Who succeeds Akpabio in 2015?

Politics of succession is in the air in Akwa Ibom State. Who succeeds Governor Godswill Akpabio  in 2015? Correspondent Kazeem Ibrahym writes on the intrigues and underground moves by the governorship aspirants

The political parties are on the track. But the contest for the governorship is actually between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Will PDP maintain its hold on power? Will the ACN displace the party Akwa Ibom State sin 2015?

Governor Godswill Akpabio will leave the State House, Uyo, on May 29, following the expiration of his second term. Ahead of the general elections, alignments and realignments among the politicians have started.

Akwa Ibom State has three senatorial districts; Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket. The late Chief Akpan Isemin, an Etinan, had ruled the state between 1991-1993. But his tenure was aborted by the military intervention in politics. Preceeding his administration was that of Wing Commander Idongesit Nkanga, an Nsit Ibom man, who ruled between 1990 –1991. Both the late Isemin and Nkanga are from Uyo Senatorial District.

Former Governor Victor Attah, who hails from Ibesikpo Asutan, ruled the state from 1999 to 2003. It was during Attah’s time that it was agreed that power should shift to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the interest of peace, equity and social justice. That was how Akpabio, who hails from Ikot Ekpene, became the governor.

The people of Eket Senatorial District are of the opinion that it is the turn of the zone to produce Akpabio’s successor. But this does not go down well with the people of Uyo Senatorial District, who are of the view that the governorship has never been zoned to any senatorial district in the history of the state. They argued that it has always been an open contest.

Those supporting zoning and those against it are locked in scheming. The Elders Council’ of Uyo Senatorial District led by Otuekong Sunny Udoh is believed to be promoting the governorship ambition of the Secretary to Government, Mr. Umana Umana. It is not clear, if the ambition of the politician has the blessing of the governor.

The elders are relying on historical facts as they forge ahead in their consultations on behalf of Umana. Udoh argued that Isemin contested against the candidates from the three senatorial districts in the Third Republic. He also recalled that, after his emergence as governor, other positions were zoned to the three senatorial districts.

The elders said in a statement: “Former Governor Attah, who was the governor between 1999 and 2003, contested against the candidates from the three senatorial districts. That there was no zoning for the governorship was underscored by the fact that, even within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aspirants from the three senatorial districts were screened and cleared to contest the primaries for the position in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

“The current governor, His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio, won the primaries in 2006 and 2011 on his merit, after contesting against the aspirants from the three senatorial districts who were duly cleared by the PDP. Governor Akpabio won the two primaries deservedly and not because the position was zoned to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. After the emergence of Chief Godswill Akpabio as governor, other positions; Deputy Governor, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Party Chairman;` were zoned, in line with the practice in 1993, 1999 and 2003, to the three senatorial districts. Against the above background, the Elders Council takes serious exception to the statements made by some anti-democratic elements that the governorship in Akwa Ibom State in 2015 will be exclusively zoned to a particular senatorial district.”

But former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Nduese Essien, who is from Eket, disagreed with the elders. He said it is foolhardy for anyone to argue that there are no credible candidates in Eket Senatorial District to run the affairs of the state in 2015.

Essien condemned the anti-zoning elements in the state, stressing that zoning has always characterised PDP’s electoral calculations in the state.

“The zoning arrangement has become a characteristic of PDP. In Akwa Ibom State, the first governor in the democratic dispensation emerged from Uyo Senatorial District. At the end of his second term in office, it was agreed that Uyo Senatorial District was no longer contesting the governorship; that it should go to either Ikot Ekpene or Eket Senatorial District. It was also expected that which ever senatorial district emerged in the 2007 election will stand eliminated from the race in the next round of elections for governor. As it is now, Uyo and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts in Akwa Ibom have had their two terms in office. It automatically stands to reason that only Eket Senatorial District should present a credible candidate for the next round of elections.

“May be, after the forth-coming elections, the best candidate, the best material and the highest bidder may emerge in the subsequent elections in 2015. But for now, the three senatorial districts have to be allowed to have their turns.” Essien said.

In his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Chairman of Ibom Mandate Assembly, Mr. Iniobong John, who is from Uyo, disagreed with the Uyo Senatorial District’s Elders Council. He said Eket Senatorial District is the only zone that has not produced a governor, since the creation of the state. He explained that the other two zones have enjoyed the slot for 20 years in 2015.

The letter reads in part: “ Eket Senatorial District is the hub of the oil wealth upon which Akwa Ibom and Nigeria is fed and sustained. In spite of the fact that, with 12 local government areas, the largest among the senatorial districts compared to Ikot Ekpene (10) and Uyo (9), Eket Senatorial Discrict and her diverse ethnic groups of Oro, Ibibio, Ekid, Ijaw and others, the zone is systematically subjected to political marginalisation and economic exploitation.”

John quoted Article 7 Section 2, Sub-Section C of the PDP Constitution to support his claim on why Eket must produce the next governor. The section of the PDP Constitution reads: “In pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of zoning and rotation of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by appropriate Executive Committees of the party at all levels.”

“Mr. President, it may interest you to know that, following the recently concluded public hearing on the constitution review held across the country, the overwhelming vote of the people for zoning and power rotation in Akwa Ibom reverberated in all the 10 federal constituencies, the three senatorial districts and even at the state level, where Governor Godswill Akpabio lent his voice in support of rotation of power, publicly acknowledging that, himself is a product of zoning.” John added.

In Akwa Ibom State, 2013 is a mirror of 2015. The various groups are coming up as campaign platforms drawing attention to the aspirations of their sponsors. Observers are of the view that the preparation for the 2015 contest led to the resignation of the former deputy governor, Nsima Ekere, who is believed to be a strong contender for the number one seat. Ekere, who hails from Mkpat Enin, the Ibibio axis of Eket Senatorial District, is banking on zoning to succeed Akpabio.

But Governor Akpabio recently told The Nation that the resignation of Ekere has nothing to do with the governorship tussle. “I don’t think the resignation of the deputy governor has anything to do with 2015. That is my personal opinion. I think it has a lot to do with the personal decision of a public servant who decides to face other things. It really depends on what make you fulfilled as a person. So, I don’t think it has got anything to do with 2015, but there is nothing wrong in reading political connotations into anything that occurs in any political atmosphere. So, I believe strongly that in 2015, Akwa Ibom people are most likely to say let Godswill continue to be done,” he said.

Asked if he is interested in who succeeds him, Akpabio said: “As a citizen of the state, I am definitely interested in ensuring that the tempo of development is not relaxed and I will be very glad, if we can have somebody who will be as passionate and dedicated as the current governor of Akwa Ibom State.”

The governor’s explanation notwithstanding, many people believed that Ekere was almost evicted out of Akpabio’s government before he resigned to avoid any embarrassment.

However, many also believe that the loyalty of Umana to Akpabio would play a key role in deciding who succeeds the governor in 2015. Umana will need to contend with strong forces from Eket Senatorial District, which are shaping the preparations for the battle.

These include Senator Helen Esuene from Eket Senatorial District, Effiong Abia, an Oron man, who is serving as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Okpolupn Etteh from Ibeno, who is the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly; Ambassador Assam Assam, former Attorney General of the state and the Ambassador of Nigeria to Russia, and Jerome Isangiedighi, a member of the House of Assembly representing Oron/Orung Uko.

Observers believe that urgent steps are required by the PDP to address its zoning arrangement and the controversy it has generated to prevent internal chaos that could result in the break down of law and order in the state.

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