Udom Is The Real Face Of Change-Akwa Ibom Amalgamated Political Action Committee
A socio-political organization, the Akwa Ibom Amalgamated Political Action Committee (AAPAC) has advised Akwa Ibom people to vote for the PDP Governorship Candidate, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, for the April 11, governorship elections. According to its spokesman, Barrister Andem Andem, Udom Emmanuel represents the real face of change.
“Udom is the real face of change in Akwa Ibom politics. Look at his antecedents, he has been in the corporate world for the most part of his productive life and even when he was appointed the Secretary to the State government, he saw the assignment as a call for service. Udom it must be stated here did not collect salary for the one and half years that he served as the SSG. “the group which is not aligned with the campaign organization had stated.
The group went ahead to celebrate Udom's bi-partisanship credentials. “He knows how to work with people he may not necessarily agree with, to get things done. The banking world is based on collegiality and as the Governor of Akwa Ibom state come May 29th; he will work across the political aisle to continue to develop Akwa Ibom state and improve the welfare of our people. He will work hard to reduce unemployment to its barest minimum; work to empower the youth, provide quality health care, provide stable electricity and bring about industrialization. “
The group went further to say that the good thing is that Nigeria is a 'federation where states have certain degree of autonomy and to change the fortunes of your people you don't necessary have to belong to the party at the center. Look at the achievements of Godswill Akpabio and the Uncommon Transformation; he was able to achieve all that, because of the nature of our federation.
At this time of dwindling oil prices, Akwa Ibom people are exceptionally lucky to have Udom Emmanuel as their next governor because he will apply a deep sense of prudence in the management of the state's resources. He is an upright person with unassailable integrity, a man of Christian forbearance and masculinity, a great family man who constantly desire to raise people's hand up as opposed to handing them handouts.”
The group however decried the apparent gang-up of the Hausa Fulani and the South west geo-political zones against President Jonathan who is from the Niger Delta “The election of General Buhari however, has further illuminated the disparate currents that define the Nigerian electoral process. It has amplified the fault lines and the ascendancy of geography and the searing forces of primordialism over common sense approach to political contestation.
For the first time in our evolving political culture, the majority tribes in two geographical zones, relying on their population and jingoistic instincts electorally conspired to neuter the political potency of the people of the South East and South south geo-political zones. It was the second President of the United States- John Adams who fearing what the adverse effect that the untrammeled forces of the majority could have over those of the minority and conscious of the fact that such resorts, could imperil the young republic's nascent democracy, coined the phrase 'tyranny of the majority' and warned against the majority negating the electoral rights and advancement of the minority.
The French political scientist, Alexis De Tocqueville in his seminal work “Democracy in America” also wrote extensively on the ill -effects of the ascendancy of the majority over the minority. This reasoning has since defined the American political and electoral culture, and those smaller and population-challenged states that otherwise would have been trampled upon and swallowed by the electoral leviathan of the states like California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania have had their rights and advancements protected.
If cooler heads did not prevail and the right judgment call made, the two coasts: East and West, and the Midwestern region with huge populations could have permanently conspired to shut out smaller states in the Deep south and South west or Bible Belt, and the democracy we have come to celebrate today and the system it has thrown up- the Presidential which we have copied, could have long been threatened and possibly replaced with another system of government. The Nigerian experience as seen in the just concluded election raises a lot of concerns and troubling angles and thoughts.
The people of South East and South South have pledged their fidelity to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and are ready to continue to bring about the dividends of democracy and the appropriation of the ethos of the common good through this platform. Our people will resist the gang-up of the majority who are only interested in stealing and appropriating our common wealth. We must speak with one voice, and continue to solve our common problem within the platform of the PDP.
It is disconcerting and alarming to see this blatant gang-up against the people of the South East and South south. Is our region only good for the pillaging of our resources but not good enough to be entrusted with political power? Every other president from the second public ran and won a second term without the majority ganging up against them; why is the Jonathan case different?
Our people must rise up, and lead a protest vote against the tyranny of the majority. We must show anger at the gubernatorial elections coming up in April 11, and tell them that we will not allow our rights and future to be circumscribed by the forces of the majority. If it didn't happen in the United States, it should not happen here. As the gubernatorial elections is coming up, show them that you say' no' to politics of gang-up.
Show them that our votes count and we will fight to ensure that our votes count. Show them that their trick of using both the manual and card reader for accreditation which gave them large votes cast as opposed to the South East and South south that followed the laid down rules of using card readers and only got to know that manual accreditation was allowed, very late in the day, will not stand, come April 11.
Register your anger against political gang-up. What happened to President Jonathan may happen to our children, the marginalization must stop and Udom Emmanuel's election on April 11 will send a powerful statement to those who wish to return us to the days of slavery and as houseboys and gate men to those who think they own this country. The good people of Akwa Ibom state will not let this happen. Tinubu and his northern cohorts want to appropriate our commonwealth and we will resist them with our votes, the group had stated.