AKSG News: Uncommon Celebrations of victory foretold

By Anietie Ekong

Opinion (Posted: May 17, 2011)

"Your Excellency, we will vote for you because your victory will be our victory," was a common refrain of campaign speeches during Governor Godswill Akpabio's 2011 campaign rallies across Akwa Ibom State. A month later, he won the election, and the celebrations trailing his victory have proven that it was indeed, a victory for the whole Akwa Ibom.

No doubt, the victory was foretold. Akwa Ibom people had insisted that uncommon transformation which the Governor has brought upon the state in his four years on the saddle, deserved nothing less than an uncommon support. This manifested in their 957,585 votes for Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP's) Akpabio with the closest party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN trailing with a paltry 163,449 votes. This wide margin made Akpabio's victory, uncommon.

But it was a continuation of the victory trend of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, a trend that saw Dr Goodluck Jonathan garnering 94 percent of the vote cast in the Presidential election in the state. In the House of Representatives election, the ruling party has swept nine out of the seats on offer just like it had won all the senatorial seats and all but one of the House of Assembly seats. So before the gubernatorial election, majority of Akwa Ibom people and political analysts were sure that the victory of Governor Akpabio was a foregone conclusion As soon as the INEC returning officer in the state, and vice chancellor of University of Uyo, Professor Comfort Ekpo announced the result on April 27, celebrations took over simultaneously across the state. Almost two weeks after, the steam and flame of the torch that kick-started the celebrations still remain aglow.

From the hilly villages of Itu Mbonuso in Ini to the plains of Etinan, and Oron to Ika, drums were rolled out as the songs of victory seized the air. They sang in Oro, Ibibio, Annang, Ekid, Obolo with accompanying dance steps that relived the joy that greeted the creation of Akwa Ibom State about 25 years ago.

The celebration also defied class, age and gender because the victory was for all – the old and young, civil servants and farmers, men and women, and even those who had hitherto supported other political parties. They hummed and sang, and made merriment, reasoning that Akpabio's emergence was a perfect blend of the will of God and the will of man.

A socio-political organization in the state, Utuenikang Ibibio described Akpabio's victory as "a powerful referendum against the forces of disunity and shallow politics in Akwa Ibom; a victory for the people, rejection of ethnic brinkmanship and a popular affirmation of your humble self as a sweet embodiment of Akwa Ibom unity."

Akwa Ibom women did something to remember on that memorable Wednesday. They celebrated Akpabio's made-in-Easter victory, the Easter way. They lined up the major streets of Uyo, particularly flooding Wellington Bassey Way up to the governor's lodge with palm fronds to celebrate the son of destiny's triumphal entry into his well deserved second term as governor. These women painted Uyo with the colours of the Jerusalem of 2000 years ago. All that for a victory, they called theirs.

To further beautify democracy in the state, even opposition parties joined in appreciating Akpabio's victory. Leading the pack, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN speaking through its Akwa Ibom state chairman, Chief Aniekan Akpan confessed: "As a party, we had thought we would be able to present an irresistible option to the PDP. However, when the results from the 31 local government areas of the state were collated, announced /declared on April 27, 2011, an overwhelming majority of the Akwa Ibom state electorate voted massively in favour of the PDP which scored 967,585 votes against 163,449 scored by ACN.

"ACN hereby accepts the result of an election which had been globally adjudged as the freest and fairest. Accept our congratulations." Still in the celebration mood, the speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk described Akpabio's victory as a well deserved one, and a true reflection of the wishes of the people of the state. Etuk based his judgment on the governor's marvellous result sheet in the-almost-four years he has occupied the cockpit of flight Akwa Ibom.

In Etinan, people also rolled out their drums to celebrate Akpabio's victory, dancing along major roads up to the residence of their paramount ruler, Edidem Ime Umoette who described the governor as a symbol of unity for the new Akwa Ibom. He said Akpabio's victory was historic, and called on the people of the area to continue to keep faith with the Akpabio administration.

And in far away Ini, from Itu Mbonuso to Obotme, the people were in high spirits for the victory of a man they described as their messiah. Also, a top politician in the state, Elder Enefiok Ekefre described Akpabio's victory as a triumph of a good product that he noted people were falling over themselves to buy into his uncommon transformation. Ekefre said; "It means Akwa Ibom people have spoken that Godswill Akpabio is their choice for a leader. It also means that the mandate has been given to him and nothing can change it."

On his part, the commissioner for finance, Mr Bassey Albert Akpan said Akpabio's victory represented overwhelming affirmation of the governor's brilliant development policies for Akwa Ibom State by the people. Akpan added that Akpabio was working to launch Akwa State into the league of big states in the next four years through his uncommon leadership vision.

Whatever shape and colour the celebrations trailing Akpabio's victory may take, the truth remains that the size of the governor's win is merely underscoring his impressive performance in the last four years, and his promise to consolidate on his achievements, and continue what is worth continuing- in policies, projects and programmes.

Evidently, Akpabio has made Akwa Ibom an interesting developing story even outside Nigeria. His administration's flagship projects and programmes such as the free, compulsory and qualitative education; free Medicare for the aged, pregnant women and children under five; e-library; hi-tech pipe jacking system for flood control; international airport; three concentric flyovers, Tropicana entertainment centre, independent power plant project etc that are all sited in Akwa Ibom have made the state a curious political and developmental reading globally.

Thus, in appreciation to the uncommon support Akwa Ibom people gave him as was reflected in the no-good-second win, the Promise Keeper has promised to up the ante of development in the state. Hence, instead of revelling in victory, Akpabio, like a good student, is busy internalising the kernel of his policy thrust for Akwa Ibom from 2011 to 2015 which is believed will usher in more goodies for the state. That is why the people are advising those who could not make it at the polls to stop distracting the governor through fruitless litigations. An elder statesman, Chief Pius Umoh said: "I would advise them not to engage in frivolous litigations to distract the administration. Akpabio has done well in his first term and we should all support him to do more in his second term."

Governor Akpabio through his "You ain't seen nothing yet" praxis, was quick to realize that to whom much is given, much is also expected. Thus, as a younger apostle of Lewis Mumford, Akpabio shares in the philosophy of Mumford's Transformation of Man that "Every goal man reaches provides a new starting point, and the sum of all man's days is just the beginning."

Akpabio's re-election victory of April 27 is just the beginning of uncommon transformation days in Akwa Ibom State.