2015: PDP will win AKS – OBA …I am not going to the National Assembly to Speak Grammar, but to bring back dividends and empower my people - OBA Obong Bassey Albert (OBA) is the standard bearer of the PDP for Uyo Senatorial District in the 2015 polls. Sampson Akpan , the producer of Politics Today (PT) hosted the former finance commissioner in an engaging interview which lasted over an hour on Planet 101.1FM, Uyo. The former banker spoke on a number of issues ranging from his career, relationship with Governor Akpabio, Senator Ita Enang, G-22 debacle, Chances of the PDP in the 2015 polls and his plans for the people. PT: Let’s take off from your responsibility, I remember the role you played in 2007 for the emergence of his Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio, and your relationship with him and all that made it possible for that to come to a reality. Tell me, what really took you away from the banking hall? OBA: Thank you Sam, let me sincerely apologies for coming a bit late. Apologies accepted; let me also thank the listener for their patience and I wish them a very merry Christmas and a prosperous 2015. Well, Sam, it is nice to be here, extremely nice to be here, very exciting. This is actually my first outing in a public place; I have never appeared on a TV or Radio programme on a live transmission. But, i thank God, because at the right time, he makes all things beautiful. I had been a banker for 12 years before joining his Excellency Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, precisely August 2007. I ran into him sometime in 2003, and he promised me that if God makes him the Governor that I will serve with him in the state as commissioner for finance. He kept his promise, 4 to 5 years after that. It’s been on and on and on. I believe that he actually gave me the platform and opportunity to express myself and equally contribute my own little quota towards the uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State. One thing makes me happy, there is no way the story of uncommon transformation is mentioned in Akwa Ibom state without me being given a right of place. To this, I want to say thank you Jesus for all that you have done and thank you Governor Akpabio for the opportunity you have given me. I also thank Akwa Ibom people for standing by the Governor all these years. PT: You were saddled with the responsibility of the Inter Ministerial Direct labour project, liaising with the people day after day and very committed to the course, sometimes we could not get to you due to your tight schedule. Is it that you were given the position to prepare for 2015? OBA: Laughs!!! I think Interministerial has always been within the confine of the ministry of finance. It began in the era of Obong Victor Attah, when the then commissioner for finance, Sir Sunday Udo Akpan was head of the committee, then it went on to Obong Umana Okon Umana. It was just a normal trend, until recently that the council had to channel that responsibility to the office of the SSG. I believe we made the difference; we contributed and did our best within the context of the capacity that we found ourselves. I want to leave the judgement in the court of public domain. Within the context of our committee, we did all within our capacity to ensure that the 329 wards, 31 LGAs and all villages in the state were given a sense of belonging. To God be the glory for the great and mighty things he has done through that committee. PT: Your intention to contest for the Governorship caused a lot of disaffection between you and your boss, leading to what I may term in the quack word “Sack”, leading to you being relieved of your duty. Perhaps that was a display of disloyalty, but you were working according to the persuasive nature of Akwa Ibom people wanting to have you obviously for various reasons. I want to find out from you, were you relieved from your office, just because you wanted to be Governor? OBA: Laughs!!! Sam, I have a relationship with Godswill Akpabio, the Governor, this relationship dates back to 12 years ago. We have enjoyed a very robust master-servant relationship. I believed that the true test of loyalty is for you to speak up and speaking up the truth. I think today, I feel very justified; I didn’t have any issue with him. We only disagreed on principles and it was on the basis of answering the collective call of our people that I decided to contest for the Governorship of the state. I thank him for understanding. Godswill is a very good man. If you remember the story of Daniel, he had an excellent spirit and was so loved by the king. A lot of issues come in contention with leadership and I must thank him for his leadership prowess and his ability to take corrections where there are errors. I don’t want to lament so much on the issue of my being sacked. I wasn’t sacked, I had to contest the election and the Governor said it was time for you to go so you can actually concentrate. That is exactly what happened. I thank him for that singular act, because that act propelled me to where we are today in the state. I want to say that contesting the election was not being disloyal to the Governor, because the Governor became a Governor as a result of the collective interest of the people in his Governorship aspiration. I was only answering the calls of our people as a result of pressure that came upon at that time. PT: Is it true you have been trying severally to resign? Since you were supposed to have been a street Governor for the boys, girls, ladies and gentlemen and of course the elderly. I have seen one of your posters tagged, the street boy. I want to say that this is street talk and you must answer the street questions, because you are a street man. It is been widely speculated that you have been putting up resignation letters severally. But the Government refused to accept OBA: Laughs!!! Let’s leave what actually transpired within the confines of Government to Government. PT: Now you are no longer that private, you are going into the senatorial shoe of Akwa Ibom people and therefore certain things that must be taken care of and issues that must be addressed must be addressed. Just like other senators who have been talking, so you must not be limited in some areas, except in certain principals. But at this point we want to know, did you at any point put up any resignation letter? OBA: I want to say that if you understood the text of the Government’s press release, Government was trying to re-engineer and refocus on issues of Governance, That was the essence of our being released and they wished us well in our future endeavours. I think having foreseen the endeavour, we should leave it within the context of that understanding. PT: You almost lost your job as commissioner for finance initially, when the former SSG before the present one took over felt you were becoming too strong and for obvious reason you were given an opportunity to prepare formally and take over from his Excellency, Chief Dr. Godswill Akpabio, and that you were beginning to be extremely out of control. We have heard from the street, these are still street questions, that Udom Emmanuel was asked to come and take over your position, but he unfortunately took his own. Tell me, is this true? OBA: Laughs!!! I think the trio of Obong Godswill Akpabio , Umana Okon Umana and Obong Bassey Albert have come a long way together as brothers. And we will not scuttle the relationship. I think this has catapulted each and every one of us to the height we have found ourselves today. Looking at the future, you say I was being hunted. Well, I feel there was more to it. Obong Umana Okon Umana felt I was a threat to his Governorship ambition and because of his perceived closeness to his Excellency and the oneness we shared and felt he could use his office to get me off his way. But I want to say that it is good to respect our thoughts and friendship. But within the context of this reasoning, I want to thank his Excellency most importantly for sticking to the voice of reasoning by insisting I must stay with him and that I must not be sacked. Despite the intrigues that played out that time, he saw nothing wrong in my action and the family was still together, but this I must also say at this juncture played out the way it played out because that was how God designed it and I want to confine that to the dustbin of history. Our actions and in-actions have a role to play in the future. People have a part to play in making you reach your destiny and I think Obong Umana Okon Umana played his part, Godswill Akpabio played his part too and the rest is left for God to see us through. PT: 2011was not all that rosy for Uyo Senatorial District, but now you have come in to take over from where Ita Enang will stop in 2015. Now in the state, we have very strong opposition political parties, talking about the APC and the Accord Party, who is controlled by a man believed to be a tactical politician. Being on the side of it, Uyo Senatorial District is being contested as well with your friend and brother from another political party. They said politics is all about interest, let me find out from you, they seems to be disaffection, because when you were going in for Governorship, Senator Ita Enang was supporting Umana, but all of a sudden for the sake of party, when Umana left for APC, he threw his weight behind the same man you decided to step down for, Udom Emmanuel. The relationship that was so robust in 2011 has not gone well any longer, when did your relationship with Ita Enang got sore? OBA: Laughs!!! Sam, My brother Ita Enang which is from my Local Government (Ibiono) was my late father’s very good friend. I came in close contact with Distinguished Senator Ita Enang in 2007, when he came out to contest the senatorial primaries with my brother and senator Effiong Bob. My brother won that election and distinguished senator Effiong Bob found his way to the National Assembly, which I believe it was designed by God almighty. From no way, Ita went back to the House of representatives, where I know at that time he never bought a form, that is why we call him “Udo Mfoniso”. I think within the context of that relationship, in 2011 I had to plead with the people of Ibiono Ibom to support Ita Enang, because I championed his election based on the advice and directive of the Governor. I had to kneel down before my people in the presence of Obong Umana Okon Umana, who is alive today and in the presence of other stakeholders from Uyo senatorial District and appeal to the people. I was not doing it for my brother Ime Albert, who was equally contesting, but I did it for Ita Enang and we are from the same clan. I was looking at the interest of Uyo Senatorial District and not my personal interest. I kneeled, pleaded and wept in front of people that they should please support Ita Enang so that an Ibiono Ibom son will be at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. They heed and voted for Ita Enang because of Obong Bassey Albert and I paid the delegate fees that ran into millions of naira. Ita did not give me a penny. But I thank God he gave us good representation. I thank God he has done well. He has been speaking all the grammar in the national assembly, but I think what the people need now is change, change for a more people centered representation for the empowerment of our people. You cannot represent the people without their consent and I thank him for heeding to the voice of reasoning. I also appeal to him that as a leader he should accept the reality that falls on him anytime. For me I don’t want to join issues with my big brother and a man whom I am taking over from. I leave that within the context of public opinion. People will test and see the difference between senator Ita Enang and Obong Bassey Albert. The difference will be very clear. PT: What are your plans for the People of Uyo Senatorial District? I mean your blueprint for the people OBA: We intend to achieve a lot within the next few years within the context of the party’s manifesto. In the first few months, I will set up a Youth empowerment and development center for training of our youths in various fields of endeavour. We will also set up free extra moral classes to train students and prepare them for exams and future academic pursuits. I will ensure building of the Youth, empowerment of the women and effective maintenance of our elders. I want to talk about antecedent, capacity to make the difference. It is not about how long you stayed, but how well you impact. I think I will be the best Senator Uyo Senatorial District will ever have. I can assure my people of that, because I can’t thank them enough. I know the pains I have cost them in my decision to step aside from the Governorship elections. It’s on the basis of the decision of the party that Eket Senatorial District should produce the Governor to give everyone a sense of belonging. It’s a sacrifice I made. Whatever representative capacity you find yourself, you must represent well. Leave the place, far better than you met it. I will want us to take a stock, where we are as a people, before OBA comes in and also want us to take another where we will be by the time OBA leaves, the difference will be very glaring. I am going to give my people effective and people centered representation. I am not going to Abuja to speak grammar, but I am going to bring back dividend of democracy to my people. I am taking Uyo Senatorial District to Nigeria and bringing Nigeria to Uyo Senatorial District. PT: The issue of Governorship primaries, you participated and we saw on TV. The G-22 has emerged and they say it was only free and fair on TV, that the tactical approach was faulty and the ingredients that would have made it to be free and fair internally were not duly considered by the party and that most of the delegates were hijacked and kept just like Chibok Girls, without due consideration to others, therefore barring internal democracy. Right now there are making a case, sometimes vacated and sometimes restrained. I want to find out from you, what should be the watchword of the G-22? OBA: Well Sam, I was a delegate to the primary election and only one person can be the Governor. Even if an Assam Assam or Etteh had won the primaries. You will have still had a G-22 or G-23. Within the context of party politics, party politics is a delegate election and you must also entice the delegates to vote for you in the primaries. So there was nothing wrong, the primary was showed live on public television and it was very glaring. My only advice is that; after the party primaries, this issue must come up and the party within the context of its own responsibilities has now set up a reconciliatory committee headed by Distinguished Senator Effiong Bob. I think at that point is where you can take your grievances to that committee so that we can fully integrate and go into the general election and one indivisible body. Because we have a fantastic candidate in Udom Emmanuel, he is the candidate of our party, he has capacity and he is loved by the people. He is love by OBA himself. PT: People say he (Udom Emmanuel) is not known by the political strata, some complain he does not have a structure, some say he is a stooge brought by the Governor. OBA: He is not known by who? Are you (Sam) not a structure for Udom Emmanuel? Am I not a structure for Udom Emmauel? I have given him my structure, my supporters are behind him and because he is the candidate of our party, the interest of our party supersedes our personal interest. I have decided to bury my personal ambition to unite Akwa Ibom people. I didn’t want to be held responsible by any Eket indigene that I stopped Eket from producing a Governor. I believe after Eket it will be the turn of Uyo Senatorial District. PT: Are you not afraid of the likes of Umana Okon Umana who has a strong structure and has been in power for years and met a lot of people just as you did? OBA: In the English Premiership, I want to be the West Brom, let Umana be the Chelsea and Liverpool. We are going into the general elections and we will tell you of the result of the election at the end of the election. We are not afraid; Umana has the right to contest. PT: You are not also afraid of Bishop Samuel Akpan who introduced AKPF? OBA: Akwa Ibom is a PDP state, Akwa Ibom will remain a PDP state. These are all PDP faithful; I believe the sanctity of the party would have been kept intact. When you allow your personal interest to overshadow your thinking, it becomes a problem. I want to assure you that Udom Emmanuel of the PDP will win this election with a landslide margin. I can assure you of that. I think myself, Obong Umana Okon Umana, Bishop Samuel Akpan were all given the wings to fly by the PDP. PDP brought all of us to limelight. When you allow your personal ambition to over shadow the collective interest of the people, then we have a problem. But I am praying that immediately after the general elections, we will all come back together. It’s normal in politics, which is the way politics it is played in Nigeria. I pray we will get to a level that once a party takes a decision everybody abides by it. PT: You were talking about Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, there are a lot of things about Udom Emmanuel that people do not know that you do, please tell us OBA: I think he is a very intelligent man, very compassionate. I have had the opportunity associating with him. I think the brand is sellable. You see, in politics, you don’t need a 100% to win, you need 60%, 51% you can still win. I think the bone of contention here is not about the personality of Udom Emmanuel, it’s about Godswill producing a successor. Which means that if Godswill had supported myself (OBA), I would have had this sort of resistance. We need to separate the issues. Where Akwa Ibom State is today, we need a man who is vibrant, dynamic, and intelligent and one whose contact with the business world is also very deep and can take Akwa Ibom to the next level. I must at this juncture commend his Excellency the Governor for what he has done over the years. Because there was a time we had so much money in the state and we have seen the facts on ground that these monies were judiciously and efficiently deployed. That has brought about the uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom. We should look forward to a very tough year ahead of us, because of the dwindling oil prices. Because this started about 3-4 months ago, but the impact will be within the context of January and April. So, we need somebody who will come in to diversify the state, build infrastructures that will guarantee sustainable economic empowerment of our people. I am not going to talk about any ethnic or tribal issue, because we need and Akwa Ibom identity. Someone that will be a platform for Unity of Akwa Ibom state, because there has been so much politics of tribalism and ethnicity for personal gains. Udom is from Eket Senatorial District and the best of it all is that he has the capacity, reach and will work in synergy with most of us. PT: People are saying that Udom is brought in to cover up a lot of things OBA: I have worked in this system, propaganda and lies rule our world. On the basis of the position we have found ourselves, we should commend Governor Godswill Akpabio. He is a great leader and I believe that Godswill came in 2007 and brought Akwa Ibom state into relevance and we have learnt faster than we should. We believe in him as a compassionate and passionate leader committed to the growth and prosperity of the people. PT: Why it is that people who are fighting him are people that worked with him? OBA: Once you allow your personal interest to overshadow the will of the people, then we have a problem. PT: Free and fair elections, will it be achieved in Akwa Ibom come 2015? OBA: We had it in 2011; we will have it again in 2015. Free and fair elections is about giving the people liberty and the freedom to choose who should represent or who should lead them in whatsoever capacity they find themselves. I want to assure you that we will achieve that. Mr. President have been championing and clamouring for the 2015 elections to be better than previous ones and I must confess that come 2015, there will be free and fair elections in Akwa Ibom state and PDP will win, must win and PDP will always win. PT: Let’s get to this insinuation, some of the contracts that have been signed by this administration you know about them, is there any that has been or is fraudulent? OBA: I have had the privilege of being a member of the tender’s board during my seven years in Government and I can assure you that due process was followed in the award of contracts. Government does not favour everyone at the same time. Going by the spread of Government dividend, there is no way you could cover the whole of Akwa Ibom in seven years. . That is why we needed to consolidate as a party, such that whosoever takes over from 2015, areas that are yet to experience uncommon transformation will also have the opportunity of experiencing one. I want to encourage the people to vote for the PDP. It is your votes that will determine what you get. I have been talking to Mr. Udom Emmanuel, that every single community must show their result sheet in the coming election. So if you stand by PDP, PDP will do something for you. PT: Before we leave the studio, I will want you educate Akwa Ibom people on the issue of disunity amongst the people, it wasn’t like this in times past, what is it that need be done? OBA: My advice to politicians is to create room for their voices to be heard. I taught the emergence of Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2007 had put an end to politics of ethnicity and tribalism. If not so, there is no way I would have became the commissioner for finance from Ibibio, Umana Okon becoming the SSG from Ibibio and Obong Paul Ekpo, state party Chairman amongst others. HE (Godswill Akpabio) was looking at capacity to add value to the system. Unfortunately the exit has brought tremendous ethnic and tribal politics in Akwa Ibom. My prayer is that our own generation will not fail the state. My best friends are from Oron and Annang. We are inter-marrying on a daily basis. Why must we allow disunity to wade in because of our personal interest? It is time the youths of Akwa Ibom take their destinies into their own hands, contribute our quota and stand up to demand our right. Because the future belongs to all of us. Youths are always known and referred to as leaders of tomorrow. PT: We want to thank you for coming and we wish to have you again soon. OBA: Thank you Sam.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 21:55:43 +0000
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