Eket Collective, a think-tank group in Akwa Ibom State has locked horns with the former Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, Ray Ekpu, over what the group described as Ekpu’s ‘’unguarded utterances’’ on Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Ekpu is faulting an alleged imposition of a governorship aspirant by Governor Udom on the state chapter of People Democratic Party (PDP) and by extension the entire state. He is warning against any attempt to introduce dictatorship into Akwa Ibom as the state approaches the governorship elections in 2023.
He was speaking in his country home, Ukanafun, on Saturday after the burial of his step mother, Mrs Alice Ekpu, maintaining that no one person can dictate who becomes the next governor of Akwa Ibom, and insisted that the people must be involved, as demanded in a democracy.
According to him, “no one man on earth is wiser than all the six million people of Akwa Ibom State. I don’t think that is right. Only respect for and enthronement of justice will ensure peace and even development in the state.’’
While admonishing the governor to ensure a level playing field for all the contestants to test their popularity in the field, Ekpu added, ‘’for me, we should have a level playing field for everybody. I think that is what we should insist on having a level playing field for everybody.”
The senior journalist declared that he was not interested in who supports who for election but was more concerned with issues of justice as his choice will be based on justice and equity, claiming, ‘’I am told that somebody has been anointed to be the governor and I think that is dictatorship, which must not be accepted. Dictatorship must not be accepted.”
For Eket Collective, ‘’the unguarded utterances of Ray Ekpu on the choice of some Akwa Ibom stakeholders on who they prefer to fly the PDP governorship flag is very unfortunate. He tends to be taking Udom’s tolerance for granted.
‘’Ekpu shot himself on the foot when he unwittingly exposed his bias of who he prefers instead of Pastor Umo Eno, the state’s Lands and Water Resources Commissioner. Didn’t Ray Ekpu lavishly commend Senator Bassey Albert (OBA) in his Ukanafun outburst?
‘’Did he not glorified OBA for what he described as ‘his sterling performances’ in the Senate, and for specifically focusing on issues concerning the Niger Delta and its development. Is it not on record that Ekpu said, I’ve watched with keen interest your performance in the National Assembly, especially in protecting the interests of the Niger Delta people?”
A top player of the Eket group who spoke to this reporter on telephone on Monday alleged the ex-Newswatch chief who presided over the tragic takeover of Nigeria’s foremost news magazine may still be suffering from the shock of that tragedy, and currently seeking a political alignment that would better his lot.
‘’Rather than lamenting over the choice of Umo Eno by a rainbow of Akwa Ibom stakeholders, we will like to counsel Ray Ekpu to encourage OBA to intensify his consultations with strategic stakeholders because Pastor Eno is already busy flaunting his impressive entrepreneurship credentials’’, Okpo said..
Unarguably, Eno’s endorsement initially raised dust with many questioning his contributions to the economy of the state. Without the doubt, Umo Eno is a well known hotelier who has not failed to flaunt his impressive entrepreneurship credentials in the hospitality industry where he has made a mark.
Critics of his endorsement are maintaining that though the zoning arrangement is meant for the PDP governorship candidate to emerge from Uyo Senatorial District which has nine local government areas, it should be micro-zoned to a particular federal constituency in the senatorial district.
Unfortunately, many others are not finding their argument strong enough to deter Umo Eno from plunging headlong into the fray after he has enjoyed the backing of Governor Udom a development which is believed to have had precedent in the process leadng to the party’s primaries.
At a parley with the media community in the state, the governorship aspirant once more presented his credentials on entrepreneurship, mentioning the number of his employees and how much he spends month as wages emolument.
‘’My salary bill every month is over N25 million and there is no month I have not paid that salary. This, I have not done with government funds. I have not occupied any elective office before in the state. I know how to create jobs,I know how to do business and I know how to manage people,’’ he said.
Apart from a visit to the press centre which is like the official residence of journalists in the state, Umo Eno has also paid a visit to the state house of assembly, the party office and the state executive council where he came with the same message of coming from the private sector with a view to creating jobs and building on the legacies of his predecessor.
“When I am voted in, I will further the peace and development of Akwa Ibom. I will build on the legacy of Governor Emmanuel by advancing his blueprint in job creation, tourism, agriculture and other sectors of our economy, I believe in the Akwa Ibom story,’’ he told the lawmakers.
His story was no different when he met with chairmen of boards and commissions reiterating his desire to expand the resource base of the state having served as chairman of Ibom Fadama microfinance bank, he said he had been prepared for the task ahead.
“Give me a chance, place a bet on me and you will have your money back with interest,” he said, noting that he had always “acquitted himself about expectations in the areas of hospitality and tourism and in entrepreneurship”
Eno is making consultations across the state and presenting his credentials of success in entrepreneurship, other aspirants have yet to launch the kind of engagement embarked upon by him. His promise to bring his private sector experience to bear in governance appears to be resonating well.
Though the elections are expected to help early next year, it remains to be seen how Umo Eno will be able to translate his message of entrepreneurship into job creation ventures for the millions of jobless youths if he eventually becomes the governor of Akwa Ibom.
