BEFORE THE NEXT MANIFESTO... BY UBONG SAMPSON Even a first time visitor to Nigeria who chooses Akwa Ibom State as destination would certainly have no stress knowing that it is just yet another political era in the state. If anything else doesn’t send the message to the stranger, the many campaign posters hand bills, stickers, banners and bill boards should. Even the many campaign offices seen in almost all the streets in town are enough signals in this regard. Their respective colourful brands with particular mention of a few of the individuals at the forefront of each of these brands, including the man who claims to be above-all-right, the other are one who claims to have the unity (ONEness) of the state in his palms and the others who are claiming turns in political offices at all levels… with all these, a stranger who before now never knew these men and their roots, as well as the roots of their respective aspirations will so surely suffer the dilemma of indecision if faced with an opportunity to make the best of the choices. Now borrowing the words of ex-Governor Victor Attah, all these are as should be expected, especially due to the ‘ridiculous’ belief (though somewhat true) that since politics has overtime proven to be such a lucrative venture to have converted some formerly known wretched persons to heavy money bags; it may as well be their turn to be experience the conversion process, while some in the former category also have theirs varying slightly that, having been converted, they now have more than enough money to retain their seats or better still, win higher seats. Taking particular interest in the state’s number one seat and its contenders who are leading as regards the taste of these brandings; the few manifestos we have heard and the promises contained in them are noticeably inducing, but just before the next one comes up; someone has to give us good reasons to believe these modified but same old lies. It’s obvious from their campaign sermons that everyone knows which aspect to hit their deceits this time. They are all telling us what to expect after the so called uncommon transformation by the incumbent governor which according to them, has so transformed the state infrastructure wise such that the only thing left is job creation. This, virtually all of them have promised through massive industrialization. All these have become familiar lies to the people and just in case the same people choose not to believe them anymore, then no one other than the always lying politicians will have the blame(s) to take. Lest they forget, exactly eight (8) years ago, the people were promised 31 industries at a sharing formula of one for each local government but ended up having an administration full of jamborees and an administrator who spends so much money in getting the whole world to watch him (either live or broadcasted or reported) fan himself for either having done just his job, or for having wasted huge funds of the state in a venture far less beneficial to the masses. As much as I will always be appreciative to the governor for his efforts in giving to the state his own defined uncommon transformation, particularly the provision of infrastructures; some of these projects which have turn out to be an outraged waste of resources, deserves no iota of commendation. And the fact that errors as cheap as these are continuously committed by an administration boasting of professionals and technocrats as team members is almost making the people have the impression that these erroneous projects are calculated plots by the government with an undercover aim of creating an opportunity to embezzle public funds and still earn underserved praises from the citizens. Such an uncommon deceit, one would readily accede. Before our local and national mediums begin to publish and/or broadcast another declaration speech by an aspirant; may I fore-remind them that the people do not wish to see more of the industries that are only visible on the papers yet invisible to the real eyes. May I remind these big gunners claiming to be favoured by heritage and seeking court injunctions all for the number one job that for no reason shall the people desire to see another huge-funds-consuming e-library that will be hurriedly commissioned in the name of taking glory and then left unused. All these men claiming to have what it takes to outdo Governor Akpabio’s performance need be reminded that the people will appreciate if whoever eventually succeeds the incumbent begins by completing the apparent inherited projects, with undiluted emphasis on those projects that have been constantly having shares of the state’s budget in the past years; and also unveil the hidden industries of the present administration before going ahead with his own plans for the state. Let it be known for record sake that a proactive rather than a reactive government is what the people desire to see in seven months from now; and to whoever shall serve the next administrator as press secretary and whoever shall serve in the administrator’s regime as commissioner of information, it will be to the peoples delight if the Akwa Ibom State owned pages in national dailies are used to publish job opportunities and business loan grants made available to the people by the government, rather than using same in reacting to allegations and comments by both the proven sane and insane people. Truly speaking, we do not need this resource-wasting advertorials to know the truth about the same issues that cost the present administration a few thousands of naira less than five hundred (
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 06:55:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015