THE LEEWAY TO POLITICAL LOGJAM By Emmanuel Nicholas Historical fossils reveal that a greater number of civil wars are instigated by tribal, political or business sentiments. The elites pitch themselves against one another. The tribal warlords are usually skilled in preaching the hate homily amongst their race, thereby galvanizing the minds of their kindred that the other tribes are out to oppress them by denying them their due. They incite their people by telling them how much the next tribe hates their ethnic group and won’t want them to amount to anything in the shared society. Other war mongers resort to a more dangerous tactic, religion as a tool to drive home the evil propaganda. The recent efforts by some ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom State to labeled Governor Godswill Akpabio as an ethnic bigot who is out to destroy the Ibibio people is the beginning of sabotage and a deliberate attempt to truncate the existing brotherliness peaceful co-existence and the rapid development of Akwa Ibom State. Peace is the sign of development and prosperity. Human rights are not violated. People can walk freely from one place to another without having any fear in their mind. They can do their businesses without any fear or obstruction. People respect each other rights. They are also committed to fulfilling their societal obligations. Rule and order is respected by all. They advantages of peace cannot be overemphasised. Peace brings happiness among people. Peace helps to promotes human rights, democratic norms and values. Peace helps to create the feeling of love, trust and tolerance among people. The development Process cannot go ahead without peace and harmony. Peace is the mother of civilization and war is the demon of destruction. Civilization and development cannot progress if there is no peace in the country. Peace is the state of being free from any kind of human conflict and violence. All the activities of the State run smoothly in an atmosphere of peace. Conflict is an inevitable part of daily human life, and we all have to deal with it. The solution lies in how we deal with it. Utensils for Peace contain the tried and trusted methods used by wise, experienced people all over the world to transform the conflicts they face into opportunities. But when conflict escalates to deep hatred,it brings in hostilities and hostilities will always lead to war among the interest groups, while war itself leads to self-destruction and destruction brings ruins that throw back the communities involved to lack, poverty and underdevelopment. So instead of moving forward in terms of development, they sit back in socio-economic regression. Democracy has been heralded as a prime mechanism for societal development, peace and conflict management. The right to credible Information and freedom of expression are core essentials to ensuring accountable and transparent governance and to make it possible for all parts of a population to have access to, and participate in, the political development of a country. These elements are also important in order to promote constructive communication, to decrease perceptions of threat and create more stable and sustainable political structures. Most importantly is the realisation that any attempt to promote peace and prevent violent conflict requires active participation, including all societal actors, a multilateral approach and long-term commitments. The recent media campaign promoting the denigration of the Akwa Ibom State House Assembly member representing Nsit Ubuim State constituency, Honourable Onofiok Luke an Ibibio Son, as being assaulted by the Member representing OrukAnam /Ika Federal constituency Hon Emmanuel Ekon and the Chairman of Essien Udim Local Government , Hon Nse Utuen is a clear plot to infuse hostilities among the ethnic groupings in the State. Hence destabilizing the development ration of the uncommon transformation.It is a political plot to stir confusion amidst peace, so that their political interest cannot be realized, while setting fire among the tribes in the State and sending a false dangerous signal to the people that governor Akpabio is out to revenge the Ibibios by sending them politically to the abyss. World over, parliamentarians have always had squabbles that most times lead to physical exchange of punches. Such disagreements too hardly last long. Such differences are usually assuaged as soon as their various interest are defined . Not even Britain as one of the most developed democracy is immune from this virus which has become the addiction parliamentarians. Labour MP Eric Joyce was taken away from the Strangers Bar in the Commons and arrested by police on recently after headbutting aTory MP and attacking several other Conservatives. Recently Joyce, who represents Falkirk for Labour, who had headbutted the Tory MP for Pudsey Stuart Andrew in the bar, which is reserved for MPs and their guests. Joyce is thought to have attacked three other Conservatives and one Labour MP during the incident, which happened at around 11pm, three hours after the Commons had risen for the evening. The most infamous floor brawl in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives erupted as Members debated Kansas’s pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution late into the night of February 5-6, shortly after 1 a.m., Pennsylvania Republican Galusha Grow and South Carolina Democrat Laurence Keitt exchanged insults, then blows. Reports say “In an instant the House was in the greatest possible confusion,” More than 50 Members joined the melee. Northern Republicans and Free Soilers joined ranks against Southern Democrats .Speaker James Orr, a South Carolina Democrat, gaveled furiously for order and then instructed Sergeant-at-Arms Adam J. Glossbrenner to arrest noncompliant Members. Wading into the “Combatants,” Glossbrenner held the House Mace high to restore order; no one complied .Wisconsin Republicans John “Bowie Knife” Potter and Cadwallader Washburn ripped the hairpiece from the head of William Barksdale, a States Rights Democrat from Mississippi. So the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly is just recently having its fair share of parliamentary-violence flu. It is not free from this sort of disease which is a plaque at all levels of parliament politicking. Even as Hon Onofiok Luke has told the public that he was not manhandled by anyone, some media houses and politicians are out to incite fierce ethnic wars so as to benefit from the muddle and also use it as a excuse to blackmail Chief Dr Godswill Akpabio CON and enhance their weak chances ahead of the 2015 elections. The facts raised by these calumny campaigners are so weak and laughable. They posit that Governor Akpabio asked the members of the State House of Assembly about a minor brawl that occurred in the executive chambers of the house. As the Chief security officer he has the legitimacy to investigate any issue that could breakdown law and order in his territory, as he will be the one the presidency will question should Chaos set in. It is therefore inappropriate for intruders who are not members of the House of Assembly to take laws into their hands in bid to restore peace thereby causing more confusion and crises. Akwa Ibom State is made up of different tribes, though closely related and disagreements are bound to occur but it ought not to escalate so that deep hatred and disunity does not set in. It is untrue that Governor Akpabios mission is to relegate the Ibibios to the background. It’s all fictitious. The facts speak for itself. Tangible projects that have been the hallmark of the present uncommon transformation agenda of this government is done in Ibibio land. We can name but a few, the Airport, Olympic Stadium, fly-overs and bridges , the e-library , Ibom Tropicana and Entertainment centre ,Specialist Hospital ,the new government house ,Banquet hall, Governors office , beautification of Uyo,massive road construction and State University just to mention a few major projects. In terms of representation in his government, Ibibios have benefited more than any other ethinic group in the State, Obong Umana Okon Umana was SSG for more than six years and another Son of Ibibio land took over though from another Senatorial district , Mr Bassey Albert has been commissioner of Finance for as old as Akpabios Government did come to existence and the three deputy Governors of Akpabio have all come from Ibibio land . Howbeit can someone say the detribalized governor of Akwa Ibom State is out to destroy the Ibibio? That would rudely unfair to say. Those who intend to spread falsehood should not hinge it on ethnic sentiments as Akpabio has exhibited a high level of maturity when it comes to the working of his government and politics. So the uproar by some Ibibio elites that Akpabio is out to persecute the ibibio is not true, it is a clear bid to blackmail him to generate ethnic violence as what was witnessed in 2011, where government properties worth billions and human lives were wasted. 2015 should not be an election year that the elites should return the State to those dark days of bloodshed and loss of revenue, thereby truncating the progress of the State. At no time since the inception of Akpabio’s government has he turned against the Ibibios as he has continued to make his government all inclusive with ibibios as the largest ethnic group as the fulcrum
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:17:31 +0000
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