There appears to be a schism in Akwa Ibom State political powerhouse owing to poor handling of the political machinery by Governor Udom Emmanuel’s lieutenants after the February 23 and March 9 general elections, leading to the emergence of supposed New Abuja Front.
The Front allegedly spearheaded by Onofiok Luke, the speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, is rooting support for the emergence of Femi Gbajabiamila, a lawyer and a fifth term APC member representing Surulere 1 in the House, as the new speaker in the 9th House of Representatives.
Recall that on Thursday, May 2, Luke was the spokesman for the new 178 members-elect of House of Representatives who addressed a press conference in Abuja, and pledged support for emergence of Gbajabiamila who needs 181 members to win the race.
Luke said: “I am the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State and here with me are newly-elected members of the House of Representatives, and this is a conglomeration of people of different parties.
“I am of the PDP. We have members of the APC here. We have members of APGA, we have people from AA, we have people from ACP and we have people from ADC. It’s a multi-party arrangement.
“We decided to convene ourselves as newly-elected members of the House of Representatives to look at the emergence of the next leadership of the 9th Assembly and in doing so, we looked through the antecedents and credentials of those who are aspiring to lead the National Assembly.
“We acknowledge the fact that this country today, with the challenges that we have, that we need a bipartisan approach to solve the problem of Nigeria.”
“We have resolved today, to have come from our different states, from our different constituencies, and we have found as newly-elected members, having looked through the credentials and the CV; we have found Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as a man who has the capacity to lead the 9th National Assembly as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“We know that he is not going to let Nigerians down and we know and believe that he is not going to let us down and we know and believe that he is not going to let God down,” he concluded.
During the administrations of the late Akpan Isemin and Victor Attah, Home and Abuja Fronts were visible. However, Godswill Akpabio’s administration whittled down the imposing influence of Abuja Front.
A member-elect of House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State who spoke to Straightnews in confidence said “After the general elections, we expected Governor Emmanuel to play a figure role in the political scene of the state at least in inviting the new and old elected members of the House to be inaugurated in June 2019 for a meeting to giving us a direction in the mainstream politics.
“Unfortunately, after the elections we put calls to the governor and he never responded to any of our calls. He went into political shell without bringing out his proboscis. The next option was for us- the new members- to take the destiny in our hands and go for a broke in order to assert our relevance in the national politics.”
According to him, “The governor is fond of behaving like this. During the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Port Harcourt last year, he did not openly throw his support to any presidential aspirants neither did he ask us to vote for a particular aspirant. We later learnt that he joined Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in secretly supporting Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal for PDP presidential race. As sheep without a shepherd, most of us- the delegates- massively voted for Alhaji Abubakar Atiku who eventually emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.”
He stated “Based on this sad experience, six of us- Aniekan Umanah representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency; Nsikak Ekong for Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara; Unyime Idem, Ukanafun/Oruk Anam; Patrick Ifon, Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno; Onofiok Luke, Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium and Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo Effiong, Ikono/Ini- decided to join force with the group of a viable speakership aspirant to avoid being left out in the scheme of things in the National Assembly.”
“We were duly invited for a meeting in Abuja to adopt a speaker to-be. We consulted with ourselves and decided to leave for the meeting. On our arrival in Abuja, Gbajabiamila’s Group gave us techno smartphones and provided us with hotel accommodation.
“Anyway, it was not an inducement but it was camaraderie; it was about us stamping our feet in the national politics so that we can benefit from the various committees in the House to be shared among those who supported the speaker,” the member-elect confided in Straightnews.
He pointed out that “Atiku Abubakar’s Group was not happy with the development in the state politics as the governor has created schism in the party which is reverberating at the national politics leading the members-elect to join All Progressives Congress, APC, to elect a new leader.”
“The group wants to send representatives to broker peace between Onofiok Luke and the governor so that we can form a formidable front both at home and in Abuja. Where this is not done, we are already all out to fashion our way out to be relevant in the national politics. Not long, positions in key committees would be shared and if from the beginning we are left out in the scheme of things, then we will play a second fiddle. God forbid!” the member-elect said.
However, Kufre Okon, press secretary to the speaker, has dismissed the story as untrue especially the emergence of New Abuja Front in the state.
Okon said Luke was already known to some of the members-elect. Right from the time he was Speaker, Youth Parliament, he was known to them and that was the reason they mandated him to address the journalists on the adoption of Gbajabiamila as the new speaker of the House.
Meanwhile, the fate of the four Akwa Ibom returning members of House of Representatives is hanging on the balance as they are yet to openly pitch camp with any of the aspirants gunning for the office of speaker in the House of Representatives.
The members are Michael Enyong representing Ibesikpo-Asutan/Nsit Atai/Uruan/Uyo Federal Constituency; Dr. Henry Archibong, Itu/Ibiono Ibom; Nse Ekpenyong, Oron/Okobo/Mbo/Udung Uko/Urue Offong-Oruko and Charles Uduyok, Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo/Mkpat Enin.
An anonymous source told Straightnews that “the influence of the members-elect may overshadow that of the ranking members who appear not to be visible in the House plenary including the various committees they belong.”
“Since the inauguration of the House in June 2015, have you heard any of them sponsoring motions or bills? I can assure you that some of the members-elect will sponsor bills in the House. If the ranking members do not support now a winner, they may not be given a pride of place. Oh, they think as ranking members, they will be given juicy committees to head. Is this applicable in all cases? I do not think so,” the source doubted.
Efforts by Straightnews to speak to one of the ranking members proved abortive.
Political analysts opine that since the 10 members from Akwa Ibom emerged from PDP, an opposition party in the House, they should find a bearing and become a formidable force in the House to be able to share power with the ruling APC in a bid to attract dividends of democracy to the state.
Analysts reason that Akwa Ibom State political house is experiencing some cracks as some political guns and gladiators have started sharpening their knives for a dog-fight preparatory for the 2023 governorship race zoned to Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District. Since the political cold war has subtly begun, then Akwa Ibom development may sit on a precipice as the expected fight could excoriate the electorates.
