2nd Terming Governor Akpabio For What?

When the righteous is in authority the people rejoice: but when the wicked man rules, the people moan and groan”; Proverbs 29:2

For sometime now in Akwa Abasi Ibom State and beyond, the refrain hitting, the air waves, the print media and others have been the desire, I guess to return the digital governor to government house for a second time or in the words of his die heart support group, a back-to-back return to government house i.e 2nd terming him in 2011. This has been the chorus of his fanatic/ardent supporters who through their antics and intrigues have indoctrinated and brainwashed socio-political groups, social organizations, churches, trado-rulers and indeed the masses to join the bandwagon of seeing him through his wild and stubborn ambition. Yes, he deserves a second term for so says the constitution, but the people must have a very good reason to accept this section of the constitution. While this write-up might not want to jump on the bandwagon, but might tend to differ or sing a discordant tune by asking this question of 2nd terming governor Akpabio for what? By 2nd terming him, are we not continually cushioning an imperious and domineering/hypertensive administration that lacks competence, transparency, accountability, integrity and that's the more reason he desperately guns for cheap popularity by and sole candidacy in 2011 by unbecoming and immodestly wooing those he shouldn't thereby debasing the coveted office of a governor? Does 2nd terming him not mean empowering and encouraging/girding him to push on with his political vendetta of discriminating against his political opponents. Ever since the 2007 elections, it is news that the governor has been venomously fueling extreme hatred and anger against his kinsmen politicians that contested against him e.g. the treatment meted to the managing directors of Akro and USA motors is very disturbing. Instead of financially propping up these companies, once they show face on Akwa Ibom, he has frustrated them and many workers they employed. Has he tarred progress road at the city centre of Ikot Ekpene? No, this is because of a politician big businessman/name withheld whose residence is along this road differs with him politically. Is the governor punishing the politician or the masses that live along this road? By this singular act, he is openly masterminding politics with bitterness. Are we 2nd terming him to continue with his unholy romance with myriads of splinter groups/splinter political organization e.g. AKPF, FOGAN, FOGAW, continuity 2011 etc. with assumed different philosophies/ideas, which are actually not different but only to use them as springboards to gain recognition and extract money from government a sure and clever way of making easy money. The side effect of all this is that, they have all drowned and rubbished the PDP in the state; are you 2nd terming him to continue with his voodoo economic or no policies at all, for the proponents of his 2nd term exploits/ambition claim that Akwa Ibom State economy will be the biggest heal theist in the country by the time governor Akpabio comes full cycle as governor by 2015 the dream economic hypothesis of one Stephen Akpan, an assistant to Governor Akpabio while addressing traders at Ikot Ekpene recently yes a voodoo economic indices which look/seem very attractive but unworkable. How can it work when the economy of Akwa Ibom State is being comfortably controlled by other Nigerians and foreigners, when the money is not invested in things that will catapult us to economic greatness? Yeah! 2nd term him to mindlessly continue patronizing foreign and non-Akwa Ibom contractors e.g. Capital Oil and the Ibaka proposed seaport projects? With this, and the economy controlled by outsiders our so called billions are winged outside the state with careless abandon. Yes 2nd term him to continually treat Ibom Plaza with disdain, the once cynosure of the state is now an eyesore with the return of motor parks which had been removed by governor Attah in 2007; and the four modern regional motorparks have remained abandoned to weeds ever since he fell in love with drivers' unions/drivers hence can't expel them from the plaza for familiarity breads contempt. The giant digital TV Screen that added glamour, colour, dignity and made the plaza a tourist haven is now a ghost of its former self and a passing fancy. 2nd term him to keep on abandoning projects of the past government e.g. Ifa Atai Timber Market, the Ring Roads, Technological Park, Abak to Ukanafun Road, Enen Nsit, Aka to Ikot Ekan Road and the University still in the cooler so also the four regional motor parks at Uyo now overgrown with weeds, Oron Road diversion between Ikot Asua and Okobo sluggishly executed; these are not only show of construction gimmick and shame, but a big crying shame considering the billions Akwa Ibom lifts monthly. 2nd term him to continue with his reign of terror because with myriads of army/police check points, no rule of law indiscriminate arrests, killings, kidnapping/rapping are rife and Akwa Ibom is the latest pariah/police/rogue state only comparable to Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Congo Democratic Republic. Indeed, our state is the emerging Palestine of this part of Africa and Uyo metropolis the worse for it because of motor bikes banned, there's no night life, night business, night worships; 2nd terming him would mean perpetuating his extravagance through the much orchestrated Akpabio Plc. Inter Ministerial projects of gate houses, fencing, mini water, rural electricity, toilets, construction, renovation of class rooms at inflated prices, all used to siphon money from the treasury. To continue with his Greek gifts to some churches and church leaders? Whereas money so given out which ranges between N5 million and N20 million would have been pooled together to boost the cooperative grant he started in 2007, to raise the amount from a paltry N100 million to N1 billion for all churches/members to have a feel of the administration. With the current visiting of a few and selected churches to the exclusion of others, how will others tap from his questionable generosity- oh, during the 2nd term; may be to continually buy obsolete science equipment at N527 million without the principals and science teachers? May be to continue commissioning projects without telling the people the final construction cost. To 2nd term him to continue with his own brand of free education without teaching and non-teaching staff, accommodation, equipment, short-changing the principals/headmasters in the payment of subvention, without inputs from parents and PTA, without interhouse sport, yes free education that abandons extra/co-curricula activities as a complete sham. To continually launder Akwa Ibom money in the foreign banks of Europe, America, Asia, South Africa which are used to acquire chains of landed property/assets above countries; just to further his mega bourgeois mentality? 2nd term him to keep on corrupting trado-rulers and church leaders and turn them into politicians, so also youths who have now abandoned skills acquisition, but turn themselves into professional politicians and PA's to politicians, making youths enroll in secret societies and disrespecting elders? 2nd term him to continually perpetuate poverty, hunger, unemployment which have virtually swallowed the people?

Akwa Ibom people have had a bellyful of our governor's intrigues/antics and that's why they are sternly bemoaning a government that's morally bankrupt and bereft of the decency expected of this exalted office. The unfolding dramatic political scenario in the state is not only embarrassing but challenging, hence we have to leave the past with their mobocracy in order to reach the future with purposeful leadership; for when the righteous is on the throne the people rejoice, but when the wicked rules the people perish, just as we are perishing now in dribs and drabs. Change is the answer, yes we can!