the state have been jolted to their marrows. Not a few of them have expressed dismay and shock over the governor’s highly inflammatory statement. Some candidate for the hilltop mansion have deemed it fit and absolutely necessary to thread with greater caution as they make spirited efforts to ward off his death threats. The statement, many contend is highly combustible, demonic and bear all the marks of total declaration of war in the entire state. The believe among the people is that Akpabio’s death-infested statement further lends credence to the wide-spread believe that he knows a thing or two about the politically-motivated assassinations that held the state hostage during and after the 2011 elections.
They argue that for him to have the effrontery to publicly pronounce death on any one angling for the governorship seat come 2015, the PDP Governors’ forum Chairman is not new to the field of killing. Those in this school of thought maintain that such comments should not be taken lightly as that could amount to ‘playing with fire’. They are not leaving anything to chance in the face of Akpabio’s “ungubernatorial” statement. Not a few citizens are worried or outrightly displaced by this faux pas.
To many, it only smacks of blatant desperation by the Governor to foist his anointed candidate on the people from 2015. They argue that the Governor’s stance as regards next year’s elections only leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The growing believe is that Akpabio is all out to crush anybody that is opposed to his succession plan. With such thoughts heightening and taking a life of it’s own on the back of the Governor’s murderous disposition to next year’s elections, there is palpable tension in the land with the D-day inching ever closer. No one knows what the Governor is up to hence, some of the governorship hopefuls have retreated to their cocoons either to oil their political machineries, re-strategise or drop their ambition as the case may be.
They are in a somewhat state of dilemma with regards to their ambition and the dangerous dimension the politics of the state has taken. Others remain adamant and very committed to flexing muscles when electioneering hostilities gets underway. They want to give the Governors a run for his money. Their ambition remains unflagging and unwavering inspite of the odds and powers that be. Much as Akpabios’ statement is uncouth and out of tune with the office he occupies, one clearly wonders why he chosed such auspicious moment to make those uncivilised utterances. What on earth was Akpabio out to achieve by delivering such a damming utterance in such a fora? Many have been forced to ask if he made such comments in a bid to have Adamu Mua’zu give a stamp of approval to his succession plan.
Even though his intention was to sway the mind of the PDP National Chairman, was it the right way to have done that? Could it have been an offence if he employed a more civilised way to convince the former Bauchi State Governor that he wants the best to succeed him in 2015? Are there no better ways of lashing out at opponents and perceived enemies? Is it that our politics have been reduced to a level where those we look up to constantly exchange heated and bitter altercations in public? Is the constant and odium-infested scheme of promising those who are out to legitimately exercise their constitutional right the proper way of playing politics? Was the Governor‘s sweeping statement directed at a particular candidate? Is there any candidate for the hilltop mansion the governor has scores to settle with? Could it be that Akpabio was only making those comments to scare candidates out of the governorship race? What exactly was he thinking when he vowed to see to the death of anyone who wants to occupy the government house through the back door? Infact, perhaps, our rabble rousing Governor would have to tell us what he means by the theory of a back door. Is there any way of gaining power in politics that is known as the back door? If yes, how did he come to know that some person can make their way to power through the back door?
Could it be that he has benefited from this back door theorem before now? This question is warranted on the grounds that before one speak authoritatively on an issue, he/she must have had some measure of knowledge on the story under discourse. After all, isn’t it said that it takes a thief to catch a thief? In as much as this writer is not out to smear the character of our charismatic Governor, the truth as we are made to believe is always impalatable yet, they must be told in a constant effort to inform the public and hold our leaders accountable to the people.
Akpabio’s death threat to governorship contestants is condemnable and is capable of sparking an unprecedented violence in the State reminiscent of the one in 2011. His timing of the death threat on candidates is dangerous and reminds us of the unmitigated blood-letting that enveloped the State in 2011. It wasn’t the best of statements to make in light of the dire times the nation has been plunged.
If the Governor’s feeling or intention was to captivate the people with his usual vocal and oratory-skills, then he missed it. It was a big gaffe on his part. It is inexplicable and unpardonable and smacks of crude affront on the sensibilities of Akwaibomites. Most worrisome is the occasion he chosed to utter those venomous words. What prompted him to have thought the platform of the foundation-laying ceremony attended by the PDP Chairman and other top dignitaries would be best to smack down his perceived opponents? Whatever our Governor meant to achieve is highly and comprehensively defeated by the massive and widespread condemnation that have met the unrefined and ungodly statement. What Akpabio succeeded in doing was to tell the world how desperate he is as regards the governorship seat of the State.
But why could he be so concerned and overly desperate to have his preferred candidate lead the State from 2015?
Could it be that there’s something he is trying to cover up? Could the believe that he has squandered the State’s resources form the basis for his desperation as he makes efforts to have the anti-graft agencies off his back when he leaves office?
Could it also be the reason he wants to represent the good people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district in the National Assembly? This question is even more apt in light of comments made recently by Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke that Governors who are angling for the Senate are afraid of their safety after their tenure? How true is this statement? Does Imoke’s statement have any bearing on Akpabio’s senatorial ambition? He may not be farther from the truth after all.
In the court of public opinion, argumentators posit that the PDP leadership has given Governor Akpabio two options of which he must choose one or risk losing out totally. They aver that he has been told to either work towards his senatorial ambition or install his successor in 2015. Those in the know maintain that Akpabio is not comfortable with the two options and is doing all within his capacity to achieve both objectives. Close sources further disclose that the Governor is desperate to foist the present SSG, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel on the State. They explained that, that scheme or plan is to have his running mate, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem become the substantive governor after Udom Emmanuel must have been impeached. It is a grand plot that many believe is not known to the former bank Chief Executive.
The thinking in various quarters is that Udom Emmanuel is a hard sale even among stakeholders and those preaching the gospel of “Udom is Right”. Even the governor, many observe knows that the man who spent a good number of years in the cooperate sector lacks the political clout and support base to occupy the number one seat in the State. It is on the strength of this knowledge that close observers have vowed to fight the governor’s succession plan with every pint of their blood. Hence, with Akpabio publicly declaring death as “punishment” for those seeking to be governors in 2015, candidates and indeed those opposed to the Udom stable have swung into action and are seemingly battle-ready ahead of the polls. In-spite of all these bickering and brickbats, one is worried by the turn of events in the political circle of the peace-loving people of AKS. When did shedding of human blood become our preoccupation? Have we dumped our long-held moral values in the gutters on the altar of politics that we no longer have the slightest of respects for human life? This is surely not the Akwa Ibom of our dreams. We have deviated from the foundations laid by those who fought for the creation of our dear State in 1987.
The killing spree that occasioned the 2011 general elections in the State remains fresh in the annals of history. The killings were absurd, indecorous and inhuman. One recalls the kidnapping and subsequent assassination of Mrs. Philomena Udonwa, mother to one of the governorship contestant during the 2011 elections. Such chilling and savage-ridden murder is still haunting us to date not to talk of numerous others. If President Goodluck Jonathan, prior to the last general elections could state copiously that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, one thinks that our politicians could borrow a leaf from our President and avoid conducts and utterances that are capable of causing volcanic eruption in our polity.
Whichever way one views or rates Akpabio’s statement some weeks ago, it is one that is in bad taste and hence calls for widespread condemnation from all well-meaning Akwa Ibom sons and daughters. We should not fold our arms and watch these comments fizzle out into thin air without taking precaution and sounding it very clear into the ears of all concerned of Akpabio’s crass and unguarded rhetorics. In as much as there’s a need for the State to have a governor that will sustain the tempo of transformation in the State and even better that of Chief Godswill Akpabio, it is much better to allow the will of God to prevail and not what mere mortals want.
Even Governor Akpabio have not relented in craving and vociferously praying that ‘God’s will’ be done in the State. He has even gone further to say that it doesn’t matter where the governor comes from; be it from the United States of America, Britain, Asia etc, he doesn’t care. If this is what he truly wants, why then could he resort to the cheap but beastly way of pronouncing death on those who have betrayed him and others who want to occupy the top-most seat in the State from next May?
His statement is highly reprehensible, un-democratic and devoid of the majesty of his office. If Akpabio have been betrayed by those he either groomed or brought to limelight, he should look for a more decent way to settle whatever grievance he has with them and not threaten them with death for seeking to be governors.
No one would be happy to be let down by people they trusted so much; but then, this is politics – a game of numbers and one that thrives on permanent interest.
Governor Akpabio still has time to withdraw his damning statement if he so wishes. In his usual witty ways of doing things, he can quickly amend or repudiate his insightful statement. Apart from being an icon of transformation in the new-look Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio is a public figure of no mean repute. His popularity transcends the borders of Africa. There’s hardly anybody in Nigeria that would not have a thing or two to say about Governor Akpabio. It is therefore in light of the foregoing that it’s imperative for him to make a public statement by withdrawing this cancerous ‘death’ statement.
He must also devise a means in his characteristic self to convince Adamu Mua’zu not to take his statement wholesale. Time is ticking away thick and fast. One hopes that Akpabio will listen to the voice of reason and eschew any act that may divide the State into warring camps.
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