By Barr Francis Effanga
Professor Ekanem, in the main, you acquitted Thomas Thomas’ article: “THERE CAN NEVER BE POLITICS WITHOUT HISTORY”, in positive and factual light; but flawed it on the grounds of what you claimed was “a fundamental fact”, “which appears to be missing”.
This ‘fundamental’ and ‘missing’ fact, you noted, was that: “the single event of March 22, 2011, cannot constitute the history of a people”; and that “Akwa Ibom State politics cannot begin and end with March 22, 2011; as well as with Distinguished Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.”
Your definition of history as: “an aggregate of events”, is not in error; but will constitute an erroneous definition if it fails to accommodate the events of March, 22, 2011; because that single event, with its historical precedents and antecedents, constitutes a historical aspect of the political development of Akwa Ibom State. In that context, Thomas Thomas’ claim was correct.
The fact also, that Senator John James Akpanudoedehe played a frontline, if not leading role in the event, makes him relevant in the discussion of the politics of Akwa Ibom State; especially as it involves an event worthy of reflection, study and lessons; to guard against its repetition; especially considering the fact that the players then, are basically the same players on today’s turf. So, the event of March 22, 2011, is a significant part of the history of Akwa Ibom State.
Prof, History lacks a precise definition; and so the dictionary definition you advanced constitutes one of many others, when compared to the definitions of History advanced by the likes of: Aristotle; Reniev; E.H. Carr; Robinson; Burckhardt; Carlyle; H.G. Wells; Miller; Marc Bloch; Sigmund Freud; Jones; Henry Johnson; Pandit Nehru; Dr Radhakrishnan; Rapson; etc. In making a case for the preservation of factual accounts of incidents, George Santayana said: “One brief event can take on thousands of meanings, when all sorts of people impose their own variations of the truth upon it”.
This seems to accommodate (and rightly too), the fact that the definition of History as an aggregate of events; or a series of past events; may not necessarily suffice; as a single non-historical event or past reality, may turn out to be recorded as history.
When Lee Harvey Oswald woke up on the morning of November 22, 1963, it was no history; but when he assassinated the President of the United States (John F Kennedy) on that same day, Oswald entered the history books because his single act had a profound effect on a people and the world.
Before Barrack Obama won the US Presidency, he was just a Presidential candidate; but when he was elected, he made history as the first black President.
When Nigeria won the Olympic football Gold in Atlanta 1996, it made history as the first African country to achieve the feat; and when Judas Iscariot was born, it made no news, but when he betrayed Jesus Christ he etched his name in the history books for posterity. On this score again, Thomas Thomas was right.
In your write-up, you traced the historical antecedents of the March 22, 2011, incident. You identified the architect as the former Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio; who you claimed deployed every unwholesome tactic to suppress opposition against his re-election in 2011.
You however chose to overlook the fact that the former Governor did not act alone, but in concert (overtly or covertly), with several others, including those you chose to embellish with favourable sentiments; while calling for their acceptance and integration among those who fought against the tyranny of Chief Akpabio.
Prof, your defence of these people, does not take cognizance of social justice, fairness, equity, and good conscience; and is therefore defective.
When you claimed that there was “total unity and agreement of Akwa Ibom people against Chief Godswill Akpabio’s selfish plot to foist himself on the people of the State”, you did not make a statement of fact, because the G22 led by Obong Nsima Ekere, was a coalition, which sought political relevance in the main, and not to “save the State”, as you claimed.
If one of the G22 had been picked as a successor to Chief Godswill Akpabio, none of the G22 would have decamped to the APC.
They never believed in the APC in the first place; which was why Obong Nsima Ekere, even when offered a chance to run on the APC platform, declined.
Their main grouse which led to their quitting the PDP was that the former Governor (Chief Akpabio) chose a ‘greenhorn’ to succeed him; and not one of them (his lieutenants).
Even as a group of 22 disgruntled politicians, as you observed, Chief Akpabio further blocked their access to the-then President, for 40 days.
So, these people were not really out to “fight Akpabio to save Akwa Ibom State” as you claimed; and were not really in opposition to Akpabio, and all the evil that occurred under his watch; but to his choice of Udom Emmanuel as his successor.
The fact that today, almost all of the G22 are seeking a platform in the same APC they sought to destroy, clearly proves that their foray into the APC is more opportunistic than ideological.
They have also clearly advertised this self-seeking and self-serving penchant today, by positioning themselves to benefit from all the perks; from contracts, to appointments, to empowerment, and even financial support, to the exclusion of original members of the APC who sowed the seeds of the emergence of the Party; and its sustenance, with their blood, sweat, and tears.
When you claimed that Obong Nsima Ekere and Obong Umana Umana played pivotal roles in the 2015 struggle to free Akwa Ibom State from the bondage of one man and his family, you sentenced the truth to exile.
How could you issue such a claim, knowing fully-well that these people and all the other PDP recent decampees had no history of opposition to Akpabio or the PDP even during the 2015 Presidential Elections? Did Obong Nsima Ekere not only leave the PDP after President Muhammadu Buhari won the elections; and his (Ekere’s) mentor (Chief Rotimi Amaechi) was pencilled down for a Ministerial appointment? Did Obong Umana Umana not also leave only when he was denied the PDP ticket and needed a platform to run for the Governorship? But then, Senator Akpanudoedehe on the other hand, commenced the struggle since decamping in 2009 from the PDP and the rest of the Akpabio camp; and played that pivotal opposition role from then to the present.
He saw the rot in the system early, and promptly spoke up against it; even if it meant falling out of favour with the Akpabios’and the ruling PDP.
So be honest by telling Akwa Ibom people that your duo are political opportunists who are in the APC to exploit it for their personal benefit, or ruin it; and have no iota of love for it.
Tell Akwa Ibom people the truth that the PDP family is still intact; and that there will really never be any rift between Obong Godswill Akpabio, Obong Umana Umana, and Obong Nsima Ekere. They are still and will always be one.
Your description of Senator John James Akpanudoedehe as a “one time friend of Akpabio”, who served as his Campaign Manager; and a backbone of his emergence, who was in turn rewarded with nomination to the post of Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic is true; and was based on an agreement both men had.
But then, as you said: “Akpabio started off well”; and everyone believed he would continue that way including (Senator Akpanudoedehe).
But as soon as Akpabio derailed, Senator Akpanudoedehe stood up to point this out, which none of the others did.
This was barely two years into his stewardship as against your three year claim, because kidnapping and other weighty crimes Senator Akpanudoedehe protested about, began as early as 2009. Now, if Akpabio began well as you said, and had massive public appeal, these ought to have encouraged him, and not corrupted him.
Why didn’t those who Senator Akpanudoedehe left behind with Akpabio in the PDP, advice Akpabio against the same ills Senator Akpanudoedehe did?
Senator Akpanudoedehe stands apart from any other opposition politician in Akwa Ibom State, because he initiated the struggle against the PDP misrule from as early as 2009, under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
You failed to observe this in your write up; and the fact that he took on near insurmountable odds, and the highest levels of political manipulation.
He confronted the Akpabio government which principal actors included all of the G22; subsequent decampees from the PDP; and the 31 Local Government Council Chairmen; 329 Ward Councillors; 13 Members of the National Assembly; the-then Deputy Governor; Commissioners of choice Ministries; the SSG; and the Head of Civil Service; (all of who you described as “hand-picked”); and even the President (who you mentioned as having been on his (Akpabio’s) side.
He did not elect to face such odds because of ambition, but because the people saw him as the only person that was bold enough to challenge and deliver them from the tyranny of Akpabio’s government.
The challenge invoked a crucible of fire for Senator Akpanudoedehe; from being framed for high-level crimes; arrested; incarcerated; tortured; and tried. He suffered a painful ordeal at the hands of the administration complete with all its “handpicked” officials; and none of them spoke up about all of the ills.
The masses groaned; and so did Senator Akpanudoedehe; and so, on this account, there is no basis for comparing Senator Akpanudoedehe with any other so-called opposition politician in Akwa Ibom State.
Anybody would find it unconscionable; unjust; unfair; immoral; and ungodly, for a privileged man who once despised his less-privileged neighbour and contributed to the latter’s woes, to be evicted from his luxury accommodation, only for him to invade his less-privileged neighbour’s home, and attempt to evict him and his household. No court of good conscience, or equity, would approve of this.
No, this does not mean that Senator Akpanudoedehe owns the APC; and he has never laid claim to this; but it means that he and the original and founding members of the APC in the State are worthy of consideration and compensation for the lives they lost; their shattered hopes, dreams, and futures; as well as all the cost of their sacrifice to establish, nurture, and sustain the opposition APC in the State, against the schemes and devices of the invaders.
The fact that Senator Akpanudoedehe’s opposition Party has today ousted the incumbent PDP at the centre, qualifies Senator Akpanudoedehe and original members of the APC in Akwa Ibom State to reap from their investments in the Party.
Much as PDP decampees may be welcome to the APC, they ought to respect the structures they met on ground. They need to note that Senator Akpanudoedehe was in the race for the Governorship elections; and that they had no moral right to employ their do-or-die tactics to hijack the structure of the Party, and pull strings to throw him out of the race, for one of theirs to take his place.
Senator Akpanudoedehe’s contributions to the Party, entitle him to certain rights in his Party; as well as to consideration, and consultation on affairs within his Party.
Only a man with a soul as black as sin would attempt to deny Senator Akpanudoedehe this privilege.
One important aspect you again failed to note is the fact that for all the calamities that were perpetrated against the ACN, the APC, other opposition political Parties, and the people of Akwa Ibom State, by a PDP administration which housed all the decampee PDP politicians, not as much as an apology has been offered till date; not to talk of compensation; redress; or even regrets. It is instead the same ‘Garrison Tactics’ of Impunity that has been imported into the APC. Truly, leopards never change their spots.
While it would be improper to advocate for a total damnation of Akpabio, the truth must be told that he (Akpabio) got a lot more wrong, than he got right; and his lieutenants (including you Prof), were silent all the while.
You served under Akpabio during his first term as a Commissioner and a member of the State Executive Council; and it is not out of place to suggest that if he (Akpabio) had chosen to keep you for all of eight years through his two terms, you may have been a member of what may have been the G23.
If as is widely alleged, you indeed resigned your appointment in the University and sought to contest for the House of Representatives, and felt cheated out of your bid after you lost out to Hon Kenneth Archibong, then an argument that you only turned against Akpabio after you were disappointed, stands on solid legs; and in that context, your ties with the G22 and other decampees is understandable.
You prescribed the way forward for Akwa Ibom State, when you urged the people to “take back the State and place themselves in a firm position to democratically determine who leads them; who represents them; where; and when”.
Prof, this is the message Senator John James Akpanudoedehe has preached since 2009; and for which he has been antagonized b y the same people whose images you are now attempting to launder.
I also agree with you that the “artificial divisive tendencies” and “unconstitutional demarcation barriers” you enumerated, are unhealthy; but then, these barriers were raised by the PDP against the opposition; and so for the opposition to recoil in horror at the influx of these same people into their Party, is a natural reactionary instinct.
But then you also said: “Everything possible should however be done to assuage the feelings of persons who have suffered hurt”.
This means the onus lies on the injurer to appease the injured; and this is a message you should preach to the injurers; because their actions against Senator Akpanuedoedehe, the ACN, the APC, members of other opposition Parties, and the people of the State in general, did not just amount to political genocide against the opposition; but also against democracy. Prof, let us face the truth.
Senator Akpanudoedehe has never been the aggressor; but has been the victim of the wicked schemes of the PDP, and the recent PDP decampees to the APC.
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