When some people describe politics as dirty business, they may not be far<\/p>\n
from the truth. Those who are really averse to the \u2018profession\u2019 stay away
\nfrom it and have chosen to remain apolitical. These people say they fear
\npolitics because the actors play it without the fear of God and a complete
\nabsence of conscience. And as Thomas Hobbes would call political power \u2013
\nthe leviathan (monster), those who seek it appear to wear the garb of
\nmonstrosity. The twists and turns of it gives it the semblance of no holds
\nbarred. Politics has no face, no front and it cultivates brambles for the
\nplanting of blackberries. Blackberries are good but brambles are thorny.
\nIf you must eat blackberries, you must be ware of thorns. While in war the
\nsoldier knows his enemies, the battle lines, when to retreat, when to
\nadvance, the politician\u2019s greatest adversary is his best friend. This must
\nbe a dangerous indulgence. With the panoply of booby traps, outsmartings,
\noutmaneuverings, bickering, lies and slander, backstabbing, envy,
\njealousy, hatred, failed promises, deception, violence, killings and
\nmaiming and all other negative factors, it still more than other
\nprofessions enjoy uncontrollable influx of participants. It is for the
\nnegative tendencies, that Sir Winston Churchill, the war time Prime
\nMinister of Britain during the first World War suffered no pretensions
\nwhen he said – \u201cpolitical skill consists in the ability to predict what
\nwould happen next week, month or year and to have the same ability
\nafterwards to explain why it did not happen\u201d. He should also have added
\nthat it consists in the ability to explain why a governor may have
\ngoverned his people with the attributes of Benito Mussolini\u2019s Fascism and
\ncowed the people to submission and faced an outcry of rejection but
\nresurfaces eight years after brandishing a message of hate for his
\nsuccessor.<\/p>\n
This exposition is a prelude to the events leading to the 2015 general
\nelections in Cross River State. The serenity of the state is being
\nchallenged by those who know no other method than bellicosity. Their
\ncampaign language is becoming inclusive of vituperations and the venting
\nof condensed anger, simmering rage and bitterness.<\/p>\n
On the 6th of November, 2014, I was both worried and sorry that Donald
\nDuke speaking during the reception organized by them for Goddy Agba
\n(gubernatorial aspirant) descended from an Olympian height to employ
\nHitler\u2019s anti-Semitic theory of blaming someone (in Hitler\u2019s case, the
\nJews) to distract the people and gain power. This strategy is bereft of
\npeace as someone is bound to pay for another\u2019s guilt.
\nIn the weekend Chronicle of Friday April 2, 2010, I published an article
\ntitled \u2013 Between Liyel Imoke and Donald Duke. As early as that time,
\nbarely one year or two after Imoke had taken over power, the cordial
\nrelationship between His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke and his
\npredecessor, His Excellency Mr. Donald Duke built on mutual trust was
\nbeginning to turn sore. Due to this, Donald Duke contemplated moving over
\nto another party (Labour Party) as the speculations were everywhere. Most
\nof us did not like the idea as it would amount to pulling the rug under
\nImoke\u2019s feet. This article was intended to remind him that such move is
\nonly typical of ambitious people who move together to achieve a common
\npurpose after which individual ambitions take over and cause the breaking
\nof such union. I warned in that article that if that development is not
\nhalted, thinking men would conclude that it amounts to a situation where a
\nman may say because I have drawn water from that well, let it dry up.<\/p>\n
This development worked against their time projection which they had
\nagreed that working together, they would hold and control power for a very
\nlong time. No sooner was Duke out of power than the dream became blurred
\nand he began to scheme its destruction. Stalwarts like Ntufam Ekpo Okon
\nand Venatius Ikem then avowed supporters of Imoke vociferously condemned
\nthis attempted death blow on Imoke. In fact, they said unprintable things
\nabout Duke. In the face of this condemnation and the ever watchful eyes
\nand listening ears of the irrepressible generalissimo, Obasanjo, the quick
\nwitted maestro, Duke suspected reprisals by the entrapments of the EFCC or
\nICPC, so he backed down. Having been helmed in by the ever watchful eyes
\nof these anti-graft bodies, Duke decided to lie low and do nothing but bid
\nhis time.<\/p>\n
In his speech on that occasion at the reception in honour of Goddy Agba,
\nto possibly claim that his long absence from the political scene was
\ndeliberate, he said he was like the dinosaur. The dinosaur could be
\nextinct but it was all the same a monster that was feared when it existed.
\nHow true such illustration could be! The question is, do we need to hold
\nsomeone or each other by the jugular to gain control of political power?
\nIt is not worth it when you consider how fluid such things can be. It is
\nworrisome indeed that our leaders have forgotten that the state they have
\nreached is the state where diplomacy is most needed. When a man has become
\ngovernor, he has as much as I know reached a state to be counted among the
\npantheon of our national leaders. And at a point, he could even be
\nreferred to as elder statesman when he may have reached an age to count
\nhis years downwards. How can you merit this regard if you never allowed
\nforbearance, wisdom and sanity to prevail?<\/p>\n
I am worried when it appears that the little expression that time heals
\nwounds could outrightly be negated when a man could nurse his animosities
\nfor almost a lifetime waiting for the total kill.<\/p>\n
If from all that Duke said, he meant to prove to the world that Imoke is a
\nfailure, he must have forgotten out of acrid bitterness and haste to
\ndeliver killer punches that Imoke\u2019s trail of woes began when he inherited
\nan empty treasury and a staggering debt burden. As a true friend, vilified
\nfor no known or just reason, Imoke on assumption of office tried very hard
\nto block tales of financial impropriety and misdemeanor so as not to put
\nhis friend at great ridicule. He would not hear about it nor discuss it.
\nMany people insisted to exhaust their agitations over what they called
\nsquandermania, profligacy, buccaneering achievements and a publicity
\nconscious government that was overrated by the press. What was achieved
\nwas not commensurate with government claims. Most of the people who felt
\nso excited to make such remarks were the elders who were so chastised for
\ntheir held views over issues which ran counter to his beliefs that such
\nelders fearing reprisals fled the state. I am not sure that they may even
\nat this time have recovered from that fear and shock.<\/p>\n
Whatever is on ground in the state since 2007 when Imoke took over is as a
\nresult of his ingenuity. How could anyone have succeeded with an empty
\ntreasury? This claim could be justified by what Donald himself
\ninadvertently said. He said that some of our neighbouring states, go home
\nevery month with about 20 billion from the Federation account while Cross
\nRiver State goes home with a paltry 2 billion naira.<\/p>\n
When Duke was in power, Imoke gave him every support he needed to succeed.
\nWhen Imoke came to power, Duke not only turned away his face, he attempted
\nto pull everything down. The opportunity to carry out his long scheme
\npresented itself with the coming of Goddy Agba for the governorship race.
\nDuke realized that Goddy would provide the much needed financial resources
\nand he would flaunt his former respectable position to bring Goddy under
\nhis canopy, protection and direction to haul his arsenals and assaults on
\nhis avowed enemy to extract revenge by which he would be mollified.<\/p>\n
Openly Donald told Goddy Agba that this fight was not Goddy\u2019s but his
\n(Duke\u2019s). The question is, how long would you fight against an assumed
\nopponent may be \u201cenemy\u201d who is not ready to go to battle with you?
\nPossibly, your excitement to go to battle against such an opponent (enemy)
\nis because you assume that his pliability means that he has acquiesced.
\nSecondly, if during your reign as governor you were a dinosaur and feared
\nas such, are you saying that the government of Goddy Agba (that is if at
\nall he becomes governor) which you are championing should replicate your
\nmethods? This is sad because metaphorically, the word dinosaur by the
\nOxford Advanced Learner\u2019s Dictionary description refers to a person or
\nthing that is old fashioned and cannot change in the changing conditions
\nof modern life. This is self-explanatory in view of the old unforgiving
\nanimosities he habours.<\/p>\n
Thirdly, it is quite absurd and almost an enormity to attempt to implant
\nviolence in the mind of Goddy Agba as you make him to believe that Cross
\nRiver State is a theatre of war.<\/p>\n
As Governor of Cross River State you undoubtedly made some marks, yes, you
\ndid! You left some legacies, yes! One of your most fundamental legacies
\nwas the cleanliness of the urban centres especially Calabar. In the same
\nvein, Imoke is leaving some very fundamental legacies to be remembered by
\nposterity. One of such is peace. Peace is very key to the galvanization
\nand harnessing of our resources both human and economic. So if you put
\nthis two on the weigh balance, there is likely to be a tilt to one side.
\nCleanliness is external though with something to do with the mind. But
\npeace has got entirely to do with the mind and the spirit. It is more
\ndifficult to achieve peace than cleanliness.<\/p>\n
While His Excellency Donald Duke concentrated development in the urban to
\nthe exclusion of the rural communities, Imoke did not abandon the urban
\ncentres. He improved on what was on ground and shifted attention to the
\nrural people who had never been so patronized. In fact about 75% of Cross
\nRiverians began to experience a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n
More than this, Imoke insists on instilling a sense of fairness and equity
\non the psyche of Cross Riverians. It was based on this that Imoke insisted
\nthat power must shift to the North who have been abandoned and neglected
\nand who if it had to go by free for all may have again been submerged by
\npolitical intrigues.<\/p>\n
However, when that exercise was being pursued by Imoke, we are aware that
\nsome people who think that they must now come to limelight to shine were
\nnever in complete support of this shift of power. Imoke did it almost
\nsingle handedly in case someone is forgetting.<\/p>\n
Imoke has also exemplified the lesson of forbearance. That is why you
\nhardly see him reply supposed opponents with the same snag.<\/p>\n
However, what is in front of us now is not a fight or warfare. We do not
\nneed to trade tackles to achieve our aims. We do not need to betray
\nourselves to the outside world. We do not need unforgiveness otherwise we
\nwould be throwing the state into turmoil and darkness even if we win the
\nelection. What we have in front of us is a political struggle to put a
\nworthy and deserving successor to Imoke.<\/p>\n
When Imoke became governor he used superior and peaceful methods even when
\nit was obvious that his predecessor and bosom friend had recanted and
\nreneged on the initial plan of succession. He never abused Duke or
\ndisagreed openly with him to the extent that Cross Riverians began to
\nimagine that Imoke fears Duke.<\/p>\n
It is typical of human nature that they approbate and reprobate. Duke
\nknows this fact very well. That is why he thinks that people have
\nforgotten or even forgiven him to the point that they listen to him
\nlambast innocent people. This approach of giving a dog a bad name to hang
\nit is an ungodly way of killing innocent people. And anything that is not
\nof God brings calamities to the people.<\/p>\n
I know that Cross Riverians realize this facts and as smart people who
\ncherish their peace, they would reject every attempt by such people to
\nfoist themselves on the people. Anything that would dislocate and
\ndisorganize the peace that Imoke had helped to engender in the state would
\nbe unacceptable.<\/p>\n
Let me use this medium to remind the Presidency and the National Working
\nCommittee (NWC) of the PDP that as they are looking into the crises in the
\nState following the last delegate elections, they should realize that
\nthrough the instrumentality of His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, the
\nparty has been stabilized in the state for sixteen years. From 1999 to
\n2007 during Duke\u2019s reign, Imoke was the stabilizing agent of the party.
\nThat was why Donald\u2019s henchmen at the time such as the State Chairman of
\nthe PDP Sunny Abang, Mr. Geshum Bassey, the present Deputy Governor to
\nImoke Barrister Efiok Cobham, who was then State Secretary of the Party
\nand Ntufam Ekpo Okon, then Commissioner for Works who doubled as the NDDC
\nCommissioner shunned Duke when he no longer wanted his friend to succeed
\nhim. These men stood with Imoke because he offered better leadership to
\nthem even as Obasanjo\u2019s Minister of Power and Steel. He showed more
\nconcern to the wellbeing of the party than Duke did and since he swung
\nsupport to himself and became governor against the wish of Donald, he had
\nnever found it easy to reconcile with this fact.<\/p>\n
It would therefore be good to take all these into consideration in
\nhandling Cross River matter in Abuja so that the party will continue to
\nenjoy the victory and successes it has recorded over the years in the
\nstate.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Hon. Moses Oko
\nS\/A to the Governor on Orientation & Public Affairs<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When some people describe politics as dirty business, they may not be far from the truth. Those who are really averse to the \u2018profession\u2019 stay away from it and have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n