Akpan Umoh, Uyo
The youths of Akwa Ibom State have criticized Governor Udom Emmanuel over his imposition of a governorship candidate, noting that the action is null and void.
According to them, the single-handed nomination of a candidate by the governor does not mean that his choice has prevailed over the will of almost seven million Akwa Ibom residents; he noted that the attempt is an exercise in futility.
The youths, who converged under the aegis of Coalition of Akwa Ibom Youth Groups (CAIG), added that it is only the political parties that have the mandate to nominate flagbearers for any given election and not an individual.
The Speaker of the South-South Youth Assembly (SSYA), Comrade Victor Thompson, and leader of Youth Democratic Movement (YDM), vehemently condemned the governor’s action in a joint press conference on Monday in Uyo.
According to the youths, Emmanuel’s action of handpicking a successor before the party’s primary amounted to imposition and an appointment of a governor for the people.
They wondered why the governor would hide under the guise of ‘hearing from God’ to impose a governor for almost 7 million indigenes of the state.
Thompson said: “It is no longer news that Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has, in his birthday to exploit the element of his godliness of our people and their affinity to God, has come up with a deceptive vision that God has revealed a successor to him and has singlehandedly anointed and purportedly appointed his successor in the person of Pastor Umo Eno.
“It is very surprising that the governor is the only person in the state of over 6 million that can hear from God. The governor on the other hand has done a great disservice to the good and sensibility of over 6 million Akwa Ibom persons by singlehandedly trying to impose liability on Akwa Ibom political space for yet to be disclosed reasons.
“It is pertinent to mention that Pastor Umo Eno who has never been associated with nor interested in the political process in Akwa Ibom state, will suddenly become interested in the race and so appointed without consideration for others who have paid their dues, loyalty, resources, time and more to nurse the administration until now. “Akwa Ibom is bigger than the inordinate ambition of some characters. Having gone through a lot in the hands of the present political actor, Akwa Ibom needs fresh, vibrant, purposeful, and forthright leadership.”