UMANAH UMANAH: A JOURNEY OF DESPERATION

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By John Akpaide

Umanah’s desperation to be the governor of Akwa Ibom State gained mileage, Thursday night with his controversial declaration as APC flag bearer in a sham election by the electoral panel that conducted the nomination. The primaries alleged to have been inconclusive ended in fiasco when supporters of Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe, one of the notable aspirants noticing that their principal was going to kiss the dust committed one of the most brazen electoral heist known in the history of elections. Senator Udoedeghe had arrived the venue of the primaries with rabble. Sensing failure, he took majestic strides to where the ballot boxes were positioned, carried one while his aides carried the other two and in what looked like a slow motion moved round the field and exited through the gate. The action which drew no whimper from either the security agents or anybody was witnessed by other aspirants and delegates.

But the panel which conducted the exercise showed iron cast determination to bring the event to a conclusive end by ensuring the emergence of a candidate. Appearing to be proactive, it announced an option A-4 approach with supporters queuing behind their choice aspirants. While Umanah’s line stretched a distance, Senator Udoedeghe recorded a paltry six people bringing to a disgraceful end his reckless boast that he won the 2011 election. But the controversial APC governorship primaries did more than exposing Senator Udoedeghe’s lack of electoral value. It also signposted that Umanah’s desperate quest for the office of governor which was already mired in an inconclusive election signals that the project is dead on arrival. Equally too, it has brought into focus the quality of people that people APC and their capacities to display indiscipline of the worst colouration. The conduct of that primaries and such display of brigandage point to the fact that APC is not a party that operate with civilized values.

What happened at that nomination exercise is symptomatic of what APC portends as a party. Apart from being a willing accomplice in the perversion of justice, it is also a congregation of strange bedfellows with an emperor at the helms to dictate and determine the fate and fortune of the party. Whereas PDP enjoys the subscription of the people as their party, APC has an ownership structure that makes every joiner answerable or tied to the apron-string of the owner and co-owners. This is why it is difficult to raise the issues of justice and equity as such considerations may hamper or impinge on the envisaged profit of the investor.

Umanah was assumed to be a member of PDP by virtue of his involvement with PDP governments. His political trajectory notes that former governor Attah appointed him as commissioner while he was a civil servant. Governor Akpabio also appointed him Secretary to the State Government, an office he held for upward of six years. Many construed him a PDP member from the offices he held. While serving as SSG, he nursed the ambition to be governor. Even though Umanah Umanah comes from Uyo Senatorial District which has severally held the office of governor, he has curiously failed to see the need for Eket Senatorial District which is the only senatorial district yet to produce governor to have a shot at that exalted office. He has also failed to recognize that injustice somewhere is a threat to justice everywhere. As Umanah and his cohorts are busy shouting “change”, they have failed to acknowledge that no positive change can thrive or even happen in an atmosphere where justice and equity, corollaries to peace are relegated. His advent into APC marks his beginning of Party politics. Perhaps more tutelage in party politics will avail him with the fact that justice and equity are fundamental elements in democracy.

Umanah is said to have held political office for upward of 14-years. But this does not confer on him any astuteness as a politician. He still seems to think from within the box. If, he had acquired adequate sagacity, he would not have considered leaving PDP even though he was of little consequence in the party. He also would not have demonstrated such unbridled desperation in his bid to be governor to the point of sacrificing robust relationship and burning his bridges. He would have worn his political compass and would have read the political tide carefully to know that it does not favour him. And that he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. But desperation forces reason into flight leaving the man bare and deluded.

The former Secretary to the State Government is also said to have a deep pocket. Deep pockets mostly acquired through illicit means have their challenges. If they don’t make the bearers restless, they chart crises laden courses that would make them weary and dispossessed of the illicit wealth. Umanah has severally been reported to boast that he has enough financial war chest to match even government. But neither government nor the governor is contesting election with him. The boast is therefore quaint and out of sync. Election is not about money only; it is about goodwill and what the seeker of the office represents. In 2015 election, Umanah would represent injustice. His action would be bereft of fairness and equity and so would be antithetical to the interest of the majority of Akwa Ibom people.

But why does Umanah want to be governor at all cost? The reason can certainly not be altruistic. It is not also on account of his love for the State otherwise he would have cared about its peaceful co-existence. Is it that he has any extraordinary development blueprint for the State that he could not suggest or cause to be implemented in the six years he served as SSG and was said to have controlled the government by about 60 percent on account of the trust Governor Akpabio reposed in him? Again a resounding No. Umanah’s desperation to be governor is driven by ego combined with bigotry. He wants to prove a point that He can win election without Akpabio and against all odds. He also believes that such opportunity would avail him the chance to even scores with Akpabio for daring to remove him as SSG. He has failed to realize that the appointment which has a precedent as the first SSG to come from outside the LGA of a governor was a result of Governor Akpabio’s uncommon benevolence. And that to engage him in atrocious war just because he was removed is the height of perfidy. As somebody who imbibed civilized values early in life having attended Saint Patrick’s College, Ikot Ansa, he should reinvent the art of forgiveness and seek peaceful co-existence with his former boss, neighbours, friends and acquaintance.

Umanah’s movement to APC had only the sole objective of securing the governorship ticket. He fulfilled that ambition by vying and was declared the winner albeit controversially. But how far can he go in realizing the ambition. Well, many think he would only succeed in polarizing the State along ethnic lines. For the election, it is widely held that he may have a good showing but can not clinch the seat because of the odds weighed against him through the reality of zoning which underscores justice and equity. Why did APC give him the ticket? Again many argue that he paid for it. “APC wants to recoup its investment in Akwa Ibom State ”, said Pastor Ephraim Umorom. He added that the financier lost money in 2011 in ACN. According to him, this time around, they are bringing a man who can bankroll his election while financial returns continue to trickle back to the financier and other party faithful.

The difference between PDP and APC is the courage to do the right thing irrespective of who is involved. This is the significant difference between a party owned by the people and that owned by an individual with strong profit motive. While the latter looks for profit, the former represent the interest of the people. PDP refused to accede to Umanah’s desperation because it is ideologically in favour of natural justice, equity and good conscience. But APC was willing to even deploy subterfuge method to vouchsafe Umanah the ticket as the highest bidder. If APC meant well, why did it not look at the direction of Eket Senatorial District? Even the Oron axis its members taut to empathize with, did they not find anyone there? Akwa Ibom must know that a lion can not sire a goat. You can not give what you don’t have. APC can not give our State good governance because they don’t have the fundamentals of justice, equity, fairness and good conscience. Our people must identify with a party that has these cardinal elements. That is the way to go if we are sincere in our search for a prosperous society.

John Akpaide contributed is a public affairs commentator.