By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Worried by the soaring tempo of pre-2023 political activities and concomitant issues on democratic governance in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel has been called upon to dissolve the State Executive Council and relief appointees with interest in elective political offices.
This became necessary to allow the affected political appointees to concentrate on their ambition, besides providing a level playing field for all aspirants to the 2023 governorship position from all political parties to foster the needed credible democratic environment for the electorate to make free and popular choice.
A pan-Akwa Ibom Public Interest Advocacy Forum known as Democratic Vanguards stated these in a press statement issued at its first quarter 2022 stakeholders roundtable in Uyo, the state capital on Monday.
Signed by its National Coordinator, Mr.Idorenyin Aquaisua and made available to New Nigerian in Uyo, the Forum also posited that no political ambition of any politician should be taken as a State project or funded from the state covers.
It stressed that, “It is unacceptable that governance in the State is more or less grounded in that almost all administrative, human and material resources of government: the legislative structure; political appointees of government – Commissioners, Aides and Boards appointees; Local Government Chairmen and Counselors; and Party Leadership Structure have been conscripted into a political campaign band for one of the aspirants, at the detriment of their official duties.
The Forum stressed that democratic governance and all of what constitute leadership capacity, responsiveness, responsibility and accountability to the people are inhibited when the principles of democratic leadership selection are compromised.
According to the group, “the desperate leadership selection antics introduced into the unfolding political environment in Akwa Ibom State by a few privileged politicians in the two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and All Progressives Congress, (APC), do not and cannot pass the minimal test of the values of democracy.
Describing the current succession agenda in the state as strange to democratic system of government, the Forum said, “It is NOT the mandate of an incumbent to source for his successor in a democracy. Established processes of transition of power from one administration to the other are clearly spelt out and vested in statutory instruments and institutions.
“Every plot to foist a strange leadership recruiting system on the democratic system including using the guise of a hazy spiritual directive portends grave danger to society.
“Care should be exercised to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all the political blocks in Uyo Senatorial District in the spirit of equity and sincere respect for the existing principle of zoning to engender political peace, a sense of belonging and political inclusion”, the pan-Akwa Ibom group said.
Recall Governor Udom Emmanuel had while declaring to re-contest the office of the Governor in 2015 said that, One man in Akwa Ibom cannot determine who governs and who does not govern
This postulation should be strongly defended by all as it is central and indispensible to justice, fairness, enduring peace, democratic growth and sustainable development of the State, the Forum stressed.
