Akwa Ibom State stakeholders are divided
over the sacking of former Secretary to Government (SSG) Umana Okon Umana by
Governor Godswill Akpabio, report the Nation newspaper
Mr. Umana Okon Umana |
By
KAZEEM IBRAHYM
The
removal of the State Secretary to the Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State,
Umana Okon Umana, by Governor Godswill Akpabio has continued to generate
ripples in the state. Umana was kicked out of office on July 29. He was on an
official duty in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) when security
operatives stormed his office and ordered the workers to vacate the premises
before sealing it off.
Umana
and Akpabio have a long history of friendship dating back to when former
Governor Victor Attah was in the saddle. Both men served in the Attah
Administration. Umana was the Commissioner for Finance. Akpabio was
commissioner in three ministries – Petroleum Resources, Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs, and Lands and Housing.
When
Akpabio indicated interest in the 2007 governorship election, he resigned his
office to focus on his ambition. Attah was also positioning his son in-law, Dr.
Bob Ekarika, who was the Commissioner for Health, to take over from him. It was
an open secret in the state that Attah was not interested in the candidacy of
Akpabio. However, Akpabio was able to exploit the frosty relationship between
Attah and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He warmed his way into President
Obasanjo’s heart and mobilised the support of major stakeholders in the state.
It was easy for him to get Obasanjo’s consent during his face-off with Attah
over the explosive issue of resource control. Attah and the former governor of
Delta State, Chief James Ibori, and his Bayelsa counterpart, Chief Diepreyei
Alamamieseigha, were the arrow heads of the Southsouth’s agitation for resource
control at the time. It was an agitation that Obasanjo was never comfortable
with.
It
was at that time that Umana, a man with a deep pocket, supported Akpabio. He
was one of the few aides of Attah, who stood by Akpabio and assisted him to
secure the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was
said to be a major factor in rallying the Ibibio to support Akpabio’s ambition.
He emerged, ahead 56 other aspirants during the PDP primaries, and went ahead
to win the governorship election.
As a
compensation for the various roles he played before and during the election,
Umana was appointed as the Secretary to State Government. He held the office
for six years before his unceremonious removal. During his time as the SSG,
Umana was always described as the ‘brain box’ of the administration. He
determined who gets what in the government. It is either you are his friend or
you are thrown out of the government.
While
many Nigerians have condemned the way Umana was sacked, others believe that the
governor has the right to hire and fire. One of those in support of Umana’s
removal was the former Commissioner for Economic Development, Jerry Akpan, who
also served in the Akpabio Administration. He said the governor has done no
wrong in removing him.
Akpan,
who is also a former Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Matters to
Akpabio, explained that the removal has provided a level playing ground for the
governorship aspirants. He pointed out that the former SSG was using his office
to full advantage, to the detriment of other contenders. “It is possible that,
like I have read in the newspapers, the declaration of the former SSG triggered-off
the action of the governor. No one should blame the governor. If the governor
had allowed him to continue, I don’t think it would have augured well for his
administration. Apart from that, I think it is even better for the former, if
truly he wants to contest as the governor of the state in 2015. It would give
him an ample opportunity to move round the state, do his consultations without
any fear of any kind.
“So,
I think that the arrangement is a perfect arrangement. The governor is a man
that you cannot predict. It is even better to enable Umana to go out and
canvass for the support of the electorate, because asking someone to resign is
not bad.
Akpan
said that the constitution enjoins aspirants in government to resign from
office, ahead of the electioneering.
“We
all know that from all intents and purposes, at that time the former SSG was
seen as the governor of the state. As at that time, the former SSG was seen as
a man that has been anointed to take over from Akpabio. As at that time, there
was no level playing ground provided by this administration. But the sacking of
Umana has provided a level playing ground for every other Akwa Ibom person to
come into the 2015 governorship race, otherwise he was using his office at the
detriment of others”, he stressed.
However,
the Media Adviser to the former SSG, Iboro Otongaran, claimed that his boss never
publicly declared his intention to contest the 2015 governorship. He challenged
anybody with the evidence of such declaration and electoral campaigns, including
video clips, texts of speeches and others to provide it.
“The
claim that Mr. Umana Okon Umana, the former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State
Government, had publicly declared his intention to run for governor in 2015 and
commenced his election campaigns is untrue and misleading, and it can only help
to reinforce a falsehood earlier planted in the media by mischief makers, if it
is not challenged.
“Umana
made no formal public declaration to run for the office of governor and did not
start any election campaigns. The hype built around the so-called declaration
was nothing more than the regular rumour peddled by mischief mongers. Any
position to the contrary must be supported by evidence of such declaration and
electoral campaigns, such as video clips or texts of speeches or a list of
attendance by journalists at the declaration ceremony.
“It
is instructive to note that, unlike all previous press statements from Umana,
which he either signed himself or were signed by his media adviser, Iboro
Otongaran, this so-called gubernatorial declaration was not signed by anybody.
If anyone has any evidence that contradicts this position, let the person make
it public.
“We
wish to also note that the press has been feasting on the stories of possible
aspirations by politicians, not just in Akwa Ibom State, but all over the
country, though in this instant case, it was not just a case of media
obsession, it was obviously a case of a planted story for the purpose of a
witch hunt. The purported public declaration story was planted, not only to
embarrass, but ultimately, to discredit the former SSG”, he added.
However,
the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, argued that it was the
prerogative of the governor to appoint and make changes in his cabinet.
“Following
the declaration of Mr. Umana’s gubernatorial ambition for the 2015 election and
the commencement of campaigns, as widely reported in the media on July 25,
2013, and his non-rebuttal of same, Governor Akpabio sought advice from
relevant electoral and constitutional experts. He was advised that he was duty
bound by his oath of office to defend the constitution, which includes the
provisions of the Electoral Act, which forbid public officers from declaring
for electoral office while still in office. He consequently, requested for Mr.
Umana’s resignation to enable him pursue his stated interest in the 2015
governorship election.” he said.
For
Sylvester Nyong and Victor Usoro, who are company executives in Port Harcourt,
the Rivers State, the governor has harsh on the former SSG.
To
them, it is only in Akwa Ibom State that the governor had resorted to gangster
methods to prevent the legitimate political ambition of citizens. Nyong said:
“We therefore, vehemently disagree with Chief Akpabio’s reason that Mr. Umana
Umana was humiliated out of office because he had allegedly expressed his
political intention. Rather, Umana’s ill-treatment is a premeditated political
persecution meant to scuttle his political ambition, instill fears in other
aspirants and pave the way for Akpabio’s goal, which is to plant a stooge as a
successor.
“The
stooge will do the bidding of Chief Akpabio, render financial returns to him
and be beholden to him as the godfather. In other words, together with his
siblings and wife, the governor wants to establish the Akpabio Dynasty to which
their puppet-governor would report and render financial and other benefits long
after in the post-Akpabio period”.
Nyong
and Usoro cited the examples of politicians that are already making
arrangements to contest the next governorship election at the federal level.
They pointed out that the Minister of Niger Delta Affiars, Godsday Orubebe, had
announced in that he would contest for the Delta State in 2015, adding that
President Goodluck has not asked him to resign.
“Senator
Ganiyu Solomon had also indicated interest to contest the governorship of Lagos
State. The Senate President and Governor Babatunde Fashola have not humiliated
them publicly. Even, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, announced
his intention to run for the governor of Ekiti State. It is only in Akwa Ibom
State that Chief Akpabio had resorted to gangster methods to abort a legitimate
political ambition of a citizen”, he said.
These
claims, however, have not gone unchallenged. Other indigenes of the state, who
spoke in defence of Akpabio, pointed out that the former SSG had used his
position in the past 10 years to ensure that no Ibibio son or daughter, other
than himself, stood a fair chance of getting the PDP ticket for the 2015
governorship election.
Ofonime
Ebong and Idara Ntuen, who are Uyo-based company executives, advised the people
not listen to politicians who are wiping ethnic senstiments, adding that Umana
cannot be in public office for ever.
To
them, Umana was the crafty mastermind that plotted the removal of his kinsmen,
the former deputy governor, who had nursed a governorship ambition, from the
position of deputy governor, to pave the way for himself. They said the plot to
discredit the Akpabio Administration will fail.
Umana
has maintained absolute silence. His next line of action is not known. It is
clear thyat the governor does not want him to succeed him. But Umana’s
associates have said that he has a governorship ambition. Will the former SSG
chicken out? Will he stick to his ambition? Time will tell.
Culled from the Nation
newspaper
Umana is very intelligent man , I will ask you to check his records even back to secondary education, his record speaks for itself . it will be a serious travesty of justice if our state is deprivrd of the opportunity of being governed by such a wise man . Umana has the best academic record ever .you may say , what has wisdom to do with governing a state , my answer is ask Solomon .or Queen Bethshaber
ReplyDeleteHis long duration in the state is a testimony to the fact the Akwa Ibom state needs him at the head