The lyrics in the Marvin Records hit song “DoroBuchi” depicts the power of the expression of the political mentality of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, erstwhile Senate Minority Leader – the only political office the senator came to show great despise for, notwithstanding how much he spent and was spent to take the senate minority caucus headship. Unfortunately, it became also the only office he has willingly relinquished after deliberately being ineffective in it.
At any point in time, the “Doro” spirit moves Senator Akpabio into political action through obscene spending. It was of that spirit that brought such jargon as “what money cannot do, more money can do”. It is said in the Marvin song – “Doro get money pass everybody”. Everywhere he is, Senator Akpabio showcases himself as “DoroAkpabio”. There is nothing “Doro” wants that “Doro” cannot have.
The mere listening to the soundings of the lyrics of that song “DoroBuchi” sets the panic mode in a sound minded man. In describing “Doro”, the lyrics of its song paints “Doro” as a personification of a god who sits on wealth and power, commanding the willful obedience of slavish subjects. This is the picture Senator Akpabio has tried to paint of himself.
Yet I remembered how his humanity showed up in his early days in the senate when his vehicle was involved in a hit-on accident near Bolingo Hotel in Abuja. He had to be admitted in the National Hospital for trauma, and shortly after Governor Udom Emmanuel came by his side, he was flown abroad to take senatorial photo shoots on his “6-springs” hospital bed in Europe.
The other day, an article from yours truly showed how Senator Akpabio is a “comedian”. His politics is like a reality show in Nollywood. Everything Senator Akpabio does in politics targets self relevance and self importance. Now that we are sharing the same state and party platform with Senator Godswill Akpabio, it is our duty, as men and women who see a great future for Nigeria and are working to realize this target, to stand up for our rights in our State.
In our history as people of Akwa Ibom State, we possessives the record of a man who started his political career in the State as the Chairman of a State Commission, he was not even a member of the State Executive Council, yet, at a point in time in the political growth of the State, this very irrelevant man in the beginning rose to become the only voice in the politics of Akwa Ibom State for close to 10 years.
He nurtured division, clannishness, state sponsored harassment and violence on suspected opponents. There is virtually no member of the Akwa Ibom State Caucus of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on whose toes Senator Akpabio has not stepped. Of course! Politics is a game of interest. It tolerates no permanent friends nor allow permanent enemies, but possessives generates certain self denials – now what happens when a man insists it should be others who should live in self denial and not himself?
So there is no problem for the man to worry, whose mother was raped, killed and disposed off in her nakedness on the street for people to see and be beaten into line? And it is certain that the way Senator Akpabio is going about with his mission in the APC makes him appear as one unperturbed about the dynamics of sowing and reaping – as one who thinks others are robots and have no memories.
It is in this light that I see his recent political machination, which enabled him to head the delegation from Akwa Ibom State which recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock, as craftily devised to advance a cause which fell flat on his face. It was sad that a visit that exhibited partisan coloration was allowed by Mr President. Nevertheless, Mr President response at that meeting appeared as if he was talking to the executors of state are organs in Akwa Ibom State, but no! They were all party men who visited President Buhari for Akwa Ibom State.
Whether or not Senator Akpabio consulted those he bundled up to Abuja for presentation before President Buhari as his “followers” is still not clear. Nevertheless, recalling certain actions of his during the Jonathanian era, it is possible that he got the approval for the scheduled visit before he began to contact those who should attend, thereby arm twisting the visitors into a visit they did not plan to take.
It is timely to warn President Buhari concerning his new found political romance with the man who personifies “Doro” in the politics of this country. When Senator Akpabio defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it was clear that the reasons he gave for his defection were not tenable. It should be roundly noted by Mr President that Senator Akpabio never sells a product he will not use by himself. He is always too close for comfort. We care what happens to us in Akwa Ibom State because of this cherished romance, Mr President.
However, one thing his defection enabled, and which cannot be denied, is that it swallowed up the euphoria of 15 other earlier defections, which included that of his senate president. Proving that Senator Bukola Saraki dresses himself politically in clothes he cannot afford by himself. It is not in doubt that when Senator Akpabio wanted to trash the senate ranking rule, he made Senator Saraki to facilitate it for him, lobbying Senator James Manager out of what was legally his to take. “Doro gets anything that Doro sets to get”
The people of Akwa Ibom State appreciates the generous gestures of Mr President towards us. We are grateful for the roads and faculty blocks approved for construction, but what is very important to us, as a people, is Mr President’s care in his political romance with Senator Akpabio. We did not mind his London visit, we did not mind his part as a presidential delegate to China, we do not even mind that staff in the presidency easily facilitates his interests, but all these should be measured in a way that it would not affect our political balance in Akwa Ibom State, and this is on a very serious note.
It was an insult on the people of Akwa Ibom State for Senator Akpabio to have mobilized the approval of Mr President for a State visit by sections of the APC in the State, and at the end all we heard President Buhari say was the number of projects approved for execution in the State. And what was the purpose for the visit? It was said to be a “thank you for generous federal appointments” visit.
Was the purpose worth the resource wastes in time and money? Clearly, Senator Akpabio played to the gallery by securing the approval for that visit, and taking charge as head of delegation, and ensured he used President Buhari to dramatize his message to the people of Akwa Ibom State. Yes! We all saw it but we will not forget our history.
It is laughable to hear Senator Akpabio say that his heart was with President Buhari during the 2015 presidential election. Surely Senator Akpabio thinks that because President Buhari is a Fulani man, then he is an “Aboki” (a localized artisan) to him. Did President Buhari really believe him – that Senator Akpabio voted for him in his heart during the 2015 presidential election? This was the man (Akpabio) who was reported to have been vexed by Goodluck Jonathan for ceding power to President Buhari after the results of that election was announced. Yet he could muster courage to tell Mr President such puffed up lies.
Well, we in Akwa Ibom State appreciate why Mr Presidential’ need for Senator Akpabio in the senate but it must be clear to him that Senator Akpabio is a political liability in the bid of Mr President for good votes, for his 2nd Term ambition, in Akwa Ibom State. Mr President must be wary of what his staff push him to do for Senator Akpabio. There are ways these favours always rebound on us in Akwa Ibom State, and it can tilt Mr President’s rating in the State.
And next time when presidential protocol staff who filter presidential visits have any request from Akwa Ibom State, they must ensure it portrays the complex diversity of our people. How can a state visit by a delegation from a federating state exclude other social structures that make up the body framework of governance in Akwa Ibom State – not even traditional rulers – how does Mr President think the common people feel?
It was therefore very sad for majority of Nigerians who understood the drama Senator Akpabio orchestrated in the presidential visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, how the smart senator deceived President Buhari into legitimatizing his ambition to lead the APC in Akwa Ibom State. That created another branch of the theatrics called “Buhareatrics”, powered by Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio.
Take time with Senator Akpabio, Mr President. He will soon use you. Nevertheless, Senator Akpabio’s political relevance has dwindled in our state since his joining the APC. He has been politically demystified in Akwa Ibom State. This is on good record Mr President. We pray we can forget the ugly years of the Akpabio administration in our state. It will be hard to forget Mr President. So do not punish us with that man and risk our support for you in 2019.
Ini Akpan Morgan is the Convener of the APC Patriots Grouping (APCpg) in Akwa Ibom State. He writes in from Uyo via “time.subsidaries@gmail.com“
