A stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Engr. (Dr) Wisdom Patrick Enang, says that the governorship Candidate of the party, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, will win the March 11 Governorship Election in the State convincingly.
Dr. Wisdom Enang expressed the confidence and optimism on Sunday, February 26, while reacting to the outcome of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly Elections across the Nation.
The renowned and highly resourceful Oil and Gas Consultant, who described Pastor Umo Eno as a man of principles, character, competence, capacity, vision and compassion, urged Akwa Ibom people to vote for him.
The globally revered Fellow of both the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), and the Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers (NISafetyE), said that Pastor Umo Eno will be a beneficiary of the ballot revolution sweeping across the Nation, having met the entire hallmark of the ongoing revolution, which prioritises principles, ideology, character, competence, and compassion, above the traditional voting pattern which was based on party affiliation.
Dr. Enang commended Gov. Udom Emmanuel fervently for choosing a man of character and vision in Pastor Umo Eno to succeed him.
He reiterated that Gov. Udom Emmanuel was futuristic in ensuring that his successor was not only riding on the wings of the ruling and most popular party in the State, but was also surfing and flying unstoppably high, fueled by his character and capacity, which are imperatives that were never before important in Nigerian politics.
Expressing joy that he has lived to witness such revolution, Dr. Enang thanked Gov. Udom Emmanuel once again for upholding value-addition and other democratic imperatives, above emotions and sentiments, describing it as an “additional icing on the political cake of Akwa Ibom State”.
Dr. Wisdom Enang, who is a Chartered Engineer with full registration and accreditation of the British Engineering Council, emphasized that the outcome of Saturday’s elections has once again shown the need to be accountable, impactful, value-driven, and people oriented in politics.
The Chairman Board of Trustees of the philanthropic and BBC praised “Sarah Enang Humanitarian Foundation”, (SEHF), revealed that Saturday’s elections saw people voting Candidates from their consciences, without the negative influence of monetary inducement, violence, and ballot-box snatching. He further added that the outcome taught us some keen lessons, and revealed that the paradigm of politics was shifting.
He stressed that the paradigm was gradually moving away from the era where political leaders and influencers who could control thugs, incite violence, and steal ballot boxes, were the winners of elections, to an era where people who are opinion leaders, respected and genuinely loved at the grass root, are reckoned with, and given consideration during elections.
“We can see that electorates are going out for personalities with antecedents of service and value addition at this point in time”.
The Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Czar informed that it has become imperative for politicians to take a keen, principled, pragmatic and critical look at the way they go about their politics, politicking and governance, saying it was no longer business as usual.
He maintained that a lot of political actors or leaders who hitherto claimed they deliver results, were only doing so by stirring up violence, by influencing with money, and with the elimination of these factors, thankfully so by Mr. President, a different dimension has evolved and come into play.
The Adjutant Professor of the North Dakota University, USA, explained further that the scenario which was witnessed during Saturday’s elections, was completely different from the known, traditional and familiar electoral turf, making it indeed a ballot revolution that frankly shocked numerous politicians across the Country.
He attributed the revolution to systemic institutional reforms, and not just INEC’s preparedness, maintaining that in a true democratic society, institutions are the foundation of governance, and not individuals.
Dr. Enang also harped on the fact that there is an overall and urgent need to further grow the Nation’s democracy, if the world must take us seriously, as the recent electoral reforms have come to undertake an all important litmus test, on our modern day democracy.
“The current electoral reforms encourages a free and fair election, where people are driven to vote for candidates with governance capacity, across different party lines”.
This, Dr. Enang informed, implies that the political paradigm is changing, compelling him to reiterate the aphorism, “that the future belongs to those with the power of the mind, and not those with the power of the arm.”
Known for his massive campaigns for adoption of the right democratic imperatives and value-driven leadership, Dr. Wisdom Enang, going scientific, affirmed that he presently feels like the world renowned Scientist Archimedes, because the electoral scenario which unfolded in Saturday’s elections, only further affirmed and brought to the fore, what he has been advocating and campaigning for, over the years.
“Archimedes was fondly termed as the man ahead of his time, as most of his inventions and discoveries were applied decades after his death. I’ve said it before, that there comes a time where the democratic imperatives of Nigeria in line with those of the international community, will move away from politics of thuggery, blackmail, and violence, to politics of ideology, principles and character. The problem is that a lot of politicians were too arrogant and shortsighted to realize that right under their watch, the revolution was already taking place.”
He further revealed that what transpired in Saturday’s elections was that the political opponents in Akwa Ibom State, forged a common front against the PDP, as seen in the last minute merger of the opposition parties, particularly in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, saying that this was likely not going to happen in the Guber Elections, as all opposition parties have their individual governorship candidates.
He also lamented the spate of disconnect generally between the goodwill that is given out by the PDP, and what finally trickles down to the grassroot.
“This is very much so with gifts of money and food. For instance, you give a hundred bags of rice and publicly announced what and how much you’ve given in goodwill, and the constituents end up not receiving a proportionate and fair share of what was given. In this case, alot of what was given, has been cornered by various trusted people along the distribution value chain for their personal gain, thereby inciting anger within the grass root constituents, who will capitalise on opportunities like the general elections to mobilise en masse, and cast PROTEST VOTES in favour of the opposition. Ahead of the March 11 elections, the PDP in Akwa Ibom State needs to work, to reverse this situation, as well as undertake an intensive unit-to-unit campaign within the next few days leading to the Guber Elections. Essentially, all hands needs to be on deck”.
Also to redefine politics, communal and public service, he advocated for a systemic reform to streamline with clarity, the distribution formulae and channel, from the very top to the constituents at the grassroots level, whatever goodwill gift trickles from the party.
