We all seem to be concerned lately, the world over. Ethiopia’s Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus is deeply concerned with funding pause, as the newly sworn-in President of the United States pulls his country away from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He thinks this decision can reverse the gains of many years in public health globally and increase the risk of infections, illnesses, and deaths for over 30 million people in low and middle income countries.
While on the flipside, the 47th President of the United States (POTUS), Donald Joseph Trump, is greatly concerned not for the likelihood of a WHO funding dilemma but for the two American astronauts stranded in the International Space Station (ISS) since 2024.
NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are the two astronauts who left Earth in June 2024 and went into space aboard Boeing’s Starliner and were expected to return home after 10 days in the ISS.
In an official statement from Kigali, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, has expressed concerns over what he termed the misrepresentation of facts by Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa of their meeting on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis.
In the other news, the entry of the Chinese DeepSeek into the American tech industry is giving stock traders serious concerns, especially investors in the NVIDIA stocks, as it debuts in the global AI tech competition.
Looking around, the web of concern keeps widening, and no one seems to be exempted. Even royalty.
Feeling concerned lately, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, a revered monarch in Yorubaland of South-western Nigeria, left his palace on Sunday, January 26, 2025 and arrived Ado Ekiti under the cover of darkness, not for any colourful Yoruba festival or rites but to mediate in the festering _roforofo_ fight between two eminent Yoruba sons who have been in the national news for the wrong reasons.
Fight. National news. Wrong reasons. These search words throw up Akwa Ibom State in my head and leave it on this very queue. And like Ojaja II, I am equally concerned. Concerned that the concern of an interest group in my State is the bipartisan relationship between a sitting state governor and a serving federal minister.
Meanwhile, bipartisan politics is as old as all forms of government and pre-dates this Greek democracy. Walking down the long hall of history, this was how kingdoms and ideologues who never saw eyeball to eyeball on a lot of issues, still found reason to liaise on grounds of common interest to become trade partners and military allies whenever it became necessary. Life has always been ‘a give and take’, and no one man, they say, is an island.
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In an open letter to APC’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, published as an advertorial in The Nation newspaper of January 13, 2025, the group, Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State claimed that, “…the Honourable Minister of Petroleum (Gas), who was expected to mobilize and lead the party in the state to support your re-election, is busy hobnobbing with the PDP government in the state.”
Umo Bassey Eno, a church pastor and governor of the State, who was elected in March 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), thinks this is a faceless group.
In an official statement signed by Ekerete Udoh, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, it reads, “It is unfortunate to note that while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is rallying the nation to support his bold and audacious economic plans aimed at taking our nation out of the current economic challenges – which Governor Umo Eno has enthusiastically and openly endorsed and has severally canvassed support for – this faceless group could maliciously concoct such lies, falsehoods, and blackmail against the Governor.”
Etim Etim, an indigene of the State and a renowned public affairs analyst, thinks along this line, too. In his personal reaction to the said advertorial, Etim made the following argument, “There are 10 signatories on the letter, representing the 10 federal constituencies in the state, but in actual fact, the names are all fictitious. I have been a prominent member of APC in Akwa Ibom State since November 2014 and participated in three governorship elections since 2015 as a communication strategist. I am in a position to know at least one of the 10 persons who can buy a newspaper page for N1.2 million to place an open letter to the President. Those names do not just exist.”
On a lighter note, all being said, I may still want to give the petitioners the benefit of the doubt that they exist and are real people with real faces, who can play the _afang_ or _editan_ quiz. I am saying so in the hope that the National Population Commission who have our bio data know them and may have a different opinion about their true status.
But on a serious note, what is the kernel in bipartisan politics that can cause a group of supposedly seasoned politicians, whom I assume to be experienced and have cut their teeth in politics and participatory democracy, to write an open letter to their party leader?
Because if you spare a thought on it, who is more bipartisan than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his approach to politics?
In his Action for Democracy (AD) days, he was known to be best friends with Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. The records are there and speak for itself.
This is a man who kept going to Port Harcourt in 2023 and finally made friends with a PDP governor in Rivers State, Nyesome Wike, while running for president on the platform of the APC.
And as President, he met with Douye Diri of the PDP behind closed doors in the Aso Villa during his second term campaign for governor in Bayelsa State, and his guest returned to Yenogoa and won a hitherto uncertain election.
As a matter of fact, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom, is the most bipartisan politician alive today in Nigeria.
I do not think that the said group considered these facts before going to the Press to accuse the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, in charge of Gas Resources of disloyalty.
If this is 2027 politics early bird and propaganda as many want to believe, then it was a poor script. Ekperikpe Ekpo may not be many things, but he definitely has a beautiful antecedence in loyalty with the people he has ever followed.
Arc. Victor Attah, if I am not mistaken gave him his first real shot at politics and public office many years ago, when he held sway as governor of the State and leader of the ruling party in Akwa Ibom.
It is more than a decade now, and a lot has happened, but I want us to watch the body language of the former governor and the warmth he radiates towards Ekperikpe whenever they meet in public.
Ekperikpe Ekpo does not kick down the ladder. He has steadfastly maintained a highly respectable relationship with the Eduek Ekpe of Asutan Ekpe to this very day.
There was a time when Akpabio bashing was a pastime in Akwa Ibom politics, especially after he lost his return bid to the Senate to Engr. Chris Ekpenyong, in 2019, it was so bad that boys who were university students when he was governor and who had benefited from his benevolence suddenly grew up and became men in Akpabio bashing.
On one of such occasions, Ekperikpe was listening to the radio in his living room, and the guest on radio was a communications expert and politician of note.
As the radio program progressed, the erudite speaker and septuagenarian descended into the arena and gave Senator Akpabio the bashing of his life on live radio.
Ekperikpe, by now overwhelmed with emotions, exclaimed, “Oh, atatang aboho.” Meaning he has said more than necessary. As the only person who was with him turned to respond to his remark, he noticed that his eyes were filled with tears. He stood up and went into his room.
Truth be told, Ekperikpe comes to politics with a heart filled with good conscience. He is full of empathy. He is not a dye-in-the-wool politician and lacks the desperation to win by all means.
Ekperikpe is certainly not the everyday politician as we know it. There are rumours that he never gave any condition(s) when he was parting with the Akwa Ibom North-west Senatorial ticket and never asked to be refunded his campaign expenses.
If this account is true, it is very unusual. One can say and rightly so that Senator Akpabio has found a brother in Ekperikpe Ekpo. Thank God that the Senate President is alive and may someday wish to speak on the matter.
I am told one of his political associates was so disappointed and cried out while they were leaving Ikot Ekpene that night, “Why are you always like this?” Yes, he is always a selfless team player.
Brethren, this is what is known and called ANTECEDENT. This is not the kind of man President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be afraid of. AND HE IS NOT.
We can now hazard a safe guess why the current governor admires him, too. Ekperikpe is obviously a friend to have in all four seasons, including your hour of loneliness. As a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) representing the interest of the state in Nigeria, his friendly disposition to people has obviously made it even easier for the pastor to connect easily with the centre.
The duo is said to have concluded talks and have secured the commitment of the Indian multinational, Jindal Group to offtake 450mmscfd of natural gas for the15 million tonnes per annum High Briquettes Iron (HBI) Steel Plant coming to the State. Without being told, this is additional revenue in the making.
And President Tinubu we are told, has also given his nod to the historic deal signed between the BFI Group and China National Chemical Engineering Corporation (CNCEC) to restart operations at the hitherto abandoned multi-million dollar Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) at Ikot Abasi. This is definitely a back-to-work package for many of our people.
I can recall when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, stood here in our midst both as leader of the ruling party and President of Nigeria to admit his inability to initiate a single project here in Akwa Ibom State; a strong PDP enclave since the advent of this 4th Republic.
So anytime I hear Governor Umo Eno insisting that politics is over, and that this is the time for governance, I am always tempted to believe he is saying so as a good student of history, knowing full well that party politics alone may not guarantee or accelerate the development of the State as envisaged after the elections.
For whatever this is, let us not put out this candle of unity in his hands, even if we can. It is in our best interest. Please.
I think I once heard our great visioner and the architect of the new Akwa Ibom say, “You do not have to put out the other person’s candle for your candle to shine brighter.” And lessons abound from the benefit of hindsight to support these words of wisdom from an elder.
Young Godswill Akpabio wanted to be governor. As a campaign strategy to de-market him, someone said, “You’re not our son.” And he went on to become governor.
Udom Emmanuel returned home and wanted to be governor. As a campaign strategy to de-market him, someone said, “Your father stole a goat.” And he went on to become a governor.
Then, enter Umo Eno with an ambition to become governor. Believe me, the campaign strategy to de-market him didn’t change, and someone said, “You didn’t finish school.” And as always, he went on to become governor.
This telling sequence of events may go to explain the scriptures that God, “…resists the proud.” And harkens more to the prayer of the unworthy tax collector than the self-righteous Pharisee.
We do not need to slander anyone every time to achieve set goals if this is one. There is something in destiny that is greater than the envy, hatred, and bitterness of Joseph’s brothers. And that is the God factor.
Some of us may never become governors because we have told too many lies as a craft or art for the master and the godfather now doubts your integrity and is afraid to promote you above himself. This played out in 2023.
It is only wise that we play on the side of caution and the fear of God as we approach 2027. Quote me, slander has never won in Akwa Abasi Ibom State and never will. It may arise as a flood but, “…the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”
Shalom!
