Gubernatorial ambition lands Akwa Ibom SSG in trouble

Less than a week after the Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Umana Okon Umana, declared his intention to contest the 2015 gubernatorial election, he and his workers were prevented from entering their offices in Uyo Monday

It was gathered that the state Governor, Chief Godwill Akpabio, had given the SSG a 48-hour ultimatum to resign his appointment or face sack.

It was learnt that the seemingly good relationship between the governor and the SSG deteriorated when the latter rejected an appointment as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) after his name was submitted by the governor to the Presidency.

It was also learnt that the submission of the SSG’s name to NDDC was a tactical and subtle approach to discourage Umana from contesting the 2015 governorship election.

Last week, Umana broke his long silence concerning his aspiration to contest the 2015 governorship position in the state, hinting that his decision to succeed Akpabio was after due consultations with stakeholders across the state.

He declared: I have decided to make public my intention to run for the office of governor of the state in response to the overwhelming pressure from the good people of the three senatorial districts of the state to declare my interest in the race.

'I wish to assure our people that I will run for the office of governor of the state come 2015.'

On why it took him a long time to officially make a pronouncement on the matter, Umana said: 'I had to consult widely on the issue. I was also mindful of the fact that I had a job to perform, which I needed to give my all.

'But as you can see, 2015 is just by the corner and I have to begin the normal consultations, while waiting for the official flag off of campaigns by my party to go into full campaigns'

It was gathered that at the Government House Monday, extra-ordinary security agents were drafted to mount the governor's gate and the office of the SSG.

The development was said to have taken the SSG by surprise as the governor was said to have instructed that nobody should be allowed to remove any document especially from the office of the SSG.

However, the SSG, while reacting to the development said that he was not in the state, and was very shock of what he heard. 'I am not aware; I have not been briefed and I am outside the state, thank you,' he said.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah and the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Anietie Ukpe, could not be reached for comment over the development as their mobile phones were switched off. - Thisday.