By Aniete Usen
He has earned a political track record that is second to none in the land. He rose steadily like the morning sun, quietly and gently from the dews of politics and shone so brightly by daybreak there was no hiding place for this golden fish.
He was a councillor, local government chairman, member state house of assembly, deputy speaker, commissioner of justice cum attorney general of Akwa Ibom State, and senator of the federal Republic of Nigeria for two terms.
All that was left for Senator Effiong Bob was to contest for the governorship elections come 2023 and win. He had told all his friends he was all out for it. He told me so, as his friend and next door neighbour. He said to me, “My brother, I have spent 20 years preparing for this election and I will win this election”.
But on Sunday night, three weeks ago, precisely on January 30, 2023, Governor Udom Emmanuel sent for him along with all key political, traditional, and religious stakeholders in the State. At the meeting, Senator Bob was curiously asked to pray the opening prayers, in spite of the fact that all the lords, spiritual and temporal, were fully on ground in their full regalia and paraphernalia. He was handed the microphone. He prayed and asked God for guidance in the meeting and peace in the land.
Governor Udom took over the microphone and announced a single, undisclosed agenda. For months, Governor Udom had been under intense pressure to indicate his preferred successor in 2023. All governorship aspirants turned the government house into their Mecca for pilgrimages, visiting and praying to wIn the endorsement of the governor.
His cabinet alone had not less than half a dozen governorship aspirants, not to talk of the National Assembly and the oil and gas industry. Who will Governor Udom prefer, endorse and anoint? All of them were well qualified, they were his friends or claimed to be. Tongues were wagging and pundits betted for months wishing a clear direction would come from the Hilltop Mansion to calm some nerves.
But Governor Udom proved himself a master of the game. He kept his plans very close to his chest. Even his closest, personal friends of many years swore he never ventured an inkling about his preferred candidate.
Then after Senator Bob’s prayers that tense Sunday night at the Hilltop Mansion, Governor Udom said something to the effect that he would tow the line of Jesus who sent His disciples to preach the same message of salvation to the whole world. He then invited former Governor Victor Attah, the respected political father of the state, to deliver the message, a breaking news that all must preach.
Of course, with the wisdom of a sage, Governor Attah extolled the wisdom of Governor Udom and wished he had a similar depth of political savviness at his time as governor to assemble and carry along stakeholders, before he endorsed Dr. Ekarika 16 or so years ago.
Like a thunder from the bolt, Governor Attah announced to the shocked assembly that Governor Udom had finally made up his mind on who to endorse as his successor. Without further ado he said the favoured one was Pastor Umo Eno, the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, best known for his humility, industry and integrity.
All eyes immediately went to Senator Bob, the political leader of Pastor Umo Eno’s Nsit Ubium LGA, and other governorship aspirants who were in the hall. Senator Bob was the calmest, almost indifferent, betraying little or no emotion. Other aspirants were not so. One of them raised his hands up persistently to speak. But the meeting was not designed as interactive. It was for information only.
The next item was to present Pastor Umo Eno to the stakeholders. He was ushered in, brought out from somewhere obviously not far away from the meeting hall. He came in with his wife and daughter, obviously overwhelmed with joy.
Rev.Dr. Uma Ukpai and the Prelate Emeritus, Dr. Sunday Mbang were invited to take turns and pray for Pastor Eno, before the traditional prayers was made by the Oku Ibom Of Akwa Ibom.
Soon afterwards, it was Senator Bob again, who displayed the greatest show of statesmanship by warmly hugging his opponent and taking pictures with him and publicly wishing him success.
So today, Thursday, February 10, 2022, Pastor Eno, led his campaign team to officially visit, thank and consult Senator Bob in his Ewet Housing, Uyo residence, together with the full compliment of his campaign Director-General, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN, the Maintain Peace Movement [MPM] and his colleagues in the cabinet. It was a day of encomiums on Senator Bob than any other man.
Ambassador Assam extolled Senator Bob’s sterling leadership qualities. Senator Alloysius Etok, who was also at the stakeholders’ meeting where Pastor Eno was endorsed said it was a day his admiration and respect for Senator Bob, his friend of 20 years, reached the highest peak. Barr Emmanuel Enoidem, the indefatigable Director-General of the Maintain Peace Movement, MPM, who himself was also present at the stakeholders meeting said very few politicians would have been so gracious as Senator Bob that night. “At that critical moment of tension, Senator Bob treated his opponent with love, dignity and respect” to the amazement of all stakeholders. He called on all other contenders for the position to emulate Senator Bob and rejoice with Pastor Eno, because that’s what Pastor Eno would have done, if the Governor had endorsed any of them.
Pastor Eno, who deferred to Senator Bob as his ‘dear political leader’, promised to make both Governor Udom, Senator Bob and Akwa Ibom people at home and diaspora very proud “when I am the governor from May 2023”. He said Akwa Ibom youths will know that God has sent him to them as a father. “As you you know, the company I founded is the highest employer of labour in this state outside the government…I will continue to create even more jobs for Akwa Ibom people in my capacity as the Governor”
Senator Bob spoke in an emotion-laden tone how God has favoured him by making his kinsman the most favoured aspirant and most likely Governor after Governor Udom Emmanuel. He thanked Governor Emmanuel profusely for the honour done to his people. He called on all Nsit Ubium people and PDP members to drop their differences and join hands in making Pastor Eno the winner of the governorship election by a landslide. He invited all pastors and Nsit Ubium politicians present to surround Pastor Umo Eno, as he prayed fervently for his success. He also announced the collapse of his political structure statewide into Pastor Umo Eno campaign structure, to the applause of the crowd that jam-packed the playground of his palatial residence.
As gentle as a dove, Senator Bob then accompanied Pastor Eno’s entourage to all his consultations in Uyo and Eket, which lasted till sundown.
▪︎ Mr. Usen is a multiple award-winning journalist and technocrat. This material was sourced from Facebook