As President Bola Tinubu visits Akwa Ibom State on Friday, November 6, Etim Etim takes a take a look at the teachings learnt since Tinubu first visited the State 12 years in the past.
There’s pleasure within the air as Akwa Ibom State expects the arrival of President Bola Tinubu on Friday, November 6, 2026 for a working go to. It’s a proud second for Governor Umo Eno who has so much to indicate off. Some landmark tasks have been lined up for inauguration by the President. Among them are the world-class terminal airport constructing which many have been speaking about and the enduring Arise Palm Resort, a recreation and tourism facility constructed on a reclaimed parcel of land that was beforehand ravaged by gully erosion.
It could be the third time that Asiwaju Tinubu would set foot on Akwa Ibom soil, the primary being November 27, 2014 when Tinubu, then APC National Leader, visited the state to obtain defecting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members into his social gathering. Leading the defectors then was Obong Umana Okon Umana, who was just a few months earlier than the Secretary to the State Government within the Akpabio administration and a key ally of the governor. Umana moved with 10,000 PDP members initially, however later grew to over 30,000 as extra individuals joined the social gathering. They included no fewer than 10 serving House of Assembly and House of Representatives members.
Among those that had been acquired into the social gathering by Asiwaju had been former minister of Petroleum, Chief Don Etiebet; the late Ime Umana (Lagos based mostly businessman who lived subsequent door to Asiwaju in Lagos); Dr. Chris Ekong (now Professor and Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo); Engr. Alphonsus Ekon; the late Akanimo Edet; former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the late Okon Uwah; one other former deputy speaker, Hon Uwem Udomah and Chief Ita Awak. There had been additionally Chief Sunny Udom; Dr. John Harry; Chief Sunny Anyang; Chief Perry Ntuk; former Minister Rita Akpan; late Dr. Maurice Ebong; Chief Sunny Jackson and Dr. Ita Udosen.
I bear in mind additionally former minister, Dr. Ime Okopido; Mrs Geraldine Ita Etuk; Obong Cyril Ekiko; former Akwa Ibom First Lady, Imo Isemin (now late); Dr. Emem Wills; Chief Sam Frank; Chief Victor Iyanam and lots of others. Most of them had been commissioners and officers within the administrations of Obong Attah and Akpabio, whereas others had been former ministers, Permanent Secretaries and prime authorities officers.
That afternoon, I went to the airport with Obong Umana to obtain Asiwaju and his delegation, whereas the gang was ready at Asan Ibibio. As a member of his media workforce, Obong Umana discovered me helpful for a lot of assignments: protocol, PR, intelligence gathering, monitoring and naturally, our core duties: media and publicity. I had simply retired from banking and I discovered the entire political course of rambunctiously thrilling.
Dressed in a easy gray kaftan, Asiwaju arrived in a non-public jet with Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Niyi Adebayo, former Ekiti governor; Chief Lai Mohammed and a few others. It was just a few months to the 2015 normal election, and so, lots of the social gathering’s presidential aspirants, notably Muhammadu Buhari; Atiku Abubarkar; Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso and the late Sam Nda-Isaiha, then writer of Leadership newspaper, additionally got here – individually in personal jets – primarily to courtroom the brand new members, a few of whom could be delegates within the nationwide conference that was arising only a month away. Akwa Ibom airport was full of airplanes of various fashions and sizes. It was, undoubtedly, the busiest day within the lifetime of the airport which started operations 5 years prior.
We all moved in buses to Asan Ibibio, venue of the reception rally, the place the defectors had been formally acquired into APC. On the drive from the airport, the lengthy motorcade changed into Shelter Afrique property and headed for the residence of former governor, Victor Attah, to pay a courtesy go to on him. Umanah had served as Attah’s Commissioner for Finance in his second time period (2003 – 2007), and the 2 had maintained good private relationships since. Now, with Umanah and Attah not in good phrases with Akpabio – the outgoing governor who was combating needed to impose a successor – Attah and Umana turned politically nearer.
Attah welcomed Asiwaju and the delegation warmly and advised them that Umana was essentially the most certified to be the following governor. It was an audacious endorsement for Umana who had simply been compelled out of PDP due to his governorship ambition, and was about becoming a member of one other social gathering. Attah himself had not formally joined the APC by then, but it surely was clear to everybody that he had a smooth spot for the social gathering. His frosty relationship with Akpabio created large psychological and political challenges to the previous man. Akwa Ibom was tense and divided alongside ethnic strains.
It was attending to round 4pm, and we rapidly left Attah’s residence and sped to Asan Ibibio. The attendance of so many bigwigs from completely different elements of the nation on the rally and the sheer measurement of the brand new joiners was fairly an intimidating sight. It was most likely the most important APC occasion because the founding of the social gathering in February, 2013. Although I used to be a part of the organizers, I didn’t count on that crowd measurement. Asiwaju was visibly excited to see such a crowd of senior politicians. He warmly welcomed us into the social gathering and promised to create a level-playing discipline for all contenders. Gov. Akpabio was unusually humbled by the occasion and the caliber of the attendees. Both Umana and Akpabio had served as commissioners within the Attah administration and had cast shut friendship. Umana’s help for Akpabio to change into governor was legendary. His falling out with Akpabio and subsequent defection to the APC occurred at dizzying pace and blindsided many a pundit.
The following month (December 2014), Umana received the governorship main held on the Uyo township stadium and Buhari received the Presidential main held at Teslim Balogun Statdium, Surulere, Lagos. I attended each occasions and noticed historical past unfold. The governorship campaigns of that yr and the following violence actually shook the state to its foundations. I shouldn’t overlook so as to add that 4 years earlier, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe had defected from the PDP to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of many 4 legacy events that merged to type the APC. It was the primary cataclysmic shift within the texture of opposition politics within the state, and had ready the individuals for extra of such occasions that got here later.
Now, we have now President Tinubu arriving for a working go to this Friday, 12 years after he first got here as an opposition chief to obtain us into his social gathering. Then, he had touched down in a hostile setting, however warmly acquired by courageous new supporters. Now, the entire state – authorities and the individuals – are all for him; supporting and rooting for him.
What classes can we glean from this?
First, Akwa Ibom State was an early contributor to the expansion of APC as a celebration. APC members in Akwa Ibom State had been the primary within the South-South to show the social gathering’s platform right into a formidable and robust opposition social gathering. Since then, APC has grown in leaps and bounds within the state, culminating in Governor Eno emptying the entire PDP into it final yr. Akwa Ibom state ought to due to this fact not be handled as a mere footnote within the scheme of issues within the social gathering.
Umana himself was fairly reflective after I known as to ask him for his recollections and ideas. He selected his phrases rigorously, as he’s wont to do: ‘’Looking again, we will see how politics will be dynamic. By then, we had been dubbed traitors for leaving PDP, which was stated to be a faith within the state…we had been known as completely different names for supporting a Northerner… for not supporting Jonathan, the son of the South-South. But all that we did was rooted in native politics of the time. “We had been waging a battle in opposition to an incumbent who had a lot assets… it took lots of braveness. We had been combating in opposition to an unjust system as a result of weren’t glad with the interior processes inside the PDP by that point. Many of our supporters had been induced, however so much weren’t persuaded to return…’’
Talking in regards to the injustices and unfair inner processes in PDP took my thoughts to what has ultimately occurred to that social gathering. Are we studying?
Senator Akpabio himself joined APC in August 2018 – 4 years after Umana – in what was then essentially the most beautiful political upset within the National Assembly. His defection helped stabilize the Buhari Presidency which was by then suffering from the then-Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki. It is due to this fact vital that the President remembers his earlier pledge to help the state construct a deep sea port. The state authorities has already invested a lot within the preliminary works, together with producing a feasibility report, however the backing of the federal authorities is crucial to convey it to fruition.
Governor Eno has staked his political capital on the President’s willingness to assist us obtain our dream venture. The individuals will due to this fact be listening keenly to the President’s pronouncement on this when he visits. If he fails to dwell as much as his phrases to help the state, Akwa Ibom individuals will really feel a horrible sense of letdown, the political implications of which is troublesome to fathom.
The second time Asiwaju visited Akwa Ibom was in 2023 when he got here for Presidential marketing campaign rally.
