By Our reporter
As the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration inches towards the 2023 terminal point, key political appointees in his cabinet are brandishing their political swords and re-strategising for key political positions during the 2023 general elections.
Straightnews found out that the plum job- governorship- is the most eyed position and highly coveted seat among the Peoples Democratic Party class in the state as some members are busy holding clandestine meetings in support of their preferred aspirants, while others are mobilising grassroots for the emergence of their choice during the party’s primaries.
The ding-dong race among the 23-member cabinet for political power has sharply divided the key political appointees along who-becomes-what in the next political dispensation based on the support given by each towards the emergence of a governorship aspirant, Straightnews has learned.
At the moment, it is alleged that a top-notch of Governor Emmanuel’s kitchen cabinet is dangling a political carrot to a governorship aspirant outside the cabinet for him to become a deputy governor to free him from imminent hard tackles of the country’s probing bodies, CCB, ICPC and EFCC.
For instance, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen, the Chief of Staff to the Governor is said to be backing the aspiration of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan representing Akwa Ibom North East in the Nigerian Senate.
‘’He played a major role in the emergence of Governor Emmanuel in 2015. Apart from selling his land near Federal Secretariat and donating to the project, he donated his house as office for ‘Akwa Ibom Transformation Initiative’ along Atiku Abubakar Avenue, Uyo.
Though Obong Bassey Akpan otherwise known as OBA) hails from Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, some sources claim, Akpan, does not have full backing of the governor. This is despite the several boasts in different fora especially in Abuja that Senator Akpan was his leader and he could follow him blindfolded into battle in the period preceding the 2019 general election after the exit of Udom Emmanuel’s benefactor, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio from the PDP. The romance with Senator Akpan seems to have expired.
A close source to the Chief of Staff to the Governor says Inyang-eyen who is alleged to support Senator Akpan popularly known as OBA hails from Onna, the incumbent governor’s home in Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District.
Inyang-eyen is said to be banking hope on grabbing the deputy governorship slot to provide a safety net for him in the event of any purported probe.
Political analysts fear that should this political configuration work out, two tribes- Annangs and Orons- may be struggling for the position of Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly but if they are not smart enough, the Ibibios may still carry the day.
Another cabinet member in Udom’s cabinet is Mr. Akan Okon, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport, who is keen on capturing the juicy vantage position.
From Mbiatok Itam in Itu Local Government Area, Okon is aligning with his family relative, Senator Anietie Okon, who is a PDP kingpin to grab the topmost position.
He is said to have been recommended as Commissioner for Economic Development and Planning during the administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio by Udom Emmanuel then Secretary to the State Government as pay back for a failed transaction while both were in the financial services sector.
Following the exit of Obong Bassey Albert Akpan from the State Executive Council as Commissioner of Finance under Akpabio to pursue elective ambition, Okon was re-assigned to the Ministry of Finance as commissioner by Akpabio.
”He is laying solid claims to have played a king-maker’s role in the emergence of the governor Udom in 2015 election. Okon led a quartet that included Ufot Ekanem Ebong, Elijah Udo-Iyak and Chelly Okoko but derogatorily referred to as “non teaching staff” because of the perception that they were political neophytes.
”Together with Ufot Ebong and other like minds, his group spearheaded Udom’s governorship bid and lobby,’’ an anonymous person told Straightnews.
Emboldened by this political capital, he is working subtly as a submarine to outsmart other aspirants and become next Akwa Ibom governor.
The entrance of Pastor Umo Eno, Commissioner of Lands and Water Resources into the cabinet when placed against the background of the declaration of the Fathers of Faith desiring a godly governor, in addition to the influence of Udom Inoyo, the ex-Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil, his benefactor, makes the situation more volatile.
Upon the varied aspirations of the trio, other members of the cabinet and some PDP juggernauts are sharply divided on who they should support to avoid losing out from the political geometry.
A source confided in Straightnews ”As it stands, the cabinet is facing implosion as the executive members are taking sides with either A or B or C at least, to further their political interest.’’
This, a political analyst reasons, is caused by growing apathy and discontent among the cabinet members and governor’s aides who allegedly complain of being sidelined in the scheme of things.
An anonymous source hinted Straightnews that this is caused mainly by the poor remittances and approvals for finances the governor has given to most of his political appointees and aides, causing many to align and pitch their camps with some ‘internal’ and ‘external’ forces to wreck the ‘ship’ in the political build-up.
However, further investigation clearly shows that the governor who is the main occupant of ‘cockpit’ is also re-strategising to produce a successor come 2023.
Though the governor has been mouthing that God is yet to show him his successor, the truth remains that he is not resting on his oars in ensuring that he does not hand over to the person who falls deficit of his idiosyncratic proclivity.
After the demise of the state PDP Chairman, Udo Sam Ekpenyong, Udom massed up his political machines to produce another state chairman- Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan famously known as Akpan Mkpa – from Ekpenyong’s political and homeland hegemony to sail the political boat to the shore.
Akpan who had served as Ukanafun Local Government Chairman, member of State House of Assembly and state Commissioner of Education, was the Chairman of the late Ekpenyong’s personal political caucus and so is conversant with the thought flow between the Governor and his late leader. This made him a natural choice as successor to the office of State Chairman, PDP.
It appears that the cabinet is facing implosion caused by the ambition of some political appointees and their cohorts. The survival of the cabinet will largely depend on the ability of governor Udom to steer a middle course to set the ship unhindered to its destined end. Certainly in the days ahead, his ability to bring the vessel to a safe berth will be greatly challenged and he may be at his wits end.
First published in hard copy of Straightnews on June 22, 2021
