Recently, Otuekong Nse Essien, popularly known as INDOMITABLE, resigned his appointment as the Secretary of Onna Local Government Council to pursue his political vision of becoming the House of Assembly Member, Onna State Constituency. In this interview with Godwin Sam he bore his mind on his political ambition and other state and national issues.
Sir, I know you as Otuekong Nse Essien, but not everybody in the state knows you thus, who really is Otuekong Nse Esseien?
As you’ve rightly said, I am Otuekong Nse Esseien. Otuekong is a traditional little that was given to me in 2014 by the late clan Head of Awa. I am from Ikot Akpan Nkor, in Awa Clan in Onna Local Government Area. I have a Bachelor of Arts (B.A Hons) degree in English Language from the University of Uyo. Some people know me as Indomitable.
You are known by those around you as a very generous and philanthropic person, what is your motivation in doing these philanthropic acts?
My motivation comes from God. You see, if you have, you must help the one that does not have. It is just natural. But it is a gift that is from God. To be able to give, you must have a special talent from God because giving is not easy, especially when you yourself do not have in excess. You know there are even people in our society today who have in excess but still find it difficult to give. Some people believe in taking only, they don’t believe in giving, but I believe in giving because nobody knows tomorrow. It is often said that the man you meet on your way up may be the same man you meet on your way down. This is the philosophy that guides my benevolence and philanthropic life. After all, Jesus Christ said in the Bible “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me”. And the Bible says that those who did these things will ask “Lord, where did we do all this things and He will say in as much as you did it to your fellow brothers and sisters, you did it for me. This is what motivates me to reach out to those who come for help.
Recently, you resigned your appointment as the secretary of your Local Government Council to go into politics fully, what are your chances in the content?
I am excellently favoured by God and my people. I have served my people as the secretary of the council for two years and I believe that the people are in a better position to decide and they have now told me to go and represent them in the House of Assembly in the forthcoming election. So I believe that my chances of winning the nomination and subsequent election are bright. I had attempted to be the chairman of my Local Government two times, in 2008 and in 2012 and my time was not yet come. It is now my time and I know I am going to win.
Your campaign slogan is “Power Belongs to God,” what informed your choice of this slogan?
Absolutely, power comes from God. If God does not choose you, you can’t have power and God gives power to whomever He pleases. He doesn’t have criteria for choosing a person. He doesn’t look at how qualified you are or how intelligent you are, whatever a man does, if God does not approve it, no way. I strongly believe that it is the will of God that I become the House of Assembly member for Onna come 2015 hence the slogan “Power Belongs to God.”
If you eventually win the election and become the House of Assembly members, what should your constituents expect from your representation?
They should expect effective representation. Governance is about information and action, and the information and action emirate from the centre, so one needs to be involved at the centre in order to be able to attract good things to his people. By the grace of God I have good relationships with people who will eventually be my colleagues at the Hallowed Chamber across the state and we shall work together to legislate good laws for the people of Akwa Ibom State, and Onna State constituency in particular. What this good representation really means is good leadership. Good leadership will create employment. Good leadership will put food on the table of the average citizens. This good leadership is exemplified in the persons of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Godswill Akpabio. So my representation will attract good projects to Onna Local Government Area.
Sir, in Akwa Ibom State, as at today, more than 20 aspirants have bought the PDP nomination form to vie for the governorship position in the state come 2015, who do you think will eventually clinge the ticket of the party?
The best man for the job will get the ticket, and the best man for the job is Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.
What makes you think that Udom Emmanuel is the best man for the job?
When you look at his antecedence, his background, and his experiences, he towers among the bests. One who has served diligently in the banking sector, one who has been tested and trusted by the corporate world, one who has been trusted even by individuals to keep their money. Such a man would use his connections to attract international investments to the state. I’m sure you know that the Quantum Petrochemical Industry that was recently brought to Akwa Ibom State came through his connections. Chief Godswill Akpabio has brought infrastructural renaissance to the state. What the state needs now is a man who will bring massive industrialization that create employment and wealth in the state. This is what Udom Emmanuel stands for and this is why I know that he is the best man for the job.
How would you rate the performance of the present administration of Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio in the state?
Yeah! People may not understand what Godswill Akpabio has done for the state until he exits the stage. It is my earnest belief that Udom Emmanuel will do more than what Godswill had done. Naturally, it is expected that a good son should come and do more than what his father had done. For instance, if a father builds a house now, a good son should not come and sell the father’s house, but instead he should build a better house than what his father had built. If I were to score Godswill Akpabio, I will not score him 100% because he is human and is prone to human errors. But I would score him above 90%. He is the best performing governor in the whole country as I’m sure you already know.
What do you think of P.D.P declaring President Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate under the P.D.P platform for the forthcoming presidential elections?
It is a good thing the P.D.P has done. Our own democracy is modelled after the United States of America and you see, when the incumbent declares his intention to seek a re-election the party supports the president in-toto. So that is what the P.D.P has done, and I say Kudos to P.D.P stakeholders, Kudos to the P.D.P Governors Forum headed by our own Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, and Kudos to all Nigerians.
The delegates election is slated to take place on this coming Saturday, 1st November, 2014, and already there are speculations that the state executive council of P.D.P in the state are planning to highjack of delegate nomination forms in order to manipulate the delegates list in favour of the immediate past S.S.G. Mr. Udom Emmanuel and his supporters. What is your take on this?
No, that is not true. That not the style of P.D.P. How do you highjack materials that are meant for an election that people are expected to turn up for. It is not done that way. It is expected that would-be delegates would go and purchase the delegates form from the state headquarters of the party along Edet Akpan Avenue (4 lanes) and then go to their wards and stand election. Whoever wins the delegates election will be declared as winners and they will then become accredited delegates. There is nothing like highjacking. Everyone is expected to be in his/her ward to contest to become a delegate. Names will not be written this time around. No, you have to contest and win.
Is the nomination form on sale now?
Yes, the sales of form had begun and it is still on-going.
How much is the form sold?
Five thousand naira only (N 5,000)
There are rumours making the rounds that Udom Emmanuel has been denied the purchase of the governorship nomination form to stand election. In fact, the rumour has it that he has been disqualified from the race. Is there any iota of truth in this rumour?
How can there be truth in such rumours? The pictures of the receipt of the form are everywhere on the internet that proves that Udom actually bought his nomination form on Friday 24th October, 2014. The picture is even in this newspaper (brought out a copy of New Enquirer Newspaper and shows the picture of the receipt inside the paper).
I know you to be an all stars football player who even owns a football club. What do you think about the threat by FIFA to suspend Nigeria if before Friday 31st October, 2014, the result that brought in Amaju Pinnick as the new N.F.F chairman is not reversed?
I can say for sure that Nigeria will not be suspended because Nigeria is greater than any individual. I know that Chief Giwa will allow good reason to prevail over him and withdraw the case. No matter what sentiment any individual has, Nigeria is greater than any individual and I can assure you that Nigeria will not be suspended.
Back to politics, what is your opinion on zoning political offices in Nigeria?
Zoning is very important. In the P.D.P constitution, zoning is clearly enshrined because the founders of P.D.P knew that zoning will bring peace and unity to a people. I am highly favoured by zoning in my local government area.
Do you have contenders in the post you are vying for in your local government area.
Yes, there are other aspirants. In democracy anyone who thinks he has what it takes can contest an election has every right to do so, but I am confident that I will win at the end of the day, by the grace of God.
What is your message to the people whose votes you are seeking to realize your ambition?
My message to my people is that I am coming not to do as others have been doing. It is not going to be business as usual. I’m coming out so that my people will know that this man they are voting for will attract a lot of good things to them. In my private capacity I’ve been doing things for my people. I’ve been paying people’s school fees, giving scholarships, paying hospital bills for people and lots more, so I am telling my people to expect more of these packages now that I am going to the state, the centre. I am urging others who find themselves in positions of authority to do this kind of things if they have not been doing because this is what is expected of them.
You sound so confident that you will win the election?
Of course I should.
In politics, just like in sports anything can happen. What would you do if at the end of the day your people decide to support someone else?
Having tried twice to become the chairman of my local government area without success, my people want me to represent them this time around as I have paid my dues enough in politics. In 2012 they told me to be secretary of the council and after that I go to the state assembly so that is why I am confident that this time around it is my turn and that I will win. My motivation comes first from God, then my people. I know I am going to win because power belongs to God and rests with people. So if God and my people say go, I don’t see why I won’t win.
Some people sometimes become desperate when it does not work out the way they had expected in politics. What is your advice to such politicians across the state?
My advice to them is that they should not be desperate in looking for power because power comes from God and if God says no there is nothing you can do about it. Politics is not a do-or-die thing. It is a give-and-take thing. If you can’t become a House member today, you can become a commissioner tomorrow. Just take myself for example, in 2008 when I couldn’t become a chairman I became a board member, and in 2012 I became secretary of council. So, nobody should be desperate about power.
Sir, two of the key contestants in the governorship race, Bishop (Prof) Samuel Akpan, and Mr. Udom Emmanuel are from Onna Local Government Area. What is their relationship with each other?
They are brothers. They come from the same father. The father of Awa brought the two of them into the world and they are very mindful of this fact, so their relationship with each other is very cordial. Udom sees Bishop Akpan as his elder brother and accords him respect accordingly.
There is this popular saying that a friend in politics is a friend lost, I believe that when you eventually get to your destination you will not be carried away by the winds of politics. You will still be the good man that people know you to be.
To me, a friend in politics is never a friend lost. I still have the friends I used to have back in the days, while I also make new ones along the way. Nothing is static in the world. The only constant thing is change. But I can assure you that it won’t be business as usual. My friends shall always be my friends. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak with you. Thank you and have a blessed day.
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