A mob is not an organized crowd but it’s certainly a large crowd of people. Part of the characteristics of a mob is noise pollution and sometimes violence. Social psychology does offer relevant explanations for group or mob mentality and violence. When people are part of a group, they often experience deindividuation, or a loss of self-awareness. When people deindividuate, they are less likely to follow normal restraints and inhibitions and more likely to lose their sense of individual identity. APC Akwa Ibom is beginning to need a close watch.
At the national level and in some states APC is a well coordinated party. But in Akwa Ibom and most none APC states they are yet to put up structures that define a political party. Certain situations also play a role, such as when resources are scarce. AK APC has always been funded by a sole person each time. It is always whoever hopes to use the platform for election purposes would provide some funds which has always proven to be so inadequate that all it does is to generate a sense of emotional excitement resulting from dissatisfaction which can lead to the provocation of behaviors and sometimes leading members to find vents in provocative actions against other parties especially the state governor. So when you read all those useless stories against the state government you just know a member the mob maybe venting his/her frustration.
In 2015 about 89,000 people voted APC. This was a large number for a party that only just started in the state. Since then APC has done little to coordinate these supporters and build structures from that base. After the Appeal Court Ruling over 50% of this number invaded Uyo Airport while a part haphazardly lined up the roadway to receive the then APC Candidate. That was ample opportunity to talk to these people and kickstart solidification. Rather that opportunity was wasted on noise about Sen Akpabio. So loud was the noise level that some PDP members who perhaps due to their personal ineptitude were left behind by the Akpabio era woke-up suddenly and moved towards the direction of the noise. Some called it defections but it wasn’t, it was noise attraction.
The Uyo Township Stadium seems to me between 10,000 to 20,000 capacity. This November the APC mob invaded the stadium filling every available space. Another opportunity to form them into manageable clusters was missed rather what we hear is loud noise coming from some disaggregated quarters that the state government was in panic - over what? Over a mob?
As far as Akwa Ibom is concerned, PDP through Gov Udom Emmanuel is with the ball. I know his style of play - it’s all about creating space and moving into space with an incredible ball retention skill and maneuverability. If APC is prepared for a challenge come 2019, they have to strengthen their defense (opposition to discuss issues and not childish sentiments). I feel so ashamed to read materials upon materials about how the crowd at Uyo Township Stadium panicked the state governor. Is that the kind of issue based opposition that would unseat a performing incumbent?
Any team that everyone is an attack dog is a porous team. The defenders primary job is to deny penetration. The defender does this by preventing the attacker from either passing forward, dribbling toward the goal or shooting.
This is achieved through pressure and positioning. It's not enough to know what to do, if you aren't in position to do it.
Politics is like football, watch your back. On 20 September 2014, Moritz Stoppelkamp scored a goal from 82 metres in a 2-0 victory against former club Hannover creating a record in Bundesliga history because all Hannover’s players including the goal keeper went for attack.
Gov Udom Emmanuel scored such long range goal recently and as we speak APC is not even aware that they are already one goal down for 2019 while we are still in 2017. For while APC was busy with wishy-washy sentimentalism they allowed Gov Udom enough space to score From 82 meters by slotting in an opposition killer item in the 2018 budget unchallenged. A whooping N356billion being 82% of sectoral allocations was allocated to economic sector. By the time the budget is passed and implementation commences the government’s industrialization and wealth creation programs would be so palpable that any adverse comments by opposition during campaigns would elicit stoning from the masses. There would be consolidation of infrastructure (especially the ones that directly affects the economy), empowerment, education and strengthening of poverty alleviation programs etc. What would APC as opposition party use to compete with such a budgetary masterpiece? By the way this sectoral allocation alone seemed larger than NDDC budget which covers the 9 participating states. See what I mean? Such a long range goal just a second after kickoff!!
PDP 1: APC Nil match yet to fully commence.
James Abang R828
Atte-Okiuso Village, C/O Oyubia PA,
Urueoffong/Oruko LGA
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