Thompson Essien Akwa Ibom State Politics: The Elders Should Stop Writing Petitions---Use the People’s Power! Various reports have confirmed that the PDP Congress in Akwa Ibom State was nothing but a charade. At the Headquarters of PDP in Uyo, Akpabio showed up with a list of names of confirmed delegates, even before any election was conducted. Of interest is that none of the PDP governorship aspirant found the scheme funny and they have written petitions to appropriate authorities, with copies sent to President Jonathan, the National Working Committee, the Board of Trustee, and so on and so forth. Since 2010, Akwa Ibom State Elders have written petitions upon petitions to PDP Headquarters in Abuja, complaining about the PDP structure in Akwa Ibom State. According to past petitions, the people want change. Few days ago, one of the Elders, Obong Victor Attah, openly stated that Akwa Ibom people demand for the removal of the state party chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, for being biased in favor of the governor’s chosen aspirant, and the party secretary whom they said was a biological brother of the governor. (Source: news2.onlinenigeria/…/385089-pdp-risks-losing-ak…). But all the petitions have fallen on deaf ears; therefore, this writer is of the strong opinion that writing more petitions is a waste of time and energy. What Akwa Ibom Elders need to do is to use the power of the masses to fight and bring PDP hierarchy into submission. No guns are needed. No knives are needed. All that is needed is the collective resolve of the people, by saying no to PDP in Akwa Ibom State. Here is how it could be done. Let all the Elders of Akwa Ibom State---regardless of dialectical differences--- join hands and assemble the people together. I am referring to the type of assemblies we all witnessed during the birthday celebration of Umana Okon Umana and the honoring of Obong Victor Atta. Then the Elders should address the people with following instructions: We have complained and complained to PDP that we need change in Akwa Ibom State. We have complained that Godswill Akpabio is blocking all access and fairness to political participation in Akwa Ibom State. Unfortunately, our complaints have gone unheeded because Akpabio has always used our money to bribe and corrupt those who could have listened to our complaints. We cannot continue to file complaints after another. Today, we are assembling here to take a decision on the basis of our collective unity, power, and numbers. Today, we are going to speak with one voice. It is no longer our concern to deliberate whether our collective voices will be heard by the PDP structure in Abuja; at this point, we should not even reflect on the reaction of PDP towards our collective action and decision because the only choices available to the party is to accept or don’t accept our resolution to leave the party for Godswill Akpabio. Since it appears as if PDP is no longer interested in listening to us, or pay attention to our needs as voters in Akwa Ibom State, let all of us that assemble here today return to our respective homes and gird our loins in preparation to defect to another party. Today, we are resolved to leave PDP for Godswill Akpabio, his cronies, and his brothers. The only available choice for us is defection---en masse---to another party, where our voices will be heard and respected. As long as the PDP structure remains as it is presently constituted in Akwa Ibom State, we are no longer going to remain in the party. Therefore, in the upcoming election, we are going to vote the opposition……. If a speech similar to the above fails to rattle PDP, it would be safe to say that the people’s power has never mattered in the process of societal and social change. Written by Ikpafak Thompson Essien The Voice of the Poor Masses Defender of the Oppressed A native of Ibibio nation of Ubium Republic extraction, now living in the safe and beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, where no AKPF, ADUMA, ADV, and Akwa Ibom State politicians can reach.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 21:28:48 +0000
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