AKSG Press Release: The Untold Story of Akpabio's Meteoric Rise

By Essien Ndueso
Personal Assistant (Media) to the Hon. Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Information & Social Re-Orientation

In 2006, a year to the end of the eight year tenure of former governor, Arc Victor Attah, the political atmosphere was hot and tensed with permutations within the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for a successor at the Hilltop Mansion.

The political situation in the State was based on an arrangement that at the end of the second term of the then governor-from Uyo Senatorial district, power will shift to the other senatorial district most notable among the remaining two-the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district. Based on this understanding which was aimed at ensuring peace, harmony, justice and equity among the various ethnic blocs in the State, the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district had the highest number of aspirants vying for the number one seat.

Shortly before he officially joined the race, several groups including students, market women, youths associations among others had besieged his office, pleading that he resigned his appointment as a commissioner in the State Executive Council to join in the guber race. The reason for this being that in his short stay at the ministries of Petroleum, Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing, Akpabio had distinguished himself as a committed, hardworking, and goal-oriented leader.

Unfortunately, shortly after the nomination process which took almost one week, and which started at the House of Assembly grounds before ending at the Ibom Hall grounds, there was a great disenchantment by the so-called power brokers who felt that their preferred aspirant should be favoured even against the wishes of the people. And so even when it was obvious that Akpabio had emerged as the preferred candidate and wish of the people, that was when the “political stalwarts” came up with the idea of dumping the democratic process in a bid to imposing a consensus candidate.

This idea did not go down well with the people of the State prominent among them being federal lawmakers from the state. Led by their caucus chairman, Chief Nduese Essien, the federal lawmakers boycotted the fathom consensus table in Uyo and instead led a delegation to the National leadership of the PDP in Abuja where they made it clear that it was pertinent to allow the wishes of the people to prevail. The national assemblymen also pointed out that it was high time the people are allowed to select their leaders so that they could be accountable to them. It was part of their argument that for consensus to thrive, it must come before the primaries and not after.

These views were also corroborated by the party chieftains and elders from the State led by the late Obong Akpan Isemin and the then State chairman of the PDP Arc. Otu Ita Toyo. They stormed Wadata Plaza in Abuja and literally handed over Chief Akpabio to the then PDP chairman, Dr Ahmadu Ali as the product of a rigorous process and collective will of the people; they were quick to warn that for Akwa Ibom people, the only alternative to God’s will was catastrophe and political imbroglio.

It was at this point that the idea of phantom endorsements crept in. State lawmakers and factions from the State Chapter of the party parleyed with the so- called powers at Wellington Bassey Way End, and came up with the idea that Senators Akaninyene Ukpanah(blessed soul) and Emmanuel Ibok Essien be promoted as consensus candidates. But time was fast running out, and the people of the state would have none of the boardroom politics.

The wishes of the people prevailed, and attempts by the then tenants at the Hilltop Mansion to suppress the tune of the people was quashed by the axiom that vox dei vox populi the voice of the people is the voice of God. Till date, everyone believes that Governor Akpabio’s emergence as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007 was the first governorship primary whose outcome was a true reflection of the wishes of the people.

The launch of the campaign slogan and public declaration was followed by a tour of the 31local government areas of the State. Barr. Akpabio, as he was then called, was not in doubt about his vision for Akwa Ibom State. Top on his priority was youth empowerment and massive infrastructural development in the State if given the opportunity. At the QIC Primary School, Usung Inyang Eket, Barr. Akpabio had declared to the waiting crowd that in God’s will there was a special place for the youths. He identified the youth as the hope of the future who must not be left out in the scheme of things especially within government circle. He promised the people of youth empowerment and exposure in governance.

At Ika local government, the PDP aspirant was emotionally moved to see the decay in road infrastructure and total neglect of a people for more than half a century by successive administrations. To them he had promised a road network once he was elected as the Governor during the November 2006 nomination within the party.

It may not be out of place to state that after several years of unfilled promises, coupled with politics on infrastructural development in the state by respective governments, the people had already made up their mind for a change; change that will give more Akwa Ibom people opportunity, change that will bring development to their door steps, and a change that will open up a new vista of hope and better economic opportunities. At the end of the nomination the wishes of these people was achieved as Barr. Akpabio emerged as the candidate of PDP for the April 14, 2007 governorship election beating all the big names and alleged highly connected aspirants.

One other key factor that ensured Akpabio’s victory was Divinity. From the first day the ambition was nursed and declared to some key members, they all accepted that they will seek the face of God at all times until the will of God is done. Barr. Akpabio attributes his success at the PDP nomination and the general elections to God and the goodwill of Akwa Ibom people. All the victories enjoyed by the Akpabio campaign team was because God was at the head of all things.

If anything, the several success stories recorded by are evident in the several roads network across the state, constructed by reputable construction firms, and the massive infrastructural projects like the international airport, underground drainage project, flyovers, Ibom Tropicana Center, and the Ibom Power Plant, and. In all these, Dr. Akpabio however stresses that the most endearing programme to him, is the free and compulsory education programme which makes it mandatory for all the children of the state to acquire basic education up to senior secondary school.

That explains why despite the systematically orchestrated campaign of media blackmail and ethnic jingoism, the people of the state rose to the occasion, speaking in one voice that God’s will prevails in the State till 2015.

Essien Ndueso writes from No 7 Tabernacle Lane, Uyo