Less than 24 hours after Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, publicly presented his preferred successor for the 2023 Governorship Election, a group has described the development as payback time for those who relished in casting aspersions and insults on former Governor Godswill Akpabio and incumbent Minister, Niger Delta Affairs.
Reacting to the decision of Governor Emmanuel on the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a group, National Coalition for Strategic Impact and Unity (NACOSIU), in a statement by Alhaji Abdulrahman Bello and Comrade Bassey Etim, National President and Secretary respectively, said,
“Governor Emmanuel has finally rewarded all those who mounted the podium at rallies to insult former governor Akpabio, by dumping them for Pastor Umoh Eno, who never insulted Senator Akpabio throughout the campaigns.”
According to the group,” We reliably gathered that what informed the choice of Eno over Senator Bassey Albert and Hon Onofiok Luke, (who relished in pouring invectives on their former boss at any given opportunity), was the fact that Emmanuel was shell-shocked when he watched those who became whatever they are today through the benevolence of Senator Akpabio, mount the podium to insult that same man.
“For his own reward, Hon Luke was invited to the endorsement meeting at the Governor’s Lodge and publicly disgraced.
“Let us not forget so soon, how some of the dumped aspirants, particularly, the incumbent Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, referred to his former boss, Akpabio, as a “National Comedian”, while Akpabio’s former personal physician of eight years, Dr Iniobong Essien, dumped Akpabio, just to gain the favour of Governor Emmanuel. He even did a video where he recognized former governor Victor Attah and Governor Emmanuel as his benefactors.
“We have it on good authority that Governor Emmanuel still respects and regards Senator Akpabio, and has never faulted the steps he took to make him the governor in 2015. As a result of this, the inner thinking of Governor Emmanuel is that those who mounted the podium to insult his former boss and benefactor cannot taste the seat of government.
“Prior to the announcement on Sunday, Governor Emmanuel and Senator Akpabio were said to have secretly reconciled, and who knows if part of the agreement reached was that the seat of government must not be given to any of the people who mounted the podium to insult their former boss.
The group disclosed that “Governor Emmanuel expressed dissatisfaction over the continuous abuse and insults on the former governor by his ‘boys’, whom he turned to men politically and knowing that from records, Akpabio has never for once insulted his predecessor, Obong Victor Attah, openly or in his closet.
“It was based on the above deep reflection that Governor Emmanuel vowed not to allow these individuals access to the seat of power, knowing that he would by next year be a former governor and if they could do that to Akpabio, how would he be treated by them when he leaves office next year.
“Let us, therefore, appeal to politicians to always exercise restraint in whatever they do or say because there is always the law of Karma awaiting anybody who chose to bite the fingers that fed him or her, “the group stated.
