Udom Emmanuel a gift to Akwa Ibom – James

Bassey James was a member of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Committee. He is also the Chancellor, Akpabio Centre for Leadership and founder, Southern Youths Development Forum. In this interview with select journalists, he speaks on a wide range of issues, particularly the transition in Akwa Ibom State from Chief Godswill Akpabio to Governor Udom Emmanuel. James said that Governor Emmanuel is the right man for the job, while Akpabio is one of the hopes of Nigeria in the Senate. Excerpts:

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has handed over the mantle of state’s leadership to his successor, Governor Udom Emmanuel.  Now, the new governor is expected to continue from where Akpabio stopped, and knowing him the way you do, a former SSG, do you think he has the prerequisite qualities to follow the footsteps of Akpabio?

I think it is a very wonderful question because the emergence of Governor Akpabio in 2007 was by the will of the people and by the support of God. He came on board and performed wonderfully well. The people of Akwa Ibom State are very happy, and sometimes they feel sad that he is leaving because there is no provision in the Constitution for third term. If that was possible, Akwa Ibom people would have given him third term to run for the office of governor.

Akwa Ibom State people are praying for him to continue the good work in the Senate.

I think for us in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godswill Akpabio is not just going to be a senator for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district where he comes from, he is going to be a senator for the whole of Akwa Ibom State, and he is going to be a senator for the South-South. He is the eyes of the South-South in the Senate. He is one of the hopes of Nigerians in the Senate.  He is going to be one of the major power brokers and strategists in the Senate.

Now, talking about the emergence of the present governor, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, he is what some of us in Akpabiosm family call plus… You know the shoe of Senator Akpabio became very large and Udom Emmanuel having being a major player in the banking industry has learnt so much about the politics of banking, the politics of the economy, strategic movement, re-engineering, human management, capacity building, intelligence set-up, profit making and all the good things you can see in entrepreneurial ability that qualifies to be a governor is in him.

So, when he came in as the Secretary to the State Government, we knew that this kind of product cannot just come and go. People started running around and praying that may this man contest this election. And to God be the glory, he came in for election, won the primaries overwhelming and went ahead to contest election and he won.

So, from Akpabiosm point of view, we are praying that Udom Emmanuel will do more of human capacity development, because he is not going to build most of the roads. He is not going to build the Government House or Independent Power Station and all that. As a banker, I foresee his energy being put together for development of our people and creating new strength and energy to pump the economy of our state. Akwa Ibom is very strategic in Nigeria today, not just in Nigeria, in Africa.

In the course of his campaigns and even in his inaugural speech, what programmes did Governor Emmanuel highlight that he will focus on within the next four years?

I think he talked more on development. Like I was trying to say, he talked most on human capacity development. He talked more on re-engineering and reconstructing the state. Akwa Ibom is a big place with great people. All you need to do is to have a very strong driver, the vehicle is there. It is fuelled, serviced out. We need a driver that will take us round the state and Udom Emmanuel is a very strong driver. He is the right man for the job. I can assure Nigerians that in less than one year, Emmanuel will give most of the states a very good run for their money. He has just set up a technical committee on Ibaka seaport.  Ibaka seaport taking off will be a major plus for Akwa Ibom State. We believe that our brothers from Rivers, Calabar, Imo, Abia, Onitsha and Bayelsa will use our port because Akwa Ibom State is wonderfully located in a coastal area.

The Peoples Democratic Party lost the governorship election in many states of the federation during the last elections, but they won mainly in states where the zoning pattern was successful like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Abia etc. How did zoning help the party in view of its waning popularity?

The zoning system is justice. The zoning system represents equity. The zoning system is fairness. The zoning system is unity… It is nature itself speaking because if a father has three children and he has wealth to share, if he gives all his wealth to the first son, the two other children will cry. If he shares his wealth to two of his children, the other child no matter how small will also go demanding for his own right. But a good father will share his wealth accordingly and watch his children grow. So, if people feel that they have the majority to oppress the minority, there is also bound to be same for instance, the minority crying for justice. If you look at Delta, look at other areas people wanted change and justice, change and equity. So, all these are the things that worked in favour of the PDP.

Let me go back to Akwa Ibom State. If you look at Akwa Ibom State again, you will discover that just like all the states in Nigeria, we have three senatorial districts. Uyo which is the capital produced Obong Victor Attah in 1999. He ruled for eight years and there was no obstruction. Chief Godswill Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District ruled from 2007 to 2015. There was no obstruction. The natural thing based on justice and equity which has taken place now is for power to go to Eket. And Eket people, Eket youths, Eket leaders in collaboration with Akwa Ibom leaders agreed, because it started from Obong Victor Attah who wanted power to shift to Ikot Ekpene and the whole people said, yes, power must shift to Ikot Ekpene. Afterwards, power also shifted to Eket. Unfortunately Eket is the basket that carries the wealth of the state and the wealth of Nigeria. The natural thing that must happen is that Eket must produce the governor. And Eket has produced the governor. I think our brothers from Uyo and Ikot Ekpene should also wait because power is coming back to Uyo. That is how it should be.

Today, we have a northern candidate as the present, General Buhari. Jonathan has just ruled. People should not create problems where there are no problems. We want to make sure that the governor that emerges from Eket, like Akpabio developed Akwa Ibom, will also develop the entire state.

Apart from having worked with Akpabio at cabinet level, what is it about Udom Emmanuel that gave him an advantage over the other candidates?

No two human beings can be the same. The other candidates were also qualified, we know them. You know they are our brothers. Udom Emmanuel is a banker and he has been part of the success story of Zenith Bank. And coming into governance, he is bringing in the experience of human management; he is bringing in the experience of profit, and transformational strategic policies and programmes. He is bringing in so many things into bear in running the state.

For us, Udom Emmanuel is a gift. But he can’t work alone. No tree can make a forest. So, the people of Akwa Ibom State must rally round him. We are going round the world. We are talking to people. In fact, in the next two months we must have a programme, what I call a repeat of the economic conference where we are going to bring more than 10, 000 youths or more to house them for one or two days, so that he can also come and talk to them.

For me, I think that he should be given the chance.Every Akwa Ibom person, every Nigerian should either pray for him or bring in something. Indonesia revolution came through one man. But he had many supporters. You can’t do it alone. So, we are praying for him. We are working. We are reaching out to people. And I can assure you that in the next few weeks Akpabiosm family is already doing a lot to make sure that we establish the confidence in our people to come back and support the government. I have had meetings with some of our people in the last three weeks in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Nasarawa and other places. What is the message? Come back Akwa Ibom State is peaceful. Come back, there is development in Akwa Ibom State. Come back and do greater things. Some of them have already promised to come back.