January 21, (THEWILL) – A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr James Iniama, congratulates Governor Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State on his victory at the Apex Court. He also pays tribute to former governor Udom Emmanuel and his wife, Martha, as well as PDP chieftains and stakeholders in the state, for their efforts at ensuring the success of the party at the 2023 general election in an exclusive interview with UDEME UTIP in Uyo. Excerpts:
The Supreme Court, in a conclusive judicial pronouncement, recently affirmed the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, as the duly elected, after dismissing three separate appeals by the YPP, APC and NNPP governorship candidates. What does this mean to you as a patriotic Akwa Ibom citizen?
It is by far more important to consider what the ruling of the Supreme Court means to the people of Akwa Ibom than what it means to a single citizen of the state. You must have felt an assured peace and tranquillity in the streets as soon as that declaration was made.
I want to congratulate the Akwa Ibom people. That is part of what the victory means to me. It says to me that we are evolving as a society. We are developing. What it means to me is that our democracy is also getting grounded. It tells me that our people are becoming politically and intellectually developed to desire to have their rights on contentious issues resolved through civilised legal processes. It tells me that our judicial system is getting more and more established in accordance with the law. It tells me that there is a rule of law to celebrate.
The decision of the apex court was very well received. It is not far from what any educated mind would have expected. The decision is an invitation to all of us in Akwa Ibom to now come together and build this state. We don’t have another state. So, we congratulate the Apex court of the nation. We congratulate Governor Umo Bassey Eno. He is our Governor. There is a Governor for every season. We congratulate Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the godfather of all of it.
I would say that the decision of the apex court has shown that it is time for us to reflect on our lives as a people, the engagement of each and every one of us, the labours of our heroes past and the labour of the present leadership. When we talk of the present leadership, I want to congratulate Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel. I have never seen a quiet and tireless campaigner-in-chief as Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel. This woman sacrificed every moment through the campaigns. She was at every rally. She spoke for the triumph of our candidates with the commitment of a mother.
It is time for us to pat each and every Akwa lbom person on the back. Now is the time to reflect on the sacrifices of my friend, Chief Ambassador Assam Ekanem Assam, SAN. He was the DG of the campaign. He is the “eldest” of all the elders of the state, that’s what we’ve called him. He led the campaigns with sincerity. We would have to acknowledge the sacrifice, commitment, diligence and sincerity of men like him for the leadership he provided the political party throughout the stormy and very trying seasons of the rather peaceful campaign.
There is no limit we can stretch to appreciate what the decision of the apex court means to us. Our secretary to the state government was secretary of the campaign. I remember that for many of the campaign sessions, there would be a seat reserved for him but he never sat down until the end of the rally. And it was in the days leading to a rally. He worked tirelessly. You could have seen the commitment of men like that. I don’t want to talk of my friend Akparawa Obong Godwin Ntukudeh.
So, there is a lot that the victory means to me and the people of Akwa Ibom State, but ultimately, it means to me that we have come effectively to the end of politicking and litigations. We have all got to return, set our hands on the plow and develop this state which is the only state we all have.
Shortly after that victory, those whose appeals were dismissed came out to throw their weight behind the governor and congratulate him. Will you see that as loyalty on their part, knowing that they had to wait for the Supreme Court?
It is not to talk of loyalty, it is to talk of patriotism. In fact, one of the congratulatory messages states that he did it because he is a democrat. There is an end to everything. Litigation cannot be forever. The campaigns cannot be forever. We cannot become a fractious group of people in the present state of the economy of our nation. What they did was the best to expect from leadership. It was the best to expect in the spirit of godliness which the Akwa Ibom people are known for. So, I commend them on their part for taking that step. They are bold. I congratulate them and believe they will stretch out their hands to ensure that they bring the relative advantages that each and every one of us has on the table to guarantee the success of this administration. Don’t forget, we’re not talking of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno or talking of PDP. We are talking about Akwa Ibom State and this is the time to make all the difference.
All of them have their roots in PDP. Interest pushed them that far. As a politician, do you foresee them returning to PDP?
I believe it is only God who can speak with certainty as to the intent of their hearts, even at the time they sent out the congratulatory messages. But, for me with all sense of responsibility, their messages of congratulations, their declaration of support to the government of Akwa Ibom State was done with sincere intent. We cannot question them. It will be unfair to question them. I would suggest that everybody should bring whatsoever they have to the table. If you are a technologist, if you are in the financial services sector, if you’re in the property sector, whatsoever it is, We need to make Akwa Ibom State Special. Akwa Ibom State will stand out distinct from every other state in this country. I say this with authority because I know that there are men and women who had and are still labouring to pray for the state. I say this with certainty because I know the things God has spoken about Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom State is unique and special in the heart of God. I can add to say to you that there was a time in this state when intercessors in the prayer project of Akwa Ibom State prayed that God will give us a leader with the heart of a father and the spirit of God and that is what we see unfolding. I believe that everything that is coming in the way of Akwa bom State and the people is in accordance with the counsel of God and I pray that we will not truncate any of those processes.
Pastor Umo Eno has been on the saddle as governor of the state for the past eight months. How will you rate his administration so far judging from his ARISE agenda?
When you read the ARISE agenda, you will find that it is a comprehensively articulated development agenda for Akwa bom State. Governor Umo Eno didn’t stop there. He convoked an Akwa Ibom Dialogue where various experts were brought together to digest and analyse the ARISE agenda and come up with an implementable document for governance.
The programmes of this administration stem from the collective resolution of the Akwa ibom people developed from the ARISE Agenda document. So, every step Pastor Umo Eno takes is deliberate and intended to fulfil the promises enunciated in the ARISE Agenda. Just yesterday, the Minister of Aviation was here to inspect the facilities at Victor Attah International Airport, respond to applications of the state government geared towards the full operation of international flights and operations of other services. Won’t it be a blessing to us that Akwa Ibom State will be open to the world? It will not only increase commerce and investment but also increase our knowledge economy. It will boost tourism. So, he is putting down bits and pieces that will come together to form a beautiful Akwa Ihom State. He is talking about Ibom Ferrys in partnership with the Nigerian Navy. You see, everything that is beginning to unfold is steered towards the actualisation of the ARISE Agenda.
We are talking of model primary schools, one in each local government area for a start. We will pray for wisdom to actualize it in such a manner that in each Local Government Area, we will have a primary school where our sons and daughters will be proud to be taught in. Everything is falling in place.
It is the patriotic duty of every man and woman in this state to work as though you were the governor yourself. What can you bring into this state? What knowledge do you have? What expertise? What investment/development opportunity. He is doing well and I would say it is also the time for his appointees to make themselves accessible, and be willing to receive contributions that help the development process of the state. We all have our roles to play. We would come in to make it what we want but ultimately, it is what will glorify God.
As someone who aspired to be governor, do you think the ARISE Agenda has covered what you had in mind for the state?
It is not important or indeed helpful to look back at an aspiration that is long past. I am an elder citizen anywhere in the world. I aspired not under my party as a private enterprise. I aspired on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party and together with the party we agreed that we wanted Pastor Umo Bassey Eno to be our flag bearer and that is what it was. He carries our thoughts, our dreams, our aspirations and all. There is no separating my ambition from what is happening. I am absolutely and totally part of what is going on. I will [just as Governor Umo Eno would] hold myself accountable to what is going on here no matter where I am.
How would you describe the administration of President Bola Tinubu?
I had an opportunity to meet the President when we were led by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to negotiate the merger of the Advanced Congress of Democrats [ACD] with the Alliance for Democracy [AD]. I was a member of the ACD. He led the Alliance for Democracy. I had the privilege of sitting in the negotiation meeting. He demonstrated tremendous leadership and negotiation skills. He is a patriot. Ultimately, I became the governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom State under the merged political party, Action Congress. From the interactions we had, I can say a few things. President Tinubu has a clear mind about how and where he wants to lead. I have not had an opportunity to meet him again since then, but I believe he has a clear mind where he wants to go and where he wants to lead Nigeria to. I know he doesn’t waiver in the things he has determined to do. I remember how much argument we went through just to arrive at that merger and I know that he is steely in his decisions. He stays focused.
I don’t have any doubts in his ability. He means well for Nigeria. I am only wishing that he will be blessed with lieutenants who will implement his dreams with a patriotic zeal. I wish that with the FEC and his other advisers, they will articulate and develop programmes to address the shock that the Nigerian economy has received upon the removal of petrol subsidy. I hold the view that there are critical family needs that have been directly impacted by that decision.
How do we cushion the costs implication that the removal has impacted those critical needs for families? If you ask me, I would think rather than engage in palliative programmes and the likes. Let us invest in transportation, reduce cost of education; make it possible that Nigerians can move from one point to another at a lesser cost. Give a guarantee of an active transportation system.
Let us see how to bring down the cost of education and health care services. That would make more impact to families in my view than the payment of palliatives. But I must tell you that for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I love him, I support him, he means well. We pray for him because he is the president of Nigeria, and Nigeria is our country. The only country we have. We don’t have anywhere else to go. We live here. And the issue of security has stirred up. He is responding to that scorch. A menace. I hope that will be arrested soon.
