Twenty Four hours after His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio and wife, Unoma led to pandemonium at the Victor Attah International airport during the visit of the President’s wife, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari, the Senator is yet to apologize to the government and people of Akwa Ibom State.
It was an act of shame when a former Governor, was seen at the forefront of breaching known protocol in a failed attempt to deprive the wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel of her statutory responsibility of receiving the President’s wife as the first lady of the state, during a visit that was very formal and official.
The whole world is still frozen in bewilderment to have seen a Senator struggling with the crowd and pushing down old women who also went there to receive the President’s wife, just to thrust his wife to the front row. He practically threw away, civility, decorum and responsibility, for reasons best known to him. It is pertinent to ask the Distinguished Senator, if he would have condoned such flagrant disrespect to protocol, during his era in the saddle.
It is most embarrassing considering that this was a national event, and Mr President’s wife was visiting Akwa Ibom State for the first time in an official capacity. It is therefore unethical for him and his co-travelers to choose such an auspicious occasion for a dress rehearsal of their infamous ‘Warsaw’ script.
What else could have made a man of his exposure and experience, literally confront security/protocol personnel on duty just for not dancing to his tone? It is instructive therefore that politicians note the clear cut demarcation between desperate political maneuvering and respect for constituted authority. We advise the APC to call their nationalist to order, and curtail the embarrassments some of his actions tend to bring to the image of the State.
We use this opportunity to once again commend the Mother of the State, Her Excellency, Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel for her comportment and sense of maturity in managing such a situation, in the face of extreme provocation.
May we therefore humbly appeal to Mr President, the country’s first lady and all Akwa Ibomites to forgive the perpetrators of the show of shame at the airport.
We also urge all well-meaning Akwa Ibomites to continue to remain law-abiding and supportive of the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the symbol of peace and prosperity which defines our dear state presently.
Divine Mandate! Only God
Otuekong (Hon.) Emmanuel Ibiok
Spokesperson, Divine Mandate Campaign Organization
