Former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien has said he has decided not to seek any elective position in his lifetime because leadership is not the birthright of the Elders.
Essien who stated this in Eket in his speech at the grand reception held in his honour last weekend, lamented an unhealthy development in the polity where young people line up against the elders.
In his words “I am worried that if this situation persists, our youth will lose the benefit of learning from the experiences of their elders.”
“I am also averse to elders who hold onto positions of leadership as if it is their birthrights, adding ‘a good leader grooms a successor and leaves the scene when the ovation is loudest, that is why I have decided not to seek any elective position again in my lifetime”, he maintained.
Speaking further, he debunked the insinuations that the gathering was about positioning himself for the governorship in 2015, stating “I will not be the governor of this state by election but if by appointment, I will serve because I no longer intend to stand for any election now or in the future.”
Continuing he assured “there is something I will always do. I will stand up for what is good, I will speak up in defence of the truth, I will stand up with great leaders of our state and country to uphold the rights and liberties of our people and I will support our youth and our women on the edge of the next great frontier.”
Regardless, Essien warned those seeking to occupy the office of the governor in 2015 to reassess themselves as the governorship will be on a higher pedestal than it has ever been.
According to him “I daresay that in Akwa Ibom state, governorship in 2015 will be on a higher pedestal than it has ever been. Between 1999-2007, a renowned architect, Obong Victor Attah designed the structures, brought in the finances and laid the foundation for the development of the state.
“next came Chief Godswill Akpabio, a young man of intricate personality wielded on several professions (law, economics, engineering , philosophy, preaching etc) and imbued with a healthy anger for development.”
He said those aspiring to step into this shoe should reassess themselves to match it and sustain the height attained by previous occupants of the Hiltop Mansion, adding that the people will not accept anything lower than our present status.
The former National Assembly member who called on the people to choose the best from aspirants from Eket Senatorial district disclosed that the zone has over 25 aspirants that have declared interest in the governorship some of who he said highly educated, professionally competent and adequately experienced and exposed to continue in the transformation of the state.
Essien warned that in deciding who to choose, it should be noted that the governorship of a state is not one of those positions arising from government’s effort to create employment.
He said “the office of the governor is a serious position that carries great and challenging responsibilities; it is a statutory position to be filled by persons who possess the wherewithal to generate and manage resources to create wealth, provide jobs and build goodwill among the people.
Essien also urged the people to shun every trappings of violence which, he opined have been the hallmark of elections during the last few years.
According to him “ no electoral office is worth the blood of any Akwa Ibom man, woman or child”, adding “ those seeking public offices should, therefore, respect the sanctity of life and the laws of the land by not engaging in acts capable of causing pain, death or disorder in the society.”
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