UDOM: our emerging politicalenigma

 BY EMMA JOHNSON

One of the greatest challenges of leadership is the ability to bequeath a legacy of achievements thereby leaving indelible footprints on the sands of time.

 Though some of such legacies may not be visible but the generality of them must be seen and acknowledged even by ones’ political foes. This scenario is what the present Governor of AkwaIbom State, Chief GodswillObotAkpabio has done with his infrastructural renaissance popularly dubbed as uncommon transformation.

Admittedly, every successor at whatever level must possess the ability to surpass the predecessor’s achievement. Similarly, every public- spirited leader must ensure that the Baton is handed over to a capable and willing hand in order to guarantee the continuity of good governance.

Undoubtedly, leadership entails giving a sense of direction and charting an assured path of progress to the followership.

The foregoing depicts the attitude of our globally – acknowledged, purpose- driven and go-gether governor, Chief GodswillObotAkpabio. What our Governor has done in his choice of Mr.Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as his imminent successor is for the purpose of ensuring that the unprecedented transformation currently witnessed in AkwaIbom is not truncated in pursuit of anti-people agenda by any career politician whose heart had never been with AkwaIbom People.

The issue of statesmanship is a serious affair that should not be continually and entirely the exclusive preserve of career politicians some of whom are prominent names on the list of “who is who” in the agenda to resume the enslavement and impoverishment of the AkwaIbomites. It is high time credible actors with proven records of service, excellence, integrity; probity and accountability assumed office as Governor of AkwaIbom State come 2015.

Amazingly, the Claim that Mr.Udom Gabriel Emmanuel is a new entrant into AkwaIbom Politics is major advantage to him and the entire State. Lest we forget, the present Governor was a new entrant in 2007 and today the difference is clear between a new wine in a new wineskin and an old wine in a new wineskin. The culture of celebrating fairly used products when brand new ones are available and cost – effective should be expunged from our socio-political life. Let’s pursue the future in line with our prevailing needs and aspirations that will lead us out of our present state of affairs.

We deserve what is right and new. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel is right and new. There is no controversy that Udom is a newbreed and that is what AkwaIbom needs to advance to her next level of industrialization. Being a new entrant, Udom’s mind is devoid of vendetta, tribalism, greed, selfish corruption, winner-takes-all syndrome that describes a typical politician.

Being new to the political system gives Udom the advantage of injecting fresh ideas into governance. As a new entrant, he does not owe anybody or group patronage that will drain our treasury.

As a governor, Udom will have no political foes to torment. Indeed, Udom is the right material for Hill Top Mansion that will do justice to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. Infact, it is worth stressing that Udom Gabriel Emmanuel’s passion for integrity and probity are desirable assets to AkwaIbom State.

 If he could serve as a key corporate player in Zenith Bank Plc without the same becoming history like Intercontinental, Oceanic, Afribank and others, then AkwaIbom will attain greater heights in terms of solid development with Udom as governor in 2015.

The uproar over his choice by the current governor is not strange in human history. Even our Lord, Jesus Christ, the greatest leader that ever lived chose Peter as his successor. It is quite obvious that Judas Iscariot would have sold the entire church to the enemy if Jesus had left the world without choosing a successor. Our Lord even refused to be sentimental; else he would have chosen John his beloved brother or any other disciple but preferred Peter.

Our governor has taken the right decision in choosing Udom as his successor because the spirit of excellence in Chief Akpabio has noticed the right spirit in Udom G. Emmanuel that is good for AkwaIbom People. Chief Godswill ObotAkpabio knows that Mr.Udom G. Emmanuel will build AkwaIbom State and her people just like Peter, and that some people will behave like the Biblical Judas Iscariot if a decision is not taken now. Great AkwaIbomites, let’s give it to Udom G. Emmnauel in 2015.

 - Mr. Emma Johnson, - isUyo – Based Journalist -with Transformation Initiative