Akwa Ibom wants Umana as governor

BY EFFIONG USORO

Over the months,  Akwa Ibom people have been searching for a competent citizen of the state that will succeed Chief Godswill Akpabio as the governor on May 29, 2015. At the last count 27 citizens offered to be the chief servant of the state. Obong Umana Okon Umana was the first to announce his intention to serve the state as governor in 2015. He started early to lay structures to     actualize his dream. Those that know his capability came out to endorse him for the top job. Umana’s supporters cut across the young and the old from all parts of the state. 

They were encouraged by Umana’s exemplary leadership qualities, detribalized character and managerial prowess. Attempts by Governor Godswill Akpabio to dissuade Umana to give up his aspiration met a brick wall as the governorship hopeful remained resolute and vowed he will never retreat nor surrender.

Of course, he was encouraged by thousands of Akwa Ibom citizens who vowed to swim or sink with him. Deployment of blackmail, acts of intimidation and outright attack on his ardent supporters became the order of the day. 

As if that was not enough, Akpabio unilaterally zoned the governorship position for 2015 to Eket Senatorial District to deny Umana who comes from Uyo Senatorial District the chance to contest. In taking the action the governor breached all known democratic norms and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees every citizen the right to aspire to any political office irrespective of where he comes from. Rather than dampen the spirit of Umana and his teeming supporters, the action of Akpabio attracted more popularity and support for Umana. Umana demonstrated his doggedness as a true democrat and challenged Akpabio and PDP undemocratic action to exclude him from the governorship race in court. Many saw Akpabio’s action as a distraction and a calculated attempt to clear the way for his protégé, Udom Emmanuel because Umana’s larger than life image and popularity posed serious threat to his plan to impose Udom on the people. 

But God provided Umana another viable political platform as he decamped with thousands of his supporters to the All Progressive Congress (APC) where he was warmly embraced. Since he commenced his governorship campaign the mammoth and enthusiastic crowd that voluntarily came out at each venue of the event in the Local Government Areas visited is a clear testimony that Akwa Ibom people want Obong Umana to be their governor from May 29, 2015. Even as the campaign team drove along the roads, people were seen coming out with brooms shouting “change! Change!!” 

The intimidating crowd at Oron township stadium was quite unprecedented. It shows the new political direction Akwa Ibom people have massively and willfully embraced. Interestingly, those that matters in Akwa Ibom politics, the students, women, youths and the people at the grassroots have identified with Mr. Umana’s governorship project. What more, Obong Umana has presented a comprehensive manifesto that covers industrialization, employment, small and medium enterprise, education including N50,000 bursary for Akwa Ibom students studying in tertiary institutions, agriculture, health care, financial allowance for elderly people from sixty five years of age and infrastructural development.

Many have described Umana as a technocrat, humble, a meticulous person, hard working, courageous, generous, a good manager of human and material resources and, above all, God fearing. Umana’s governorship has further received a boost in the past few weeks because of the undemocratic method adopted by the ruling PDP in the state in the conduct of the December 8, 2014 governorship primary election. The 22 aggrieved PDP governorship aspirants who are now known as the G22 and their supporters as well as the other PDP aspirants who were denied ticket by the party have thrown their support for Umana. 

Given the present scenario in the state, including the ongoing strike by teachers in public schools and staff of the 31 Local Government Councils because of non-payment of their entitlements, the imposition of a particular candidate by the governor in a bid to pursue his third term agenda the high level of unemployment, nepotism and observed uncommon squandermania of the state’s resources, it is obvious that this awareness will prompt Akwa Ibom electorates to vote wisely and massively for Obong Umana in the February election and all APC candidates in order to bring the desired change the people need. 

Truly, Obong Umana has the capacity, intellectual acumen, experience, courage and determination to give Akwa Ibom that positive change from May 29, 2015. He has vowed he will not fail the people.