The upcoming 2015 general elections have brought about the odds and the evens from many perspectives, aimed at protecting and securing their interests from State and Federal Constituency to Senatorial District, Gubernatorial and Presidential elections. However, the deviant point on this so-called interest is usually where an individual or group seems to be self-centered by fighting for his own interest and that of his immediate family as seen among many politicians.
As this fight for sectional interest continues ahead the 2015 poll, zoning, performance and qualification have remained the bone of contention in almost all parts of the country and Akwa Ibom Sate in particular.
For Zoning, many are of the belief that a rotational shift be maintained among the components of the respective zones, be it at the Constituency, Senatorial, or State level with reasons being tight on justice, equity and flair-play while proponents of performance believe on the adage that “one good turn (term) deserves another” and as such bow for a second term in office though conditionally for office holders whose performance worth the salt of compensation. Here, an office holder is expected to present his or her scorecard for judgment before being considered.
The last but not the least is on “who goes where?” which is literally the qualification. This no doubt appears to be the most important factor as it also has the backing of Nigeria’s Constitution, the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
Unavoidably, since these factors remain the most critical issues ahead the 2015 general elections, any constituency, senatorial district or state which has an interest to protect, needs to be sure that it satisfies all these factors and above all finds what analysts will call “the Sacrificial Lamb” before considering the possibility of having a fruitful fight for whatever interest it has in the upcoming poll.
Bible scholars will be fast to recall a similar instance in Genesis 22: 6-8 where Abraham reportedly satisfied the required factors for a burnt offering except the Sacrificial Lamb. According to the biblical account, Abraham, on the directive of God, had prepared to offer a burnt offering to God and so:”He took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his Son, Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father, the fire, knife and wood are here, but where is the Lamb for the burnt offering? Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering’”.
There is no gain saying the fact that like other constituencies, senatorial districts and states; Ikot Abasi State Constituency has witnessed a boom in political activities all steering toward meeting up the factors for having a fruitful fight for their interest in the 2015 Ikot Abasi State Constituency race.
As at last check, zoning in Ikot Abasi State Constituency, performance of those occupying the State Constituency seat (both past and present) as well as qualifications of those aspiring to grab the seat come 2015 showed that the constituency has already met the required factors for the state constituency race. But the big question remains: “Where is the Sacrificial Lamb?”
It is obvious that many people in Ikot Abasi State Constituency arrived at nothing on their several attempts to answer this question. This is not because it is too hard, but simply because a Sacrificial Lamb is usually not known by those who asked or those who attempt to answer but those who are watching and can only be found at the spot of the sacrifice. This therefore means that the electorate in Ikot Abasi State Constituency who asked to know the Sacrificial Lamb that will represent the constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly come 2015 and the leadership of the party at the Constituency level which may attempt to answer the question need to hear from the third party, being God and those who are watching, who the Sacrificial Lamb is.
Truly speaking, a man of high standing who accepts to sacrifice his private life, wealth and career just for the interest of his people is worth being called a Sacrificial Lamb. A man whose love for his people has no bound and who is ever ready to do everything possible to secure a brighter future for his people is nothing but a Sacrificial Lamb given by God. The man who is versed with potential to bring to an end the era of ineffective representation in a constituency like Ikot Abasi State Constituency is the Sacrificial Lamb which the people inquire to know - behold Elder (Surv.) Kufre Ufot JP, the Sacrificial Lamb!
Though the people Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo Local Government Areas which made up Ikot Abasi State Constituency have certainly thrown their weight behind Elder Kufre Ufot as the man whom they believe is the only solution to their yearnings of many years, little did they know that God himself have chosen Elder Ufot as a sacrificial lamb through which he will come to the aid of the people of Ikot Abasi State Constituency and provide to them the kind of representation they deserved.
One may asked, what kind of representation do the people of Ikot Abasi State Constituency deserved? The answer is simple:
1. A representation that will stand as a mouth piece for the people of Ikot Abasi State Constituency: “We want somebody that will be frequently seen in the floor of the House, doing what he was sent to do; person that will ensure that Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo’s voice is heard through him in the legislative chamber; somebody the people of Ikot Abasi State Constituency will feel his impact in terms of representation. In summary, somebody that Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo will be able to access easily to tell him their problem and he in turn will take it to the floor of the House and bring a feedback. These are what we are lacking for the past years in Ikot Abasi State Constituency and the people of the constituency are confident that Elder Kufre Ufot will deliver these responsibilities,” former Secretary of Ikot Abasi Local Government Council and one-time Chapter Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party in Ikot Abasi, Hon. Aniefiok Smart was recently quoted as saying.
2. A representation that will empower the youths and women of Ikot Abasi State Constituency and always assessable to the common man: “Kufre Ufot’s track records on human capacity development have touched many lives in various spheres. Therefore, his emergence as the member representing Ikot Abasi State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in 2015 would go a long way in repositioning the state constituency particularly in restoring people’s confident and past glory because if Kufre Ufot could reach out to the needy in his private capacity, only the sky would be his limit when he occupies the seat. Many people have benefited from Kufre Ufot’s scholarship and empowerment schemes as well as skill acquisition programmes. So, with his commitment and determination to listen to the yearning of the people and the exposure in various fields of endeavour, his emergence would help immensely in bringing more succours to the people of the constituency. Also, he is a motivational leader and strong value-driven thinker in business development and collaborative decision-maker with strong knowledge-base in politics and commercial aspect in business,” a Non-Governmental Organsation in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, the Faithful Ladies Association, had asserted with confident.
3. A representation that is acceptable to both the people of Eastern Obolo and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas: “My son, we have heard of your aspiration long before now though as rumour. From the very first day we received the news, it remains a thing of joy and we are thankful to God for deciding to visit us at last when we were totally forgotten. By your aspiration, the Edemeya Clan Council and the entire people of Edemeya (are hopeful) that good roads, electricity, water, youth empowerment, employment, scholarship through sound and qualitative representation will come to Ikot Abasi State Constituency because you have been doing most of these things even before you think of going to the legislative chamber. As such, we have total confident that you will do even more than that. My prayer is that just like the ‘god of soccer’ stood by the Nigerian Super Eagle at Atlanta in 1996 to make them victorious, the ‘god of politics’ will also stand by you to give you victory,” the Clan Head of Edemeya in Ikot Abasi Local Government, Chief Anieama prayed.
“Talking about zoning, if you are to go by the statistics, Ikot Abasi State Constituency is made up of two local government areas; Hon. Uyio Udosen from Ikot Abasi first represented the constituency in 1999 followed by Sir Adasi Obolom from Eastern Obolo. Dr. Charles Mbong also from Eastern Obolo took over and later handed over to the present member, Abu Aduyok, who is also from Eastern Obolo. Therefore, from this statistics, if we are to do justice, equity and fairness, which zone should produce the next House member to represent the constituency in 2015? Is it Ikot Abasi which has only occupied the seat once or Eastern Obolo that have occupied it thrice? Or should there be a fourth term?” The Eastern Obolo Chapter Chairman of PDP, Hon. Sampson Unyeawaji
The former PDP Chapter Chairman in Easter Obolo, Hon. Solomon Harry once said: “The decision to shun the 2015 Ikot Abasi State Constituency seat by Eastern Obolo was a unanimous decision made by the entire people of the Area and reason is that Eastern Obolo which is a component Local Government Area in the Ikot Abasi State Constituency has occupied the seat for three consecutive terms and are therefore eyeing a bigger office in order to allow the Ikot Abasi Local Government’s counterpart to take their turn so that we can continue to live in peace and harmony with one another. It is not clear that anybody is aspiring for the State House of Assembly from Eastern Obolo and this is an additional advantage for the people of Ikot Abasi to produce their son, Elder Kufre Ufot as the next House of Assembly member representing Ikot Abasi State Constituency. Going by his records, Elder Kufre Ufot is a good and God-fearing man and I hope that is the reason he is enjoying massive support from his people.”
4. A representation that will not only be beneficial to himself and his immediate constituency but the Akwa Ibom State in general: “In fact, with Governor Akpabio in the Senate and me in the State House of Assembly, we will make Akwa Ibom people proud in lawmaking,” Elder Ufot promised.
All in all, from the above records, it is certain that the people of Ikot Abasi have acknowledged Elder Kufre Ufot as the sacrificial lamb given by God himself to speak for the people of the constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly come 2015; as such, like the bible says that whatever is being agreed here on earth is also agreed in heaven, there is no gain saying the fact the Kufre Ufot’s aspiration is being assent by both the people and God who are the custodian of power.
The question remains, “If God is for Kufre Ufot, who can stand against him?” While waiting for the answer to this simple question, let it be known that Elder Kufre Ufot has emerged as the Sacrificial Lamb given to the people of Ikot Abasi State Constituency by God himself, therefore let nobody do any harm to himself or son and daughter as God instructed Abraham at the emergence of a Sacrificial Lamb. “Abraham! Abraham! Abraham! Do not lay hand on the boy; do not do anything to him…. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket, he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son”.
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