Udom: Six months on the saddle

Last Sunday was exactly six months since Governor Udom Emmanuel took over the reins of governance from the Akpabio-led administration. In this piece, THE INK reporters, EMMANUEL AKPAN, KENNETH JUDE and PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER carefully assess the Governor’s six months voyage with searchlights on how he became the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), his subsequent emergence as PDP candidate, his resounding victory at the poll, benefits of his administration so far, his challenges as well as the expectations of Akwa Ibom people  

  

The Exodus
Governor Udom Emmanuel’s journey into Akwa Ibom State politics started when he was brought into the system as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) a year ago to succeed the former Umana Okon Umana who was whisked out of office by the wife of the immediate past governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio through the directive of her husband. Udom Emmanuel did not join politics as a way of making ends meet since he was a Director in one of the outstanding banks in the country, Zenith Bank. 

The former Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio saw Udom Emmanuel fit to succeed him with the confidence that he will liberate the people of Akwa Ibom State from poverty as well as take them to the next level. Chief Godswill Akpabio then encouraged Udom to indicate interest in the contest of the governorship position in the State; a development which many political stakeholders considered as wrong by the then Governor. Aspirants who considered themselves more qualified for the position were denied their mandates for Udom Emmanuel to emerge the party flag bearer for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) at the party’s primaries. 

This development then led to the coming to gether of the other twenty-two governorship aspirants who contested for the position to form the G-22, a formidable force aimed at fighting Udom Emmanuel’s ambition. Their efforts however, could not hold water due to the leadership of the then ruling party at the National level which was bent on supporting Udom Emmanuel as well as the then country’s President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who also never gave the G-22 a listening ear.

This development resulted in the defection of some G-22 members to other political parties where they picked up tickets with which they could use in fighting Udom to the last point. Obong Umana Okon Umana went to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bishop Sam Akpan left for the Accord party, Chief Samuel Atang moved to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and others. These notwithstanding, Udom Emmanuel, during the general elections, being the flag bearer of the PDP defeated Umana Umana of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship candidates from other political parties. He won against all odds and became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.  

Udom Emmanuel since  he took over the  mantle of leadership from his successor, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been up and doing to ensure the fulfilment of his campaign promises. One of the brilliants things he did on coming on broad as Governor of Akwa Ibom State was the discovery adoption of the best brains in the State to work with him. Knowing the heaving task ahead of him, he carefully considered technocrats with wealth of experiences to help him pilot the affairs of the State.  Through the due process of the law, he sent the list of Commissioners and Special Advisers to the State House of Assembly where they were scrutinized and approved. The Governor then became duty-bound to both the executive, legislative and judiciary by ensuring the existence of a synergistic relationship among them thus, making them feel among and included in the movement of the state to the next level. 

During the inauguration of the State Executive council, Governor Udom Emmanuel had charged the commissioners to be creative and dedicated to the task of improving the lot of the people. He urged them to be up and doing in their respective ministries. Udom who recognized the difficulties and challenges of the times he found himself was apt in his choice of Commissioners and Special Advisers to help in the actualization of transforming the socio-economic landscape of the State.  

 
It would be recalled that on his inauguration day as Governor, Udom Emmanuel stood before Akwa Ibom people at the Ibom International stadium to present himself not as a master but as a servant, neither as a boss but as a co-labourer. He had accepted the mandate given to him by the people with great humility and sense of responsibility. Udom Emmanuel intends and has tried to keep his part by executing programmes that would be of benefit to the masses. 

Promises of Governor Udom Emmanuel include; leveraging and building on the immediate past administration of Godswill Akpabio, transforming the economy of the State through industrialization and sustaining public-private sector initiative; opening up opportunities for growth and improved living standards, respecting and upholding the tenets of democratic governance which the PDP unflinchingly stands for as well as respecting the party’s structure. Also included in his plans are his commitment to ensure the security of lives and property of people at all times with strict adherence to the rule of law by ensuring equity, justice and fair play all in a bid to promote unity and oneness across the State with due respect to traditional institutions and authorities of the State. 

Other pledges are to develop, mobilize and empower Akwa Ibom women and youths through planned and well articulated welfare and capacity building programmes to give Akwaibomites a feel of a sense of belonging built on good governance and economic advancement. Among other goals, Udom Emmanuel seeks to pursue the task of rural development and integration of all into the mainstream of the economy. This is to ensure that benefits and dividends of democratic governance get to every nook and cranny of the State. He also intends to ensure accountability and transparency in government by fighting and tackling corruption in all facets of his administration and to provide trade, commerce and tourism between Akwa Ibom and the rest of Nigeria. This does not exclude his plan to foster, develop and maintain a good working relationship with both the legislative and the judiciary arms of government as well as ensuring an effective Local Government administration for grass-root development through the mobilization and empowerment of all.
 

Lastly, it is the dream of  the Governor to attract all possible required federal presences to Akwa Ibom State by developing and sustaining a harmonious and even relationship with a government at the centre.

The Benefits
Few weeks after his assumption of office, the Governor immediately hit the ground running by swinging into action. He started by flagging off roads projects within and outside the State capital. Records have it that the Governor has so far performed the ground breaking of road projects such as the dualization of 19.7km Uyo-Etinan road, construction of 7.3km Ebekpo-Ikot road with 2No. Bridges and spur, construction of 7.3km Ebekpo-Ikot Ebidang road, construction of 3.5km Ikot Udom road, construction of 15m span bridge in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, construction of 5km Ikot Usop-Ikot Edeghe-Ikot Ekpuk road with 30m span bridge in Ibiono Local government area and Mkpat Enin Local government areas respectively. Also, contracts for the construction of 5km Mkpok-Okat road in Onna Local Government Area, resumption of work at the dualization of Eket-Ibeno road, urban renewal projects within Eket township, construction of second Runway at the Akwa Ibom International airport, emergency intervention, flood control, completion of outfalls and urban roads in Oron. Other infrastructural maintenance and development projects include the construction of 1.2km underground drainage line in Uyo and the repair of Eket-Ibeno Road which are almost due for accessibility.

Governor Udom has so far proven that he was guided by infrastructure expansion and consolidation elements of his manifesto. The administration has intervened in the deplorable gully erosion ravaging the federal Calabar-Itu highway at Enen Atai in Itu Local Government Area as well as one ravaging the School of Nursing in Anua, Uyo. 

The benefits amassed by citizens of Akwa Ibom State by the Udom-led administration are innumerable. Within his first three weeks in office, Governor Udom in his avowed bid to focus more on industrialization set up a 10-man committee to oversee the realization of the Ibaka Deep Seaport- a project which holds the promise of the creation of over 100,000 jobs at completion. It also holds the promise of a self-sustaining commercial city with oil and gas support service that would help Akwa Ibom finally tap into awesome and largely untapped maritime potentials. This, he government believes will create employment and greatly urbanize the area and also stimulate a multiplier effect. 

Displaying an unrelenting spirit and fidelity to his industrialization mantra, governor Udom led a team of experts to the defunct Peacock Paints in Etinan. After accessing the plant, he promised to revive the moribund industry in his continued efforts to create employment through industrialization. This, in relation to the groundbreaking of the automobile assembly plant in Itu where armoured personnel carriers, fire trucks, ambulances and luxury cars would be assembled are instrumental to his job-creation bid which he had said was the first chapter in the book of his industrialization. 

Adding to this aura brought by his administration is the almost uninterrupted power supply that has pervaded Uyo and its environs. This, the government has noted will continue unabated with the megawatts of electricity to be increased by 20 percent. 

The Governor also inaugurated a Technical Committee on Foreign Direct Investment and another Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency to ensure the availability of foods ahead of the rainy days. One can therefore say that the Udom Emmanuel-led government is futuristic and has long-term benefits.  

One of the greatest achievements of Gov. Udom Emmanuel so far is the initiative to send 1,000 Akwa Ibom youths for training in Cloud Computing at Oracle, the world’s largest software firm situated in California, USA. Notably, the biting unemployment rate staring at the government has been observed by the visionary Governor who is leaving no stone unturned in the provision of employment opportunities for citizens. Previously, he had announced the completion of plans to set up a micro credit scheme towards the empowerment of Akwa Ibom People across board. According to him, the Oracle training will open up the beneficiaries to a world of unlimited opportunities that greatly establish the state as a leader in the ICT part of the world. He had said that cloud computing, a data management business solution, is an area where Oracle has comparative edge advantage, and in high demand by any big and modern corporations. As such, Oracle trained professionals are highly sought for lucrative employments that could fetch salaries as high as $55,000. 

The positive effects of the policies and programmes of the present administration are justified by the over 20 foreign investors who have indicated interests in coming to settle down and transact business in the state, courtesy of Governor Udom’s octopusal connection with the international world. 

In ensuring the safe hygiene of Akwaibomites, Gov. Udom declared war against indiscriminate disposal of wastes when he flagged-off the monthly environmental sanitation in the state and subsequently set up a task force to apprehend defaulters. The Governor who did not just declare his dream went as far as participating in the exercise with his wife to show example to others. This particular stride of the governor is laudable as it is a foremost preventive measure in tackling with diseases and health threats. Sequel to his, the Governor has been quite supportive in delivering health benefits to the state. This was seen at the flag off ceremony of the first round Maternal, Newborn and Child Health organized by the State Ministry of health to deliver low cost child survival and maternal interventions where he advised citizens to embrace the free health care services provided by the government. The Governor, still in his bid to reclaim the glory of the health sector had earlier visited Anua Hospital in Uyo where he inspected the theatre, gynaecology, paediatrics and other facilities and expressed readiness to improve the defunct sections and infrastructures of the place. 

It is evident from the foregoing that Gov. Udom came into governance with a clear vision of how to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people. And in line with his promises during the thanksgiving service after the inauguration of his administration that he would serve and be ready to work for the good of the people of the state, Governor Emmanuel has taken concrete steps to move the state forward.  

In the education sector, Governor Emmanuel has ensured the payment of 10 years arrears of pension and gratuities to primary school teachers as well as Local government employees. He had also embarked on a tour to one of Akwa Ibom’s early colleges, the CCC where he approved the construction of internal roads and renovation of dilapidated buildings. This visit is not limited to the Cornelia Connelly College alone but others, pointing to the fact that upgrading school facilities holds invaluable importance to the promotion of academic activities by creating a conducive environment, especially in public schools noted for their state of disrepair nationwide. It also goes a long way to demonstrate the Governor’s dedication to a high standard of education in Akwa Ibom SStae.

The Expectations
In as much as the Udom Emmanuel administration can still be said to be in its embryonic stage, one cannot run away from the huge expectations from the mass of Akwa Ibom citizens on this administration. Coming in from the banking sector with many years of experience and wide connections, the citizens are looking up to the governor to leverage on his reach to lure investors into the state and make good his promise of industrialising the land of promise.

How he will go about all of these is not particularly the concern of the people who had voted for him on April 11 with the belief that he is the right man to steer the ship of the state to an enviable height. He is looked upon with much confidence going by the air of authoritative finality with which he went about his campaign promises. Akwa Ibomites, with their seeming political awareness in recent time will surely not entertain excuses arising from inability of the current administration to meet their yearnings and collective aspirations.

The expectations on the part of the people from this administration are legion and deservedly so taking cognizance of the huge resources that accrue to the state monthly from the federation’s account including the internally generated revenue. Akwa Ibom, since 2007 or so have been receiving the highest allocation among other federating units in the federation. While the last administration of  Chief Godswill Akpabio had done its bit in utilising these resources for the development of the state, not a few citizens are at ease with that administration with analysts opining that the immediate past administration was characterised by wanton spending of resources without recourse to the future and the health of the state.

Analysts contend that the prodigal spending that was the lot of the last administration has had telling effects on the current administration of Udom Emmanuel with many observing that the seeming slow pace in terms of fulfilment of campaign promises made to the people is as a result of the lean resources that Udom is having to work with. Yet, in spite of any shortcomings either because of resources or the will power to be assertive and aggressively stick to his 5 point agenda and work assiduously to making same come to realisation, Udom Emmanuel knows he can’t afford to fail the people who have so much trust and confidence in his ability and capacity to deliver the much needed dividends of democracy.

Many are yet to come to terms with Udom Emmanuel’s failure to have disclosed to the citizens of the state how much he inherited from the immediate past government of Chief Godswill Akpabio. While there have been promises and assurances from some of the governor’s aides that sooner than later, the needful will be done as to getting Akwa Ibom people acquainted with how much he (Udom) inherited from his predecessor, many are still worried and sceptical that it may after all be a mirage or tales of moonlight. The inability or sheer unwillingness by the governor to make public what should ordinarily have been one of the first things of his administration is seen as an unwritten pact between the Governor and his benefactor in Chief Senator Godswill Akpabio who single- handedly saw to his emergence as governor of Akwa Ibom State against all the odds.

The opposition have pounced on this lacuna to pour scorn on the Udom Emmanuel administration, noting that it is crystal clear to all and sundry that Akpabio is hiding behind Governor Udom Emmanuel to do a third term in office as governor. Not a few citizens have bought this position hook, line and sinker going by how Udom has piloted the ship of the state this past six months with many still contending that the former bank chief is taking advice from the Senate Minority Leader to govern the state. This, political observers aver is injurious to Udom’ administration and a slap on the psyche of the good people of Akwa Ibom State who see Udom as a smokescreen of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The Challenges 

Though, many also argue against the widely held notion that Governor Udom Emmanuel is not a man of his own. His supporters contend that he is only focused in bringing development to the state especially the building of industries and turning around the fortunes of the state occasioned by the dakkada philosophy but the raw fact remains that to whom much is given, much is surely expected. That is the lot of Governor Udom Emmanuel and he must wake up daily with this singular thought in his mind if he must survive the unrestrained onslaught against his administration by those who still feel he was foisted on the people of Akwa Ibom State against popular opinion and their wish.

This and other baggage cannot easily be dis missed as being at the root of the stormy time Udom has had to grapple with in office since his declaration as Governor by INEC on April 11. Coming into the fray in 2013 as SSG, Udom Emmanuel was an unknown quantity in the political milieu of the state even as word was rife that he was drafted into the state EXCO with the clear intention to have him learn the ropes and there after succeed Chief Akpabio as Governor. Not a few discerning minds had read the writing on the wall. Of course, at a point, since the time was relatively short, happenings in the polity revealed in clear terms that Udom Emmanuel had been packaged to come and vie for the number one office in the land.

In no time, different groups organised rallies and called on Udom Emmanuel to resign his position as SSG and declare for the governorship position of the state. He ‘heeded’ the call after much ‘pressure’ and threw his hat in the ring and that opened the Pandora’s box as wild politicking, acrimony and the fiercest political weather in the state took centre stage. The arguments against Udom Emmanuel were plenteous. But after all said and done, he emerged winner of a highly controversial and contentious gubernatorial poll. His closest challenger Obong Umana Okon Umana of the All Progressives Congress has since headed to the courts and the case has undeniably shaken the political pillars of the state.

With the governorship election tribunal led by Sadiq Umar having nullified elections in 18 local government areas of the state, the political temperature has taken an unusually heated and tensed dimension. This, without a shred of doubt is one of the many challenges confronting the Udom Emmanuel administration. Analysts say that the nullification of election in 18 LGAs is a colossal setback for Governor Udom Emmanuel and his bid to implement his five point agenda to the letter which include but not limited to job creation and industrialisation.

It is a dicey situation as far as the state and this administration is concerned. Though, both parties have since proceeded to Appeal court with diverse arguments, the grim reality remains that Governor Udom Emmanuel, in the eye of the law is sitting on a keg of gun powder as he does not have the constitutionally required number of LGAs in his kitty to remain the validly elected Governor of the state. Political analysts are of the view that Udom’s relationship with Senator Godswill Akpabio is at the root of the travails that has bedevilled his administration. It is believed that if Udom had come in as an independent candidate without being tied to the apron strings of Akpabio, he would have had it smooth and simple but this, analysts maintain is the Governor’s albatross.

In spite of all these, Governor Udom Emmanuel must devise a means of warming himself into the hearts of the people and dedicatedly but consciously commit himself to bettering the lot of the people of Akwa Ibom State. That is what the Governor owes the people in the face of wild attacks from the opposition camp and the looming appeal court judgment. Udom must also look for alternative but practicable ways of creating wealth for the state and reduce the high rate of unemployment to the barest minimum.  While power supply has experienced a leap in recent times, the citizens are still yearning for more. Failure to meet these basic amenities will surely not be in the best interest of this administration. He has to work and be seen to be working without any atom of doubt on the part of the people that they are being deceived or taken for a ride.

By and large, the days ahead are riddled with bombs with the opposition showing no signs of allowing the governor take a sip of chilled water in the best presence of mind. The recently inaugurated Specialist Hospital staff quarters at Shelter Afrique has also generated unrest in the polity with reports having it that the choice property belongs to Senator Godswill Akpabio. Udom has also come under severe scrutiny over the mansion he is building or (renovating) in his home country, Awa Iman. Some folks are of the view that embarking on such gargantuan project is not ideal at a time many are hungry and earnestly seeking for ways to survive the skyrocketing harsh economic situation occasioned by dwindling oil prices.

There have also been reports in recent time that the governor is not having the best of relationships with his party chieftains with its Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo being a culprit having been allegedly barred from accessing the Government House by the governor’s security guard recently. On the whole, the future is still bright for Governor Udom Emmanuel only if he weans himself from the apron of his great teacher (Akpabio) and settle down to work for Akwa Ibom people. While we wait with trepidation for the court processes to roll away, one hopes that the governor will not relent in his efforts to improve the economy of the state relying on his very rich background from the private sector where he rose to the top echelons. 

Since one good turn deserves another, Udom must utilise this time to cement his position as Governor with one eye in 2019. Did I hear you say it is too early? In politics, time and strategic planning is of essence. So, one should not wait for things to happen but should rather make things happen to avoid being swept away by the tide.