Let’s Weep For Essien Udim

By UbongAbasi Ise

“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Unfolding events in the national assembly election tribunal involving Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Chris Ekpenyong have so far shown how Essien Udim local government area has been cut off from the gridline of democracy and left to reel in seclusion. The formal hearing which commenced on Monday 10^thJune 2019 has provoked certain questions that seek to interrogate whether some errors brought to the fore were calculated ones, or simply emerge out of situations that defied human control and conscience.

As gleaned from the cross-examination of seven witnesses from Essien Udim that testified so far, INEC said two polling units were cancelled in Afaha Ward; seven cancelled in Adiasim ward; ten polling units in Odoro Ikot (I) ward all cancelled; 17 out of 20 polling units cancelled in Okon Ward; 14 out of 23 cancelled in Ukana East Ward; all the seven polling units cancelled in Ukana West (I) Ward, and all the 10 polling units cancelled in Odoro Ikot (II) Ward. The summation of the polling units cancelled by INEC in the seven out of eleven wards shows that votes in 67 polling units were nullified. One reason INEC really emphasized was that the boxes meant for national assembly election in the voter registers were not ticked by its own ad hoc staff.  At the end, the effort of poor Essien Udim voters that came out en masse baring their bodies to the sun and the rain in order to exercise their franchise became futile, and the votes they cast became useless. Their contribution in electing their representative became insignificant. But who is really at fault? Where would the swinging pendulum of justice settled finally?

I am not writing to pass judgment on post-election matters on the head of anybody or institutions, as long as petitions are currently entertained at the tribunal. But cancellation of people’s will by those charged with the responsibility of election management who turn out to predicate their own action on their  failure to tick boxes, fundamentally calls for interrogation of our democracy, especially, as basic ingredient called election appears to be grossly abused. It is often believed that in a democratic system, it is the majority that carries the vote. But in Essien Udim, it seems the minority decides for the majority. If for instance, the senatorial election is upheld as it is, what then happens to the votes of the majority? This makes a fool of democracy, and makes its term quite a misnomer. Let’s not forget that the Total Number of the Registered Voters in Essien Udim in the 2019 elections was 105,555, but INEC said it accredited 14,467 voters to partake in the February 23 senatorial election. At the end of it all, the minority carries the vote. Was this a deliberate mistake or call it a planned electoral accident? The response is “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.” Those are the words of US former President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In the same senatorial election, the war-torn Ukanafun local government area came into the contest with 64,577 being the Total Number of Registered Voters, and INEC accredited 44,080. But in Essien Udim 14,467 were recognized out of 64,577. Let’s weep for Essien Udim.

Today Essien Udim has no representative in the 7^th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly despite the declaration of Sir Nse Ntuen as the winner in March 9 state house election. His certificate of return is currently withheld by the INEC state resident electoral officer, Mr. Mike Igini. And Essien Udim constituents seem excluded in the affairs of the state. Are they not suddenly assuming the slave status in the midst of freeborn as in Old Roman Empire? Let’s weep for Essien Udim.

Yes! I am UbongAbasi Ise. For comment, please send  SMS to 08189914609 | ubongabasiise@gmail.com

©The Sensor Newspaper

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