WHO IS AFRAID OF AN ORON GOVERNOR?

TONY ITA ETIM

 

 

WHO IS AFRAID OF AN ORON GOVERNOR?

 

“The good people of Oron have the strongest case for a gubernatorial shot. In the 26 years of existence of our state no one from Oron has ever ruled Akwa Ibom State, yet it is through our wealth that our state derives money as an oil bearing state. We, therefore, support any opportunity to present our case before the court of public opinion, and town hall meetings espoused by Governor Akpabio would provide us with just that opportunity. Those who are against town hall meetings have injustice as their article in trade, but we applaud the Governor for  desiring the truth to be told on politics of inclusion that zoning and state character entail. We can shout it from the rooftops and from the hilltops, we can say it anywhere and everywhere that justice demands that we produce the next governor of Akwa Ibom State.

 

“Should we now be reminded that as the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria provides for adherence to the State Character, so does the Peoples Democratic Party constitution provides for zoning and rotation. Transition should, therefore, follow the known character of the state and not unrestrained and selfish ambition... predicated on the dubious concept of ‘best’ candidacy.” The preceding quotation is a reaction rising opposition to the emergence of an Oron governnor. The statement was issued by an Oron socio-cultural organisation known as Esu Nlap Oro and signed by Ulap (Chief) Okon Asukwo Enweme and Ulap Joe Bassey okon, President and Secretary of the group respectively.

 

Akwa Ibom State comprises of three major dialectical groups namely Ibibio, Annang, and Oron while there are minor group like Obolo, Ekid and Ibeno. Out of the 31 local government areas in the State the Ibibio has 14, Annang eight and Oron five while Ekid have two, Obolo one and Ibeno one. There are three senatorial districts in Akwa Ibom State: the Ibibios are found in all the three. The Ibibios are the only group that are spread across the three district as well as have whole district exclusively for themselves and that is Uyo Senatorial District. Uyo is 100 per cent Ibibio. Annangs are found in eight local government areas while there are two Ibibio local government areas in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district; There are four Ibibio local government areas in Eket senatorial disctrict, five Oron local government areas, Ekid have  two local government areas, while Ibeno and Obolo have one each.

 

Since the inception of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, Uyo senatorial district (nay Ibibios) produced Obong Victor Attah (!999 to 2007). Ikot Ekpene senatorial disctrict (Annang) is currently having its turn at the Government House Uyo through Obong Godswill Akpabio (2007 to 2015). Eket senatorial district is supposed to produce Akpabio’s successor. Before now it was assumed that based on zoning or rotational principle the next governor of the state would come from Oro nation, being the third largest dialectical group in the state after Ibibio and Annang. But recent political activities, utterances, scheming and posturing may made the dream of Oron a pipe dream. Politicians in the four Ibibio local government areas in Eket are currently among the forerunners for the 2015 gubernatorial seat.

 

Suddenly some political groups have emerged in Akwa Ibom State mouthing words like “only the best candidate is good for the Government House.”  Some are arguing that when Attah, an Ibibio, constested, aspirants and candidates from all parts of the state vied with him at the PDP primaries as well as during the 1999 and 2003 elections, therefore, they also have the right to contest despite the fact that the seat has been zoned to Eket senatorial district.  Some of them are arguing that given the performance of Akpabio, a competent person, no matter his dialectical group must succeed him so as to continue the good works. Stiff opposition have arose against rotating the governorship to any group or zoning for that matter, despite the fact that Attah publicly declared in 2007 that it was the turn of Annang to produce a governor. The Oron people are expecting that as it was done to the Annang, same preference should be given to them now that it would be the turn of Eket Senatorial district to produce a governor come 2015.

 

 The opponents of zoning or rotational governorship are talking about “open political space”, “only those qualified and interested to contest the governoship of our state in 2015 to continue their aspiration”, “the people would choose from among the best,” “every person from all over the state could contest without hindrance” among other phrases that underlined their agitation that the 2015 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State would be a free for all affair and not restricted to any particular group. The irony is that while the governorship election for 2015 has been declared free for all, zoning or rotational principle are being observe in other elective positions like Senate, House of Respresentatives, House of Assembly, Local Government Council Chairmanship and even councillorship.  

 

Though Akpabio has publicly declared at various fora that his successor must come from Eket Senatorial District, he has not given any indication that he would want an Oron man to succeed him. But the Oron people are expecting the governor to follow the steps of Attah and said it openly that it is the turn  of Oron to produce the next governor. One can not say exactly why the governor is unwilling to make this declaration and put to rest the fears of Oron people that there are plans to deny them an opportunity to lead that state. Some analysts in the state are of the opinion that the governor does not want to offend the already aggrieved Ibibio people by publicly supporting an Oron man for 2015. Others are of the opinion that the governor has ‘an anointed’ candidate, from Eket senatorial district, who is of Ibibio extraction. 

 

The question is who are afraid of an Oron governor and why are they afraid? Those who are afraid of  an Oron governor cut across all dialectical groups in the state, including the Oron people. A pseudo group known as ‘Oron Solidarity Movement’ have been at the forefront of the agitation that the 2015 gubernatorial election should be a “free for all” contest. Their position might not be unconnected with what they expect to gain from the next governor of the state of Ibibio extraction, hence their reistance to an Oron governor.

 

The major source of opposition to zoning comes from the Ibibios in Uyo senatorial district, who have had their turn. They are banking on their numerical strength to win the 2015. According to a Campaign Manager to one of the Ibibio governorship candidates in 2007 and 2011 elections the Ibibios cannot afford to remain in political wilderness for 16 years if an Oron man succeeds Akpabio. The politician, who pleaded, for anonimity lamented that the Akpabio administration have humiliated and marginalised the Ibibios and expressed fears that an Oron governor may do worse as the minorities in the state have a tendency to mock and ridicule the Ibibios any time they have access to political power. He recalled that Attah ran an open adminstration which embraced every part of the state but Akpabio has elevated tribalism and ethnicity to an instrument of state policy. He continued that if an Oron man takes over from Akpabio there may be a connivance between the Annang and Oron to emasculate the Ibibio and that the Ibibios may not have the economic muscles to contest further elections as they would have been reduce to crumb eaters in the state. The Ibibios as the majority or dominant dialectical group would be reduce to an ineffective majority or may be liken to a basketful of dry leaves that has no weight

 

 

 

Asukwo Etuk, from Etinan, stated that the Akpabio administration has taught the Ibibios a great lesson and the Ibibios would not like to have a repeat of what Akpabio is doing. Etuk, an unemployed graduate pointed out that a look at appointment into headship of boards and parastatal shows that Annang are majority in these organisation especially where the agency has to do with awarding contract or employment. He continued that recent recruitment exercises in the state showed that Annang, especially those from Ikot Ekpene and Essien Udim, are always in the majority while promotion in the state civil service are in favour of Annang. He lamented that several attempts to get a job in the state civil service has failed because of naked display of tribalism and wonder how a minority can oppress the majority. Etuk expressed fear that if an Oron man is the governor, the situation would be worse as the Oron people are known to be united and love to help one another.

 

 

During Attah’s administration: Uyo produced the governor. Ikot Ekpene, Deputy Governor and Eket, Speaker of the State House of Assembly. In the current admistration,  the Governor is from Ikot Ekpene, his deputy from Eket while the speaker is from Uyo.  The Ibibios are afraid that if  Oron produce governor, Annang will produce speaker and Uyo senatorial district (nay Ibibios) may be reduce to mere bystanders as deputy governors And with  the past experiences of how Attah and Akpabio change their deputies, then Ibibios may produce, at least, eight deputies in eight years. The Ibibios are not sure that they would produce the Head of the state Civil Service, they recalled that an Ibibio son Dr. Val Attah, was bypassed by Akpabio, who appointed an Oron lady, Late Mrs. Grace Awana, instead of Attah, who was the dean of Permanent Secretaries in the state.

 

There is a fear of a possible collaboration or connivance between Oron,Annang and other minorities against the Ibibios.  Some Ibibios are quick to reclled how late Senator Victor Akan and  Senator Donald Etiebet worked against the re-election of Clement Isong an Ibibio man during the NPN days in the old Cross River State. According to those expressing fears about an Oron governor, the trio of Senator Victor Akan, late Professor Sunday Essang (then Minister of Works) and Edet Etienam, working with other ethnic groups in the old Cross River State, frustrated the re-nomination of an Ibibio son, Dr Clement Isong for a second term in office; and on assuption of office Etiebet sacked Ibibio permanent secretaries.

 

There is also a fear among the Ibibios that development may shift to Oron nation as Akpabio did to Annang. Attah, the recalled spread developmental project across all parts of the state and even neglect his home.While Ibesikpo Asutan, where Attah hails from  cannot boast of anything in the eight years of their son in power, Akpabio has transformed Annang land into modern cities. An Oron governor may use the eight years, after Akpabio administration, to reverse all the years of perceived neglect, marginalisation and underdevelopment.That after 16 years out of the driver’s seat of the state administration an irreversible harm might be inflicted on the psyche, political, cultural and economic life of the Ibibios

 

 

 

 

If political speculations in the state are anything to go by, then Akpabio is also afraid of an Oron governor. Despite his public pronoucements, Governor Godswill Akpabio is alleged to have ‘anointed’ his current Secretary to the State Government, Mr Emmanuel Udom as his successor. Is Udom the answer to Akpabio earlier call to Akwa Ibom people to seek the face of God for divine choice of who takes over from him? Udom hails from Awa Iman in Onna Local Government Area, Eket Federal Constituency. The governor is said to have set  machinery in motion to sell Udom to the political elite as a credible candidate for 2015. Though Udom is an Ibibio, he is from Eket Senatorial Distrct, where Akpabio’s successor is expected to come from.

 

According to sources, Udom would be deputise by Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, Akpabio’s right hand man  and currently the state current Commissioner for Special Duties, who hails from Etim Ekpo, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Distrcit. Enoidem is reported to have nursed a senatorial ambition which Akpabio is now interested in. The post of a deputy governor may be an attempt to pacify  him and the Abak Five, that is, Abak Federal constituency which comprises five local government areas,  who now insist that it is their turn to produce a senator since Ikot Ekpene and Ikono Federal constituencies have taken their turns of eight years each at the senate. The choice of Enoidem as deputy to Udom is also to protect Akpabio’s interest as Enoidem is a key player in Akpabio’s kitchen cabinet and a strong personality who would put a check on Udom, in case he tries to take actions inimical to the interests of Akpabio and the Annang.

 

But the Oron people not ignorants of their political enemies schemings to rob them of this opportunity to lead the state. They are poised to resist any attempt to deny them an opportunity to produce the next governor of the state. The Oro are holding  meetings to counter any subversive activity that is inimical to its 2015 political goal. In fact, any Oron person that would attempt to sell any candidate that is not of Oro extraction to her people would be declared an enemy of the people, sanctioned and ostracised from Oro nation.

 

Comrade Okon Osung, of the Oron Think Tank responded to the fears of those who are opposed to an Oron governor. In what the group titled ‘Conceptual definition of Oro Governor,’ Osung explained that “The expectations of the entire Akwa Ibom State is that 2015 should usher in an inclusive, just and responsible government.

Historically, Oro ethnic community has been at the cross-road of ethnic migration and inter-group relations. This reality has rendered Oro sensitive and responsive to the yearnings of other people without prejudice to any form of differences, we can therefore boldly declare that Oro will run a very inclusive administration, fair and just to all components of the state.

 

In a book titled ‘Why Oro,’ the group pointed out that “The govenor of Akwa Ibom State of an Oro extraction, will build on the sterling pioneering effort of Governor Victor Attah, and the uncommon transformation of Governor Godswill Akpabio, by fast-tracking the development of all sections and segments of the state, such that at the end of this decade, Akwa Ibom State will be able to compete equitably with such emerging economic tigers as united arab Emirates (UAE) singapore, Malaysia, etc.”

 

Osung declared “And for the avoidance of doubt, let it be clearly stated here that Oro does not seek power for any selfish motive. It is true that it may take sometime before power rotates to other ethnic nationalities in the state, Oro thus seek power to carry along their yearnings for access to power by offering them clearly defined roles of relevance in the forthcoming dispensation. We offer them our hands of fellowship in the spirit of mutual cooperation and progress.”

 

There seems to exist a mutual hatred and suspicion between Oro and Ibibios. There is a common saying among the Oro people that never give fire to an Ibibio person because when he is warm, he will kill someone. Is this saying a joke or a reflection of a deeper and pathological hatred the Oron people have for their Ibibio brothers? Is this why the Ibibios are not comfortable with the idea of an Oron governor in 2015?

Can the Oro nation be trusted? Would the Ibibios take the promise of Oro Think Tank as a bond?  Will Akpabio follow the steps of Attah and give his support to Oron people to produce his successor?