- Says my aspiration on course
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The choice of candidate to take over from Governor Udom Emmanuel at the Akwa Ibom State Government House in 2023 is already threatening to tear apart the once peaceful Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family in the state.
Clearly at the centre of the brewing political showdown in the South-South state is the former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Barrister Onofiok Luke who is insisting that the governor cannot selfishly truncate his governorship aspiration by anointing a candidate for the ruling party in the State.
The man, described by the local media as a “stubborn lawmaker” during his time at the State House of Assembly for engaging in a career-threatening row with some state officials on certain obnoxious policies in the state, said it is wrong to create an unleveled playing field for those seeking to serve the Akwa Ibom people as their next governor.
For now, Luke, a former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, is disconcerted by Governor Emmanuel’s decision to name the State Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Umo Eno as his preferred successor at a stakeholders’ meeting.
In the circumstance, an agitated Luke, who is one of the gubernatorial aspirants, said there is no backing down on all fronts, and his determination to vie for the State number one seat remains unwavering.
Consequently, the 44-year-old lawmaker said; “My supporters and those sympathetic to my cause should please note that we are as resolute as ever in our desire to give our people purposeful leadership in the office of the Governor come 2023.
“God’s Amazing Grace has always seen us through and will always see us through. I am not against the choice of the Governor coming from my local government, the Federal Constituency, or the aspiration of my brother.”
The National Assembly member, however, said; “as a fellow aspirant from the same local government at the same advantage when successful, my aspiration to serve the state in the capacity of the Governor remains on course.”
But reacting to the latest development, the Chairman of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Akwa Ibom, Mr Harry Udoh said though Governor Emmanuel has the right to support anyone as his successor in 2023, endorsing one aspirant cannot foreclose the chances of others competing at the party’s primaries and general elections.
According to him; “That’s the governor’s choice and it is within his remit to support whoever he wants and that’s not the choice of Akwa Ibom people. There’s still the primary election to be won and theirs still the general election to be won.
“Anybody can choose anybody, it is left for the people to decide, I think that’s what democracy is all about. The Governor can go ahead and dream the dreams he wants and see visions he wants but that is not the dream and vision of the people.
“The people have to decide at the end of who should be Governor. We can’t argue with the governor, I have my dreams and visions too likewise every other person.”
