Orgasms In The Mention Of Akpabio
By UbongAbasi Ise
Senator Godswill Akpabio is
not a man that could be described in ambiguous terms, although, he can mean
anything to any commentator. He is a man whose single word or deed, for
whatever reason, would send tongues wagging or wowing. Plainly, the uncommon Senator
is not only a phenomenon in the world of Akwa Ibom politics and Nigeria’s
politicking, but a significant factor that reorders Akwa Ibom statecraft, and
he has been a major force that influences development in the state. Here, yours
truly may not be making any particular effort in canonizing him to saint or
apotheosizing him to god, and won’t also consider demonizing him to some
readers’ delight. All I could attempt is to state how his constituents feel
about him in the face of varied-ranging perceptions of this much-talk-about
Akwa Ibom politician.
Unarguably, Akpabio’s eight years in office as
Governor of Akwa Ibom State had marked the watershed in Akwa Ibom history. And
at the same time, most naysayers are seeing his governorship tenure as the time
the Pandora box was opened and all the ills, pestilence and anomalies of this
world emptied on Akwa Ibom and surroundings. Therefore, they won’t find any
taint on the incumbent state government despite all the shameful realities of its
underperformance and ineptitude that instrumentally systematize pauperism of
the majority. They wish someday the ground would open up and swallow all of
Akpabio’s bequests in one gulp so that they would not be hacked off each time
they perceive his legacies. To them, the 2019 general elections all revolve
around Akpabio. Therefore they would mobilize
all votes against all the candidates of the All Progressive Congress, APC, no
matter how sophisticated and well-meaning they are, just to punish Akpabio.
Surely
Senator Godswill Akpabio’s name has
consistently featured as a major theme in the 2019 electioneering since his
earth-shattering landing on APC
from the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, on August 8, 2018 . Since then, his name has fast become a flavor
that spices up all the campaign rallies organized by any political party, be it
the APC , the PDP, or any other political
party involved in the ongoing contestation. Every campaign climaxes to orgasm
once Akpabio’s name pops up whether in good or bad reasons. Not surprisingly,
the PDP, in particular, could never finish their campaign without nitpicking
Akpabio just to enliven their tired, rented, multi-coloured crowd. At PDP
campaigns, after long marathon round of promises, they need Akpabio’s name to
climax. It appears that without hitting the former governor, all their speeches
and pronouncements are empty and hollow. Every average speaker automatically
becomes orator of class once they clothe Senator Godswill Akpabio with filthy
robes. They forget to acknowledge the
fact that demonization of the uncommon Senator only appeal to the gatherings of
ilk-minded scoffers. They may pretend not to know that outside such arrangement,
wrongful use of Akpabio’s name is not applauded anywhere in Akwa Ibom and
beyond, and this might become an invitation to open mockery of those perpetrating
the mischief.
On twitter, I
have seen some pathetic trolls who are not the constituents of the Akwa Ibom
Northwest Senatorial District swearing over their dead bodies that the lawmaker
won’t return to the Red Chambers. Most of them don’t even have PVCs. Even if
they do, by virtue that they are not the constituents of Senator Akpabio, the
extant electoral laws would not permit them to do any voting at any of the
polling units located within the confines of the senatorial district. All their
malevolent intention is to remake the Senator in the image of Satan so that the
entire Nigeria and international community would loathe him. But for how long will
they continue to cut the nose to spite the face? How long will they burn their energy,
resources, and time to nail Akpabio just for the primordial pleasure of sheer
vindictiveness? The uncommon transformer is not contesting presidential or
governorship elections this year. He is not even struggling for the state or
federal legislative seat, and he is not standing any Senatorial election apart
from that of Akwa Ibom Northwest District. But his antagonists are creating
maddening confusion to the extent that it appears as if the Senator is
contesting all the positions available in the 2019 general elections.
No matter
what happens, Akpabio is loved by his people. Majority of constituents or say
eligible voters in his senatorial district, hold him in esteem, cherish him and
find their pride in him. During the recent APC
primary elections, all aspiring interests were voluntarily handing off the
senatorial ticket for him because they believe in the strength of his representation.
When the APC campaign train
visited Ini/Ikono local government area via Ikot Ekpene, the entire Urua Torr,
a market in the raffia city, suspended activities and went agog for Senator
Godswill Akpabio. The people wanted their Senator to come down, and he humbly
obliged. The stage was set for broom festival: women danced; men cheered;
children felt proud to have set their eyes on this legendary leader. It took
serious persuasion to release him to join Obong Nsima Ekere at Odoro Ikpe, the
headquarters of Ini local government area. Even at Essien Udim APC campaign, Mr.
Stephen Ekpenyong, the blood brother of Engr. Chris Ekpenyong who is contesting
senate seat against Akpabio on the platform of PDP, was shunning his own elder
brother to declare full support for the serving Akwa Ibom Northwest Senator. At Oruk Anam rally, people swarmed around Akpabio
with incredible gusto, and the people’s Senator had to stop one security
personnel from manhandling the crowd and asked him to leave his people alone
because they could not harm him. In Akwa Ibom Northwest and other part of the
state, the love for Senator Godswill Akpabio is just like the adherence to
religion.
Yes, he may
not be impeccable, but leaders in Akpabio’s mould are rare to find in this part
of the world where greedy hawks hold sway. He may be classified as a Level 5
Leader as propounded by American motivational writer, John C. Maxwell in his
2011 book, The 5 Levels of Leadership.
Maxwell puts that Level 5 leaders “create opportunities that other leaders don’t.
They create legacy in what they do. People follow them because of who they are
and what they represent.” In Akwa Ibom State in general, wherever the former
governor goes, people go. His followers admire his debonair disposition and trust
in his uncommon transformative prowess. They are always conscious that he can
transform them anytime because most prosperous figures holding key positions under
the present PDP-controlled state government were once groomed and nurtured by him until they
become Iroko trees and who-is-who in Akwa Ibom politics. Those that were
Akpabio boys then are those that are keeping the PDP breathing today in the
state. They are all over all the arms of government. In the executive, there is
Governor Udom Emmanuel who is struggling to get reelected in the forthcoming
gubernatorial election; in the legislative arm, there is Barr. Onofiok Luke; the
attorney general, Uwemedimo Nwoko remains the eyes of the state government in
the judiciary matters. Let me also mention the gladiators like the dean of all
commissioners, Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Edet; Chairman of UCCDA, Enobong Uwah; Akwa
Ibom Northeast Senator, Obong Bassey Albert; lawmaker representing Uyo Federal
Constituency, Michael Ekpenyong (Babantan); the PDP National Legal Adviser, Barr.
Emmanuel Enoidem; the PDP state Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, and over 500 other powerful
individuals that could not be mentioned here. Unfortunately, insults to Akpabio
for these persons, are sign of loyalty for the PDP. So bad that these umbrella
people that were uncommonly transformed by Godswill Akpabio are finding, single-mindedly,
their political orgasm by way of seeking to clip the wings of their benefactor,
and reducing him to size.
©The Sensor Newspaper
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