2023: Did God really speak to Gov Udom Emmanuel?

By Inemesit Akpanusoro

The political atmosphere in Akwa Ibom State has been awash with diverse opinion since Governor Udom Emmanuel unveiled his Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, as his successor. With Eno as the anointed one, many Akwa Ibom people are asking, Did God really speak to Governor Udom Emmanuel and reveal to him who truly his successor will be?

Sources in the know said the Governor himself once went to Eno to consult him, saying, “If it is the will of God that you become Governor, we will have victory but if it’s not the will of God, you will fail”.

Such a statement from a man who said he is waiting to hear from God before he tells his people who their next king will be, only shows a man who is not sure of the project.

Since the unveiling of Pastor Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom has been quite. No joy, no celebration, no excitement, which shows that the project is one that looks like not having the backing of the masses. The people may be disappointed that the Governor has anointed a very unpopular aspirant and are worried the PDP in Akwa Ibom may loose the state if Eno eventually becomes the party’s candidate.

Apart from lacking experience and capacity to be Governor, Umo Eno lacks the charisma of the office and do not understand the politics of Akwa Ibom State. He is seen as a political novice who lacks the knowledge of partisan politics and do not have the required experience that should guide him to govern well.

The PDP has been the ruling party in Akwa Ibom State since 1999 but for the first time in its history, the state faces a real possibility of loosing to the opposition with the possibility of aggrieved aspirants defecting to the APC. The APC in Akwa Ibom will be hoping that the crisis that will follow over the choice of Umo Eno should go on so that they can have new defectors leaving the PDP to join them ahead of 2023.

Is Governor Udom Emmanuel plotting a third term in office through Umo Eno, his maternal cousin? With Governor Udom Emmanuel’s choice being Umo Eno, it seems the Governor did not really hear from God because no project associated with God can see failure. His advice to Umo Eno during his recent consultation at Government House, that he will win if he is God’s choice and will fail if he is not God’s choice now proves that even Udom is not sure of victory after months and years of Waiting on the Lord.

With more than half of the Exco, party officers, real stakeholders, community leaders, political groups, youth leaders, state assembly lawmakers, Local Government Chairmen, Chapter Chairmen, Ward Chairmen etc being against Umo Eno, how will the project fly?

It will be in Governor Emmanuel’s best interest to take a step back and have a rethink. It is not too late for him to retrieve his steps and redeem himself from the mistake he has done. It will be in his own interest to have a successful transition and to his regret if he will have to go on exile or political asylum even before his tenure ends on May 29, 2023, if a rival opponent wins the election.

Nothing will ruin Governor Emmanuel more than having to preside over a 2023 PDP nomination process that will end up in total failure that he cannot stand the shame of going to the Stadium to officially hand over power to his opponent. The process that brought up Umo Eno is faulty. Rather than the Governor presenting Umo Eno to Akwa Ibom people himself, he pushed the responsibility to former Governor Victor Attah who has never presented someone who has ever gone ahead to win any election in this state. His son in-law, Dr Udoma Bob Ekarika in 2006 during the PDP primaries even as a then sitting Governor, James Iniama in 2007, Udoedeghe in 2011, Umana Umana in 2015, Nsima Ekere in 2019 are all prove that Attah’s choice never wins any election. And after that Umo Eno had to go again to consult Attah and the Governor. Is he saying he never had a meeting between Umo Eno and Attah before the Sunday, January 30, 2022 unveiling?

Is it that God showed the Governor a vision on who his successor will be and showed the wife another version? Has the Governor bothered to look at his wife’s countenance when he forced her to be part of the consultation visit of Umo Eno?

For the Governor to seek help from security agencies to help protect the life of Umo Eno and his step brother, Gabriel Nkanang a day after the consultation, claiming that their life is in danger says a lot. The time to correct this mistake is now before it is too late.