Governor Akpabio and the doctrine of town hall meetings By Marshal Abia When the liberal democrat Governor Godswill Akpabio mooted the idea of town hall meetings across the 10 federal constituencies of the state some months ago, many wondered what shape it would take and what value it would add to a polity that was already soused in tension by reason of 2015 and rotation or zoning. Many argued that it portended danger, while others thought that it would be a gagged exercise with pro- government people selected to say what people on the government side would want to hear. But the exercise, so far, has proved not only to be a novel initiative, but also a platform for free speech and the ventilation of any opinion no matter how adversarial to government. It is a true replication of the democracy that the late Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin referred to in his encounter with the then military governor of Ondo State, the late Navy Captain Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem, who had stormed Pa Ajasin’s house in reaction to the latter’s role in the agitation for the return of democracy. The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain, in his response to Onyearugbulem’s hostile inquiry on what type of democracy he was looking for, said: “you talk to me, I talk to you. That is democracy.” This is what is playing out in the on-going town hall meetings. Honourable Ndueso Essien set the ball rolling in Eket Federal Constituency when he expressed his opinion freely, including criticism of Akpabio’s administration, but without drawing the ire of the governor. Even Senator Eme Uffot Ekaette’s speech, which attempted to pigeon-hole the governor into making categorical commitments, was parried with the dexterity of a sage. The liberal atmosphere, the random selection of speakers, the liberty to raise any issue of concern and the clear absence of censorship condensed into an assembly where freedom reigned supreme and sincerity on the part of government like the depth of an ocean. The event of Eket Federal Constituency, which was beamed live on African Independent Television (AIT), Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) and streamed on the internet, drew wide audience and viewership. The pilot programme certainly engineered the consciousness of skeptics and caused them to surrender to the tide in terms of participation. This scenario was exemplified aptly in the case of Etinan Federal Constituency town hall meeting which took place at Etinan Council Hall on 10 March, 2014. It enjoyed a huge attendance from the high and mighty; who-is-who in the politics of Etinan Federal Constituency. The huge attendance caused a two term- senator, Effiong Bob, who represented Uyo Senatorial District from 2003 to 2011 to say: “Anybody who is somebody from any constituency that refuses or fails or neglects to attend a meeting of this sort is not worth commenting on anything.” Senator Bob said he had to cut short a meeting of Pro- Chancellors of Nigerian universities, South-South zone in Port Harcourt because of the importance of the assembly to him and the people. He said that attendance also showed the importance that should be attached to governance by consultation and interaction. He advised the people to always take advantage of opportunities given by the government to ventilate opinions, noting that after God was the government before individuals. He advised politicians to stop going about to talk evil about other people, but to engage in saying the truth and facts by taking advantage of a the platform the government had provided for dialogue. From his tone, it was apparent that Abuja-based politicians of Akwa Ibom extraction who have adopted the diseased approach of blackmailing the Akpabio-led administration through vile advertorials and mischievous bulk messages had drawn the ire of the senator. His remark seemed as a warning to them to stop mounting campaigns of calumny against the government under pseudo prescriptions, advising that they should come home to test their popularity through campaigns and elections. In his submission, he reasserted that politics ought to be played without bitterness, while he maintained that it should be accepted as a sport, since it “is about enjoyment.” Though the distinguished senator, who served in the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) parliament for eight years, supported zoning, he gave a condition in favour of Uyo Senatorial District. Hear him: “Initially, I said it should go to Eket, but I made a condition for Uyo which I have represented for eight-years.” Uyo Senatorial District has nine local government areas. It is considered as the senatorial district with homogeneous population and perceived to be the largest in number. By mere stroke of coincidence, it has had several of its sons on the number one seat of the state. Idongesit Nkanga blazed the trail when he was posted on a military assignment to serve as administrator of the state. The late Obong Akpan Isemin was also produced by the senatorial district as the first democratically-elected governor of Akwa Ibom State, but the tenure was truncated by a military putsch masterminded by the late General Sani Abacha. The return of democratic governance also brought about another son of the senatorial district, His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, who ruled for an uninterrupted eight years. And so, cumulatively, Uyo Senatorial District has had the singular distinction of being the longest occupant of the office of the governor of the state. It was against that background that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2007, zoned the governorship seat to another senatorial district to imbue our democracy with the much- needed fundamentals of justice, equity and fair play. Though there were some minor manifestations of non- compliance by some inordinately ambitious aspirants, everyone knew where the pendulum had swung to. The Annang extraction of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District having undertaken some trade- offs plunged into the race and the result was the emergence of His Excellency, Chief Goodswill Akpabio, who would exhaust his eight years of superlative performance in May, 2015. But the build-up to 2015 seems to be defiant of logic, reasoning and reality. Akwa Ibom has three senatorial districts. Two of the senatorial districts would have served for eight years each in this fourth session by the close of May, 2015. One senatorial district is yet to take its turn. The simple arithmetic, simple logic and simple reasoning should be for all of us to accept it as given that the remaining senatorial district takes its turn to give all the senatorial districts a sense of belonging and assure all of justice, a development which would lead to our collective well-being and prosperity; but not when this logic collides with arrogant, overbearing and warped view aimed at short- changing the remaining senatorial district. It is common knowledge that there can be no peace without justice and there can be no development or prosperity where these elements are in short supply. The demand by some people that the governorship seat should return to Uyo Senatorial District is an insensitive request that has scant regard for the progress and unity currently enjoyed in the state. Yet, this demand has become a bourgeoning industry with jobbers making a kill from it and smiling to the banks daily. For instance, the bulk text messages that do the rounds daily are said to cost something in the excess of N4 million per launch. And they blast them routinely on regular basis. The sponsored advertorials are also known to cost whopping sums of money. All these are in addition to other complements like hiring offices, both in the state and Abuja and paying staffers, all to pursue the cause of injustice. But injustice is like darkness which can never outdo light in value. Just as Senator Bob said; “after God is government before individuals.” We must share the sentiments that no individual is bigger that government or even our collective will, no matter how deep his pocket may be. We must all come to the knowledge that injustice somewhere is injustice everywhere. We must not allow the inordinate ambition of a single individual to bring our peaceful co-existence to the brink of ruins. Let us continue to align our hearts with principles which uphold justice, equity and fair play. Let us see this as our irreducible minimum contribution to the well-being of our dear state which God, through his humble servant, Governor Akpabio has elevated to an enviable pedestal amongst the comity of states in Nigeria. Akwa Ibom Government has awarded a contract worth N1.5 billion for the construction of a Security Village in Eket Local Government Area. In addition, the State Government has paid compensation worth N500 million to landlords for the acquisition of land for the Security Village is to be occupied by the council Chairman, Vice Chairman, Head of Service, Treasurer and Divisional Police Officer, among others. Governor Godswill Akpabio disclosed this Wednesday at the Eket Council Hall during a town hall meeting and constituency briefing for Eket Federal Constituency. He explained that the delay in the construction of the village was caused by disagreement between the land owners and the government over payment of compensation, appealing to indigenes of the area to give peace a chance to enable the contractors to complete the project on schedule. The governor stressed that the 10-day town hall meeting in the 10 Federal Constituencies of the state is designed to pave way for interaction between the people and the state government to know the way forward by creating harmony and access to the vision of the government and for the people to table issues or ideas they want the government to consider. According to him, “The town hall meeting is part of democratic tradition, where elders come together to discuss with the government on issues. It is also a unique opportunity of a two-way dialogue, where the people tell the truth about the good dividends of government.” Akpabio stated that his administration since its inception has scaled through the mountains and brought development to the state. He also pointed out that his administration has appointed persons from Eket Federal Consistency into key positions at the state and national levels such the Mr. Bassey Dan Abia, who was recently appointed Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the confidence and love he has for the constituency and the state as a whole. The governor disclosed that almost 200 rural projects have been executed in the constituency, including the gas processing plant in Esit-Eket, with a 69km gas pipeline from Esit-Eket to Uyo which he said President Jonathan would soon visit the state to commission. Akpabio further said that the constituency has also benefitted from the construction of security villages, free and compulsory education, free medical treatment for the elderly above 70 years, and 140km road map, which he said is meant for the good of the entire state. He thanked the constituency for supporting his administration since inception. On the beautification of Eket town, the governor said it would commence after dualisation of major roads linking other parts of the state. He said the state government would partner with NDDC and ExxonMobil to renovate Ibeno Beach and also roads leading to Ibaka Deep Seaport which would create employment opportunities for the youths. Chief Akpabio called on the Federal Government and NDDC to intercede in the standard of living of the Ibeno people through clean means of drinking water as drinking water in Ibeno is already contaminated by oil spill and pollution. Speaking at the meeting, the state Special Adviser, Bureau of Political and Legislative Affairs, Emmanuel Ibiok, described the Akpabio administration as people centered in the inauguration of projects. He said the government is impacting the dream of transformation in the state, stressing that the evidence of democracy in the state is seen by all, an indication that indeed government can work. Also speaking, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Mr. Paul Ekpo, said the party is proud that its product is implementing its manifesto which has made Akpabio to be known for good governance in the country. •Photo shows Gov Godswill Akpabio in a warm handshake with Barr. Dan Abia, MD, NDDC, during the town hall meeting at Eket Federal Constituency. Elders and stakeholders in the 10 Federal Constituencies of Akwa Ibom will determine the next governor of the state, the incumbent, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has said. He said that the elders and stakeholders are to hold a round-table discussion in the sharing of the various key political offices among the three Senatorial Districts in 2015 to ensure justice, harmony and equity among the people in the state. Governor Akpabio dropped the hint on Monday at Etinan town hall during a town meeting and constituency briefing in Etinan Federal Constituency while responding to Senator Effiong Bob’s question on the actual political position zoned to Uyo Senatorial District in 2015 political dispensation given the fact that governorship position is zoned to Eket Senatorial District. Akpabio said the sharing of the positions would be done at the end of the 10 Federal Constituencies tour, remarking: “Just as my administration has carried all the constituencies along, likewise all constituencies would be carried along by the next administration through the sharing of political positions at the state and national levels. “There must be a buy-in time for the PDP governorship candidate to abide with the agreement reached by the stakeholders. I am from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and will be interested in the position zoned to us. By then, I won’t be governor again, but will represent them in another capacity.” Continuing, Akpabio said: “Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituencies have tasted the governorship seat, it is only Eket Federal Constituency that is left to test that seat. So, after the consultation of the 10 Federal Constituencies in the state, the party would then decide on who occupies the governorship seat come 2015. “Nobody can buy the governorship seat come 2015 elections, the 2015 elections would be an open contest where nobody shall be anointed and where nobody shall buy the governorship seat, for it is the choice of the people to choose their next governor.” Akpabio called on politicians in the state to come out in en masse to contest the 2015 general elections, and enjoined in- coming political office holders not to site projects at places where the people don’t have access to due to their selfish interest but rather to emulate his administration by siting projects in every part of the state for the benefit of the people. On the purpose of the town meeting in Etinan Federal Constituency, the governor remarked: “This meeting is to make sure that government touches all strata of the state. We are committed to the welfare of the people to discuss the needs and challenges of the constituencies, to continue the process in showing that our labours are not in vain and to make a decision on the way forward so that we don’t lose the future, sense of brotherhood, integrity, dignity of our people and the entire country but to ensure harmony and peace in the state.” Akpabio thanked the constituency for supporting his administration since its inception, stressing that the democracy of the state commenced from the constituency with emergence of the first democratically elected Governor in the state, the late Obong Akpan Isemin, in which a one-minute silence was observed in his honour during the meeting. The governor further showed his gratitude to the former military Governor of the state, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (retd.) for his support and contribution to the emergence of Akwa Ibom International Airport., stressing that people of Etinan Federal Constituency have made great contributions to the development of the state and urged them to continue in their team spirit. Akpabio said the state would not have succeeded without the input of the constituency, observing that the constituency has produced people in key positions such as the state House of Assembly Speakers, Chief Judge, Commissioners, PDP Chairman, among others. In addition, he outlined programs benefitted by the constituency to include 444 rural projects with 171 rural projects already commissioned, security villages, roads, free and compulsory education for children as well as free health-care service for children, pregnant women and the elderly. Speaking further, the Governor announced that the Enen Nsit Road consisting of four bridges and 54 kilometres of road would soon be commissioned, contract for water project for communities in the constituency has been awarded, three communities to be connected to the national grid, the 100 years Etinan Institute, Etinan to be renovated and a fly-over to be constructed by Julius Berger Company at Ekom-Iman Junction. Stakeholders who spoke at the event were the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Elder Sam Ikon, Senator Ita Enang, Paramount Ruler of Etinan, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, among others. They thanked the governor for the development strides of the constituencies, and pledged their support to his administration, stressing that the constituency would stand by the decision of the party on the choice of the next candidate to occupy the governorship seat by 2015.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 23:04:39 +0000
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