There are only two reasons the APC Governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom wants to be Governor: First, he is angry that his friend and former Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio withdrew his support for him on this inglorious quest to become Governor. The second reason is that the APC man intends to prove to Akpabio that he can still be Governor, with or without his support. These two reasons have been the motivating force behind Obong Umana's drive to clinch the top job. Like a blindfolded man, helpless, the APC candidate has laid hands on anything, emphasis on anything that will aid him ventilate his anger against his former boss and friend.
On this road to political Golgotha, the APC candidate has found new friendship in a gang of political buccaneers and strangers whose main aim is to capture Akwa Ibom State, an oil rich state and relegate it to the status of a bank save for a few itchy fingers. Other than demonize Akpabio and oiling a propaganda syndicate to attack the policies and personality of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the APC man has not advanced cogent plans or blueprints for the state. It is glaring that the career civil servant is on an all time low on ideas.
The only concrete promise that the APC in Akwa Ibom have made to the people is to retrieve all funds allegedly looted from the state treasury in the past eight and a half years. Plus the other matter of paying students 50, 000 naira bursary. These are fake promises as absolutely nothing indicates that it will be fulfilled. What will Umana be probing when he spent no fewer than seven years in that administration as a key player. Who will he probe when ex commissioners in that regime are his key supporters? On the payment of bursary to students to the tune of 50,000 naira, everyone is aware of the state of the economy, oil prices and foreign exchange. Problems are not solved by throwing money at such problems. Never.
Not much can be expected from the APC candidate. He is a fine administrator, you can't take that away from him but he is quite alien to taking responsibilities. All his life, he has always been "directed to" , so when he becomes Governor, who will direct him?
The good news is that the inordinate lust to conquer Akwa Ibom state by the APC has been stymied by the unconquerable response by the Akwa Ibom people. The people have sent a strong signal to the imperialist forces colluding with local rebels that Akwa Ibom state is not for sale. Everything the APC touches becomes inconclusive. Even the very campaign promises of the party has been severally denied, one of the first of its kind in modern democracy.
In case the party has forgotten, a rehearse would help. The APC promised that as soon as they get into power, they will ban all government officials from seeking medical care abroad, they will be the Implementation of the National Gender Policy, including 35% of appointive positions for women. Other promises include; revival of Ajaokuta steel company, generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years, empowerment scheme to employ 740,000 graduates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, establishment of a free-tuition and scholarship scheme for pupils who have shown exceptional aptitude in science subjects at O/Levels to study ICT-related courses, 720,000 jobs by the 36 states in the federation per annum (20,000 per state), three million Jobs per year. The APC unequivocally said they will embark on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skills acquisition schemes for graduates along with the creation of a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019, Churches and Mosques would not pay taxes under national laws, but if they engage in businesses, the businesses would pay tax, provision of allowances to the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for Twelve (12) months while in the skills and entrepreneurial development programme,aking our economy one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
In another instance, the APC promised 10-12% annual GDP growth], creation of a Social Welfare Programme of at least Five Thousand Naira (N5000) that will cater for the 25 million poorest and most vulnerable citizens upon the demonstration of children’s enrollment in school and evidence of immunisation to help promote family stability, recruitment and training of at least 100,000 officers into the Nigerian police force and establish a Federal anti-terrorism agency.
Then, we cannot forget one free meal (to include fruits) daily, for public primary school pupils, building an airport in Ekiti state, eradication of state of origin, replacing that with state of residence to ensure Nigerians are Nigerians first, before anything else and so much more. These litany of promises tricked Nigerians into the one chance called APC.
The APC is clearly a promise all, do nothing party. The Akwa Ibom case is even more pathetic. The party is hoping to have a re-run pending the decision of the supreme court. Even in the face of pressure, they have made no concrete promise they can be held accountable to.
This is nothing to compare to what the PDP is doing in Akwa Ibom state. Governor Udom Emmanuel marshalled out his five point plan of Wealth Creation, Economic and Political Inclusion, Poverty Alleviation, Infrastructural Consolidation and Expansion and Job Creation. He is tirelessly working round the clock to deliver his promises. The results are there to see. It is clear that Akwa Ibom people have not bought this propaganda, so, this unholy ambition by the APC to "capture" Akwa Ibom State is inconclusive.
SOURCE:FINBARR
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