Akwa Ibom 2023: Brewing Crisis, As Udom Anoints Umo Eno As His Successor

By Akinwale Kasali

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has put an end to permutations and speculations by political observers on who would  succeed him when he leaves the saddle in 2023.

Emmanuel, going against the norm, brazenly announced that his Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Umo Eno will succeed him in office.

He made the announcement of his anointed successor at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Stakeholders’ Meeting held over the weekend at the Governor’s Lodge, in Uyo, the State Capital.

The Governor had earlier said he was seeking the face of God before  announcing his anointed successor.

Obong Victor Attah, the former Governor of the State, formally presented Eno to the Stakeholders which comprise major and leading political chieftains from the three Senatorial Districts, who all applauded the choice and pledged to work towards his emergence as the Governor of the State come 2023.

The choice of Eno by Governor Udom has, however, sparked outrage from some members of the PDP in the State who are also nursing Governorship ambition and have made their intention known to the Governor.

It was gathered that many stakeholders stormed out of the venue following the Governor’s announcement. It came as a surprise to many of them who never had the premonition that the essence of the stakeholders meeting was the endorsement of Eno as Governor of the State come 2023.

Onofiok Luke, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary and former Speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, walked out of the event and issued a preliminary statement afterwards.

Luke in the statement said he was not aware of the agenda of the meeting but attended out of respect, to honour the Governor’s invitation.

Expressing his displeasure at the lack of consultation with other notable aspirants who had declared interest in the Governorship race, he said, “I’m not against their endorsement, and I’m not against the elders of the state. But I’m saying the endorsement could have happened after proper consultation.

“I went to Obong Attah and asked him respectfully, why didn’t you talk to all of us who are in this race? Why didn’t you talk to Senator Bassey Albert? Why didn’t you talk to Akan Udofia? Why didn’t you talk to Akan Okon? Why didn’t you talk to James Iniama? It was Obong Attah that made the presentation, not the Governor.

“I was ambushed. I didn’t know the agenda of the meeting but I had to respect the Governor and attended the meeting. For three good times, I raised my hand, seeking to be allowed to speak, but I was ignored.

“We would have loved their endorsement but that would have been after due consultation. But whoever they would endorse should be the choice of the majority of people in the state

“So, for me as Onofiok Akpan Luke, I am in the governorship race. I am going to stand election on the platform of my party, the PDP. I am not part of that endorsement at all.

“But I respect their views; I respect the opinion and choice of the governor. I respect Obong Victor Attah and the opinion of the elders of the state. It is their choice. I only respect their opinion; but I am not in support of what they are doing” Hon. Luke stated declared.

Also, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport, Akan Okon, who is equally a frontline Governorship aspirant, as well as the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Emembong, were absent at the meeting and have since declared their intention to go ahead with their Governorship ambition plan.

With the unveiling of Eno as his successor, there is presently discordant tunes in the State PDP fold, as well as in the Cabinet of the Governor. The Party is already polarized, which will in turn affect the chances of the Party at the polls in 2023.

Political observers say the Governor needs to address the brewing crisis by bringing on board all warring parties for there to be peace  within the Party stakeholders as they go to the polls.

The stakeholders meeting that led to the endorsement of Eno had in attendance the Deputy Governor, Moses Ekpo, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, Senators Akon Eyakenyi, Effiong Bob, Ibok Essien, Aloysius Etok, former Deputy Governor, Etim Okpoyo, Member, representing Etinan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Onofiok Luke, PDP Party Chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan and Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, the National Coordinator of the Maintain Peace Movement, (MPM) .

Other were Bishop Uma Ukpai and the Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Mbang, Hon Pat Ifon, member representing Eket Federal Constituency at the National Assembly and member, PDP BOT, Chief Nduese Essien, a former Minister of Housing, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Russia , Fathers of Faith, and other leading members of the State’s political class.