Re: 2015: Akpabio's Chicaneries: Against The Culture Of Falsehood

It's with great apathy, that I read the utter balderdash written by Mmekabasi Akpabio, whom I have chosen to excuse, not because of his low level of knowledge of the imperatives of town hall meetings in a democracy, but for his exhibition of uncontrolled frustration, in trying to justify evil. But as Criss Jami wrote:

"Like crying wolf, if you keep looking for sympathy as a justification for your actions, you will someday be left standing alone when you really need help", it's expedient to call the the writer from the "slumber of history" into the grim reality of the day.

Mmekabasi Akpabio has demonstrated, in his speculative generalization, that he is truly standing alone in thought, idea, and more than even his principal, desperately needs help.

By choosing the unwholesome trajectory of damnation in questioning the rationale behind the essence of a people centered political culture- the recently held town hall meetings held across the 10 federal constituencies of the state, the writer has glaringly proven that he has lost touch with the dynamics of the political reality of by fallaciously situating it within the prism of Governor Akpabio's succession plan.

MmekAbasi Akpabio is evidently playing the hatchet for Umana Okon Umana, who understands nothing other than entrenching himself, contrary to popular wish, on the Akwa Ibom people. It's little surprising that this author has fumbled through a multiplicity of delusion, without recourse to the specificity of the Akwa Ibom political reality.

To insinuate that Governor Akpabio's disposition at the town hall meetings was overbearing is as delusive, as the intent and purpose of the writeup in the first place. A good leader must be assertive, bold and imaginative, according to John Stoessinger; and Chief Akpabio did just that. The Governor, having spent seven of his eight years of two terms, chose to present his scoresheet as Governor, and feel the feel their pulse in respect of the character of the political behavior of 2015. Thus, Umana Okon Umana and his cronies represent a very tiny fragment of the over 4.5 million people in Akwa Ibom State, whose future the governor wouldn't sacrifice on the alter of political sentiments and trivial emotions!

It's therefore, logical, against Mmekabasi's ludicrosity, that Governor Akpabio should have determined who the speakers at the town hall were, from those he viewed and knew as stakeholders, or could someone else have known better than the state Governor?

In spite of the fact that the Governor superintended over the proceedings, whose thoughts were his, the town hall meetings were interactive, honest and result-oriented. It afforded the people an opportunity to reevaluate the winding administration, in order to identify areas that deserve critical attention. For instance, at Etinan town hall, Senator Effiong Bob, the architect of "mbre ikid politics" pledged to support the zoning of governorship position, on condition, that the Governor defined the place of Uyo Senatorial District in the 2015 political permutations; at Itu, Ibiono Ibom town hall, the paramount ruler of Ibiono Ibom, Okuku Ime Udousoro Inyang appealed to the Governor to revisit his earlier promise to construct the road to his palace, which the governor instantly granted. Like senator Ita Enang, who spoke earlier, the royal father also opposed zoning, appealing to the Governor to allow the 2015 governorship elections be an open contest by all the aspirants.

Does this not underscore the beauty of democracy, against the asininity in Mmekabasi's wild and incongruent generalization? Or did the governor not have powers to stop or refuse to invite the duo of senator Ita Enang, Okuku Ime Udoisoro Inyang, and others that spoke against zoning, if he so wished? But the did not, because his intentions were noble and historic! In that regard, by exhibiting such degree of tolerance vis-a-vis opposing views, Governor Akpabio, against the revisionism of MmekAbasi, has united the state, better than he found it in 2007.

The nobility of his intentions, saw an array of respected elder statesmen like senators Effiong Bob, Anietie Okon, Eme Ekaete, Itak Ekarika, and Emmanuel Ibokessien. Other dignitaries that graced the town hall meetings include Air Commadoe that were present and

Idongesit Nkangha, professor Ita Ewa, Rt. Hon. Chief Nduese Essien, DIG Udom Ekpoudom, Mr Moses Ekpo, and Major General Godwin Umoh, among others.

Should this class of incontrovertible personage also fit into Mmekabasi's "tiny club of auxiliary beneficiaries and crumbs pickers...?"

As far Umana Okon Umana, Mmekabasi's principal, is concern, these men, who represent the conscience of their respective communities are expired and insignificant, because they stood up for truth- justice, fairness and equity, which Umana Umana is determined to sacrifice on the alter of personal aggrandizement, and parochial material accumulation. But truth will always wear it's shoes.

If as MmekAbasi observed, that "the procedures for electing a State Governor as clearly spelt out in our national Constitution do not include Town Hall meetings...", why all the rambles, paid advertorials, and self- imposed insomnia by Umana Okon Umana and his political appendages? Truth be told, the town hall meetings which represented a paradigm shift in the political evolution of Akwa Ibom, provided the direction to the political character of 2015 general elections.

Mmekabasi Akpabio has misleadingly, chosen to narrow the entire town hall meetings and the affirmed consensus that the 2015 governorship be zoned to Eket, to the aspirations of Mr Udom Emmanuel. What a desperately lopsided intellectual aberration? or why has Mr Umana's mental picture of Udom Emmanuel caused him such propensity of frenzy

when there is an army of very qualified, sound, and mentally dexterous governorship aspirants from Eket Senatorial District, all of which surpass Umana in knowledge of contemporary political leadership, so why the jitters over one or two aspirants?

Among Nsima Ekere, Larry Esin, and prof King, which of these would Umana match in terms of pedigree, acceptability, personality, and humility? Apparently none.

These men, unlike Umana Okon Umana are incorrigible, less- controversial, roundly exposed, infallible, honest, truthful, and with no intrinsic disposition to vindictiveness, which Umana Okon Umana represents.

Mmekabasi's venomous outburst is a product of a grand conspiracy centrally coordinated by Umana Okon Umana, with the aim of discrediting Governor Akpabio, as a step to weakening his capacity to produce a successor, but let me end this piece by reechoing the thought provoking warning of Fyodo Dostoyevsky:

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."

Uwemedimoh Umanah
Workplace