Equity and fair play become the new political slogan for the people of Eket Senatorial District as their opponents seem to counter the principle of zoning. Charles Effiong examines the situation
Those who believe in the law of Karma understand the saying that you should ‘do to others what you want to be done to you.’ This principal considered as equity and fairness has somewhat impacted on the way people live and think of their neighbours, their communities and their future. They have pervaded every sphere of life – politics, society, economy among others.
In politics alone, equity and fairness have attempted to shape the way political thinkers and pundits strategise to get what they want. They have even shown some effect on the behaviour of the electorate and to some extent, without bias, the feelings of the perceived impartial judges during elections.
In Nigeria, for instance, while some politicians have conceded to the significance of these, others have remained obstinate that politics is a contest and must be considered so, and opened to all; yet some others are still hanging and swinging like the pendulum bob, so that when the period favours them, they say nothing against the ideologies and when it doesn’t, they rise against them and their proponents.
The people of Akwa Ibom State have since the re-election of Governor Godswill Akpabio begun the hunt for his successor come 2015. Although it has been considered by many as too early for such campaigns, but the state made up of three major ethnic groups acknowledged
nationally, has continued to feel that it is better to go in search of black goat when it is not dark.
Just like the experience of 2006, when the former governor, Obong Victor Attah, was beginning to wind up, governorship hopefuls for the 2015 poll have since begun to emerge with two senatorial districts, Eket and Uyo, forming rivalry for one another.
For the people of Eket also referred to as Akwa Ibom South senatorial district, 2015 is non-negotiable because zoning favours them, and more so, two out of the three senatorial districts of the state have already taken their slots leaving them as the only one remaining to complete the round of zoning.
To attract followership for their campaign, they launched advocacy programme, sensitised the entire state through the media and distributed hand bills and posters.
However, the argument has not been favourable to Akwa Ibom East (Uyo) senatorial district. A good number of elite from Uyo have despised the zoning campaign as seeking to promote mediocrity and reduce a contest to mere selection.
Top among those against the zoning policy include Senator Ita Enang, Senator Anietie Okon, Prince Godwin Ntukude among others. These persons and their district have fervently argued that zoning has never been encouraged in the state and should not be encouraged in 2015 either.
Undaunted, Eket senatorial district still carries on with its campaign on zoning and is leaning on the strength of the political parties, especially the ones with an overwhelming majority in the state, which are disposed to zoning of their political offices.
In giving pep to the campaign, the people have now resorted to the slogan of equity and fairness as the basis for their aspiration. Chairman of Eket senatorial district of the Peoples Forum, Hon. Nduese Essien recently stressed that since their opponents are averse to the word zoning, “we should now tell them that we seek equity and fairness”.
Essien, a former national lawmaker and minister, spoke while interacting with journalists and insisted that it would only be fair and just for the state to allow the senatorial district which has produced its wealth since creation and even before, to have a shot at the hilltop mansion (Government House).
He buttressed his point saying that all eyes within and outside the state have seen Uyo and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts produced governors for two terms each, and that it would only be rational and simply understanding to have Eket senatorial district produce the next governor in 2015.
Corroborating the position, a socio-political group from the area known as Oro Think Tank, OTT, held a public presentation in which it charged the entire state to only think of fair play, justice and equity in the march towards 2015 governorship election.
In his remarks, chairman of OTT, Comrade Okon Osung referred to Article 7(2)(c) in the constitution of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“In pursuance of the principles of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels”, he stressed.
Furthermore, Osung supported the people’s standpoint by contending that in the last public review of the 1999 constitution amendment, apart from only one federal constituency out of the 10 in the state, nine overwhelmingly supported zoning and rotation based on equity and fairness.
“Not only have President Goodluck Jonathan subscribed and committed himself irrevocably to zoning and rotation, nine out of 10 federal constituencies in Akwa Ibom State during the people’s public review for amendment of the 1999 constitution conducted by the National Assembly in 360 federal constituencies nation-wide in 2012 endorsed zoning/rotation for the office of the president between the northern and southern parts of Nigeria and that of the office of the governor among the three senatorial districts of a state”, he said.
For Governor Akpabio, anybody seeking to succeed him must be of God’s will and must be ready to consolidate on the gains established by him and which has attracted the popular mantra, “Uncommon Transformation”.
Notwithstanding, the people of Eket seem to have committed themselves to persuading their brothers from other senatorial districts to see the need of supporting their course to the Hilltop Mansion. This step, they hold is from the admonition of Martin Luther King Jnr that “the hope of a secure and liveable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”