If the action of the Akwa Ibom state executive council on February 25, 2014 is worth reckoning with, one could safely predict that Governor Godswill Akpabio’s successor would either be Udom Gabriel Emmanuel or Ekpenyong Eyo Ntekim or Effiong Abia. On that Tuesday, the state executive council unanimously nominated the three men who were then members of the Akpabio led executive council to vie for the governorship office in the 2015 elections.

The executive council was held at the instance of the governor and was attended by all the commissioners and key cabinet officials but Bassey Albert, then commissioner of finance. To give some sort of vertebrate to the deal, the commissioners signed a document endorsing the three colleagues of theirs for the topmost political office in the state. Albert, an Ibibio man from Uyo senatorial district backed out because he was then neck-deep in running for the office of the governor.

Emmanuel, an Ibibio man from Onna was then the secretary to the state government; Ntekim, an indigene of Okobo from Oron extraction was then Attorney General and commissioner for Justice; while Abia, a native of Mbo from Oron also was then serving as the commissioner of Rural Development. The three of them are from Akwa Ibom South, popularly called Eket senatorial district, the executives were seen as tacitly playing in tandem with the leadership of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which had earlier zoned the governorship to Eket senatorial district, albeit controversially.

That extra task on the part of the executive was seen by some analysts as failure on the part of Akpabio to convince all members of his cabinet to queue behind him and collapse their various political structures in favour of the governor’s anointed heir. The resolution to back the three cabinet members was perceived as fortifying the cabinet and putting paid to speculation that the governor is grooming one his own to take over from him. Others view that it was Akpabio’s plan A, B and C to ensure that he produces a successor come what may.

Those who feel that the action has some scintilla of altruism lauded the gesture in the sense that there is need for one of the Akpabios to take over in order to sustain, and possibly, add more value to development initiative attained in the state under Akpabio’s stewardship. One of the factors adduced as working for Akpabio stems down on the fact that he had served in the cabinet of his predecessor for about six years.

Abia, who first served as the commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, came into the cabinet in the second term of Akpabio. Following his appointment there were rumours in some quarters in the state that Abia might be Akpabio’s preferred choice for the 2015 governorship elections. Immediately Emmanuel was appointed secretary to the state government on July 30, 2013 attention shifted to him as the likely heir apparent. Amidst intense politicking Abia, Albert and some board members were booted out by Akpabio in April this year in a minor cabinet reshuffle. But a statement by the government’s spokesman, Mr. Aniekan Umanah advanced that their sacking was informed by “the need to reinvigorate the machinery of government and drive further the uncommon transformation of the state”.

Emmanuel succeeded Umana Okon Umana who had been with Akpabio since inception in 2007. Umana, a career civil servant, who had served former governor Victor Attah as commissioner of finance, was seen by many as a de facto deputy governor or modern prime minister in the state government. The speculation was rife that there was understanding that Akpabio should handover to Umana after completing his second term. The once robust relationship between Akpabio and Umanah later hit the rock with the latter becoming the worst hit as he was unceremoniously shown the exit door.

Ntekim assumed office on July 1, 2009 as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. In Akpabio’s second term he was deployed to the ministry of Transport as the pioneer commissioner only to be returned to the Attorney General’s chambers in less than a year. He resigned from the Akpabio’s cabinet alongside Emmanuel and few others to pursue his gubernatorial adventure. Unlike others, he was able to keep his interest in the governorship under check until the twilight of his resignation.

Living up to the billings of the April 25 accord, the trio of Ntekim, Emmanuel and Abia have formally signified their interest to run for the office of the Akwa Ibom state governor. Apart from purchasing the PDP nomination form which costs N11 million they are currently fully engaged in wooing supporters in the state to line up behind them especially as the party’s primaries is slated to take place on November 29, this year. In fact, buoyed by superlative paraphernalia of the state government, Emmanuel is campaigning even beyond the umbrella of the party as though he is contesting against candidates of other political parties.

Little doubt, with the events that have converged in recent time in the state the governorship race appears narrowed to two nominees of the April 25 executive pact: Emmanuel and Ntekim. With the manner Abia exited the Akpabio led administration it is doubtful whether effect of the extra-executive deal could have any bearing on his governorship quest.

Emmanuel, an alumnus of the University of Lagos is a chartered accountant by training and professional banker. Until last year, he spent all his career life in the private sector, precisely in the banking sector where he left as executive director in Zenith bank to become the secretary to the Akwa Ibom state government. His major boost in his governorship aspiration is the backing of Akpabio. In fact, in more conduct of his, the governor has not been able to conceal his support for Emmanuel. His appointment as SSG was seen as a nursery planting by Akpabio with the hope of transplanting him to the governorship office in the next political planting season.

Besides, he is considered as a credible material for the fortune of the oil rich state to be trusted upon. It is believed in some circles that his foray in the private sector could bear fruitful fortune for Akwa Ibom, especially the much desired industrialization. Though serving as his major advantage, Akpabio’s support equally worsens matters for him. Not a few view that he would be a stooge of Akpabio. And Akwa Ibom by its characters is seen as too republican to allow for a reign of robot. He is also being considered as being politically naïve to understand let alone surviving the dynamics of the politics of the state.

Though he seems favoured by zoning on senatorial basis, his Ibibio nativity may not help matters for him. Based on the tripod ethnic arrangement of Ibibio, Annang and Oron, the Orons appeared to attract the sympathy of wider spectrum of the Akwa Ibom society. Sequentially, Oron may be considered after Ibibio and Annang have had their fair share of the zoning understanding. In the event that the race is not thrown open to all sections of the state, the likes of Chief Don Etiebet, a chieftain of the PDP, would opt for Oron.

Speaking after the just concluded PDP ward congress, which was characterized by irregularity, Etiebet, who have since squared up with Akpabio in the run down to the next electioneering said, “If we are to talk about justice, we should be talking about Oron; let Akpabio take it to Oron I will support him 100 per cent as we started in 1999”. With reference to Akpabio’s support for Emmanuel, Etiebet disclosed that one of the cruxes of antagonism with Akpabio is the governor’s scheme to take the governorship ticket “to core Ibibio in Eket senatorial district in the name of zoning”.

Ntekim, a lawyer by profession like Akpabio was born about ten years before 48-year old Emmanuel. He graduated with LLB seven years before Emmanuel at the same University of Lagos. The former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo branch was called to the bar in 1982. He has been in active politics in Akwa Ibom for 25 years. He was the state treasurer of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, between 1991 and 1993. He is the first elected PDP chairman in Akwa Ibom; he was in that office between December, 1999 and June 2001. He later chaired the affairs of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Until 2009, he had been a private lawyer. Iniabasi Udobong, one of the high profile lawyers in Akwa Ibom in an interview with this report described Ntekim as a “dogged legal practitioner”. Some of his professional colleagues asserted that he has all that is required to become a senior advocate of Nigeria but that he has been distracted by his involvement in politics. While addressing journalists a day after his resignation, he boasted that apart from age he is the oldest politician in the race. He debunked insinuation of being a pseudo aspirant with a deal with Akpabio to run for senate when the chips are down. “I have looked around the terrain and I have not seen anybody that I can surrender the governorship to”, said the former Attorney General to dismiss speculation that he might back out from the race.

In a veiled reference to his apparent arch rival, Ntekim said, “the massive infrastructural interventions and raising profile of the last fear years should not be fatigued out by political expediency and naivety”. “The progress so far made, according to Ntekim, “is as important as the task ahead is onerous”. With just four core development plan he said he is not out “to entertain the public with a photo-shopped, picture-perfect mission or high sounding theoretical principles and text book solutions”.

The focus of his policies is targeted at rural urbanization, agro-industrial projects, reform of technical education system and integrated technology. Though his native Oron is said to be grossly marginalized by succeeding government in the state, including the Akpabio administration, he promises to build a bridge of friendship and proportional development across (the) rural poor and the urban rich”.

He is seen as a stickler to rules. There are fears that if he becomes the governor he would fight graft and other societal malaise with the passion of a reformer. There are a number of defining notes in his life that might perceptibly be considered as his advantage or disadvantage depending on individuals’ reasoning.

In the legal profession, he is the first non Ibibio that established a law firm in Uyo. Other lawyers preferred then to practice in their native locality. When he was the chairman of the Uyo NBA branch he turned down the offer of the then military governor, Navy Captain Joseph Adeusi to serve as commissioner. His reason was to avoid setting a precedent for every NBA chairman to transmute to Attorney General, a trend that was gaining prominence then at the national level.

In 2003, he was a lawyer for Ime Umana, who was the governorship candidate of ANPP in the 2003 elections at the governorship Election Petition Tribunal in against Attah of the PDP. He filed application for the self-disqualification of the Tribunal members on grounds of bribery and corruption with proof of bank tellers, expenses on expensive items, photographs of drunk Judges’ children (who visited to take entrance into the Maritime Academy, Oron) playing kites with currency notes in their hotel rooms! All the Tribunal members, except one, were dismissed and recommended for prosecution.

In partisan politics, he made a somewhat remarkable feat by voluntarily resigning from the office of the state chairman of PDP when he gave resignation letter to the then PDP national chairman, Barnabas Gemade, owing to irreconcilable differences with Attah. While holding sway at the Ministry of Justice, he recommended the immediate retirement of various grades of 19 senior lawyers in the Ministry of Justice, as a measure to restructure the ministry for efficiency. That action caused uproar in the state. But he had enormous support from Akpabio, who he said believed in the sanctity of the action.

Really, using the instrument of the law he had made a number of prominent personalities to face the wrath of the law to the comfort of the Akpabio and the state government but disservice to nurturing relationship with some of his friends and political associates.

Aside from the foregoing, it is not clear whether Akpabio would be comfortable with his independent stance on issues. Though he is a loyalist of Etiebet it could not be established as at the time of going to the press whether the PDP stalwart has given him his blessing. To underscore his fatherly role in the politics of the state, Etiebet, to a large extent, has been able to play his card closed to his chest. His joining issues with Akpabio have more to do with issues than personalities.

Also, unlike a number of colleagues in the Akpabio’s administration, he has a modest life style as largely reflects in his living in a bungalow house he built years before getting into the government. With no clue that he has a deep pocket, Ntekim has not made known how buoyant his campaign organisation could see through his electioneering.

Besides Umana, seen as a strong contender in the race, Ntekim and Emmanuel will also contend with Patrick Ekpotu and Nsima Ekere, who had deputised Akpabio at different times before the current deputy governor, Mrs Valerie Ebe. There is also Ita Umo Udo, who resigned along with Ntekim and Emmanuel to contest for the governorship position. Udo was the commissioner for Culture and Tourism.

Whoever emerges will later slug out with the opposition parties in the general elections billed to take place next February. But if the current political situation is anything to go by, the PDP governorship nomination may be the final before the 2015 main elections.

Quote: Emmanuel, an Ibibio man from Onna was then the secretary to the state government; Ntekim, an indigene of Okobo from Oron extraction was then Attorney General and commissioner for Justice; while Abia, a native of Mbo from Oron also was then serving as the commissioner of Rural Development. The three of them are from Akwa Ibom South, popularly called Eket senatorial district.

Living up to the billings of the April 25 accord, the trio of Ntekim, Emmanuel and Abia have formally signified their interest to run for the office of the Akwa Ibom state governor. Apart from purchasing the PDP nomination form which costs N11 million they are currently fully engaged in wooing supporters in the state to line up behind them especially as the party’s primaries is slated to take place on November 29, this year