- The former governor of Akwa Ibom has come under fire from many in the state
- Godswill Akpabio has been accused of breaching protocol with respect to the present governor
- Some referred to his behaviour as both disrespectful and childish
Godswill Akpabio the former governor of Akwa Ibom state has come under heavy criticism by some in the state, after he reportedly entered into a state function where his successor was reading the bible, with his aides and a crowd of followers.
Apparently, Udom Emmanuel the present governor had to wait till the entourage was seated before continuing his reading.
This happened on Monday, December 2, 2017, at the Ibom Hall grounds, IBB Avenue, Uyo, during a state-sponsored religious ceremony – the Akwa Ibom state annual solemn assembly.
The entrance of Mr Akpabio and the subsequent hailing of the crowd, caused a minor disruption, which many felt was totally unacceptable.
“When Akpabio walked in with his wife and aides, the whole place looked as if it were a political rally,” Franklyn Isong, a newspaper publisher and public affairs commentator in Uyo, told the press.
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The newspaper publisher condemned the act on his Facebook page, saying: “This act of former Governor Akpabio to always attempt to belittle his successor at public functions has been taken too far to be ignored by sane people,” Mr Isong wrote in a Facebook post, adding that the senate minority leader should be called to order.
“If he cannot sit at state function(s) before the arrival of Governor Emmanuel, he has the option of joining the governor’s convoy or stay back from such function when the governor is seated.”
According to Premium Times, Mr Isong during an interview also accused Akpabio of deliberately undermining the current governor.
He said this because according to him Mr Akpabio’s protocol team must have been there in advance at the venue of the ceremony and must have been updating the senator on the proceedings before his (Akpabio’s) arrival, Mr. Isong said.
Another person who spoke against Akpabio’s action was, Patrick Ifon, a former chairman of Onna local government area, who said it was being “totally unacceptable and childish.”
Also, Etok Ekanem, a former Commissioner for Agriculture during Mr. Akpabio’s government, said the senator’s action was humiliating to Governor Emmanuel.
The professor in the faculty of agriculture, University of Uyo, said many people in the state, including himself, had been complaining about how the senator regularly breached the governor’s protocol in public functions.
Using his Facebook account also, he said: “I am pretty sure Akpabio would not take (that) from anyone during his tenure as governor.
"Was it not the practice in those days that Idongesit Nkanga (a former military governor of Akwa Ibom) was characteristically made to sit and wait for hours, at times very long hours, before he could meet His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio?
“Let me most respectfully add to the appeal to Senator Akpabio to please, refrain from this practice.”
Des Wilson who is also professor of mass communication at the same university had this to say: “Events like this just annoy me to no end. And the security operatives who would not spare a second to whip other Nigerian citizens would helplessly behave as if the man is still in charge.
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“Maybe the governor also gives him the impression that he is in charge. And the former governor enjoys the indecency of disrupting state functions by his noisy entry.
“Let him try that at a Buhari function and he will know that ‘khaki no be leather’. If the man cannot be disciplined enough to respect constituted authority, whether he facilitated the installation or not, then the people must be ready to physically stop him next time.
“And those empty stooges who disrespect their governor by cheering an egotistic split personality when they should be booing him for coming late are also to blame for this repeated misbehaviour.”
However, Mr Akpabio’s spokesman, Anietie Ekong, has denied the claims saying it was untrue that Akpabio was habitually breaching the governor’s protocol.
He said the issue was a “minor” one, and that he suspected that it was being promoted by people who want to see both men engage in a fight.
“I am sure Governor Udom Emmanuel knows that Senator Akpabio will never undermine his administration.
"Akpabio has been the prime mover of the Divine mandate that Governor Udom is carrying. At a point when many people did not believe in Governor Emmanuel, Akpabio stuck out his neck and stood by him.
“Akpabio will always support Governor Emmanuel till the very end. Recall that a few days ago Senator Akpabio convened stakeholders’ meeting of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and passed a vote of confidence on Governor Emmanuel, and endorsed him for a second term.”
Meanwhile, Udom Emmanuel, has declared himself oracle of God, Premium Times reports.
Mr Emmanuel said this during a state-sponsored religious ceremony – the Annual Akwa Ibom State Solemn Assembly – an event meant to usher in peace and unity in the state for the New Year.
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