Let me start this piece with extricating a complete gentleman, Senator (Pastor) John James Akpanudoedehe, Ph.D., from being responsible for my response to my persuasion to react to obvious fallacies churned out on the political essay of Chief Usoro Usoro, who arrogated to himself a false knowledge of the person of Senator Akpanudoedehe.
I am aware that the APC National Secretary had addressed his media team members, almost disbanding them, for reacting to obvious troubleshooting from the political tenants of his political colleagues in Akwa Ibom State. He admonished us to move on because this is not a season for politics. He said it openly, that he was not at war with any politician in the State and none of his supporters should fuel any war.
In one of his end-of-month Communion Service at his Afaha Offot “Villa Chapel”, a service he personally officiated, he had recalled his struggles and victories as the father of political opposition in Akwa Ibom State and opened up on why he must not rely on any party structure to actualize his Governorship hopes for Akwa Ibom State.
He reviewed how he led all the opposition parties in Akwa Ibom State into the APC in July 2014. He has since remained the father of the Opposition Struggle in Akwa Ibom State. He went on to tell how in 2015, the structure of the APC was apparently under his control, and so he believed until Obong Umana Okon Umana defected from the PDP in less than a month to clinch the governorship flag of the APC. In 2019, he was about the strongest voice that structured the recently vacated APC leadership in the State, yet, Obong Nsima Ekere got the Governorship flag to fly.
Two things he said he learnt from these: that he is not blessed with faithful people to trust. Twice he was betrayed by those he strongly believed in. Secondly, he also believes that it is not flying a party’s governorship flag that puts a Governor in Government House, it is the visions and the mannerisms of the contenders.
Clearly, a man who has learnt his lessons in dependence on God, revealed how he does not believe that a party structure can influence the Governorship flag flying of his party because he has been “twice bitten”. His consolation, therefore, is that if God has determined that he will be Governor of Akwa Ibom State, then he is faithful to accomplish it: submitting entirely to the will of God. So where is Chief Usoro Usoro seeing a war between Senators Akpanudoedehe and Akpabio, and about 2023, when a new NWC is still pending?
It was before me at the Afaha Offot residence of the APC National Secretary that Senator Godswill Akpabio, in the company of Obong Nsima Ekere, with some other leaders, asked Senator Akpanudoedehe to forgive him for his past treacheries, acted against him, which put his life at risk; and appealed to him to grant his support for the Governorship candidacy of Obong Nsima Ekere. To seal the reconciliation, I was one among others who honoured Senator Akpabio’s invitation to share a dinner at the banquet hall of his Ukana country home in Essien Udim.
It is fallacious for Chief Usoro Usoro to pinch narratives from the political camp of Senator Akpabio, and use such to insinuate erroneous views around Senator Akpanudoedehe. It is possible that though Senator Akpanudoedehe had forgiven Senator Akpabio for his past sins against him, he, Akpabio, may happen that he has not personally forgiven himself.
Let me, therefore, reiterate that Senator Akpanudoedehe has confessed that he is not at war with any politician in his State of origin, long before Chief Usoro Usoro’s verbosious outcry, and strengthen his resolve, Senator Akpanudoedehe overhauled his media team, and his experience in planting party structure is what he has also undertaken not to do any more because the betrayals he suffered in the past were agonizing. He is a man who has learnt his lessons.
And about Senator Akpabio fronting one Akanimo Udofia, allegedly an oil merchant, to fly the governorship flag of the APC in Akwa Ibom State, I only see a man who has forgotten his history, and another man who is waiting to be politically deceived and sunk. No Akwa Ibom son and daughter will vote for an inexperienced politician, a two-term 8 years as a mistake is not a joke. It is the stagnation of people.
This is actually not about Senator Akpabio fronting Akanimo Udofia, nor that Akanimo Udofia is enjoying being deceived, this all about observing to see if the collective and the entirety of the people of Akwa Ibom State are accursed, a cursed people, to allow a man who openly rejected the choice he forcefully nominated, rudely imposed and violently elected into Government House, Uyo, calling the incumbent Governor a mistake he regretfully made.
He obviously has proven that he has a bad eye for choosing out leadership. I think that when it comes to Senator Godswill Akpabio choosing another Governor for the Akwa Ibom people, our response should be “once bitten…”
