OBA, Udom: Creating Political Synergy for Sustainable Development

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Political synergy is an essential tool for development of any state. In advanced Democracies, synergy has over the years played a key role in development of polity. The political scientist defines synergy as “The interaction of two or more agents or factors whose resultant combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effect.

In Akwa Ibom state, political synergy has been key to our continued existence as a people. This can be traced back to events that led to the creation of the state in 1987, as the people collapse into a single structure for the emergence of Akwa Ibom from the old Cross River State as endorsed by the Ibrahim Babangida led administration.

It is worth mentioning, that without the power of synergy, it would had been practically impossible for people of the state to witness massive development that has invaded the state in key areas like the economy, politics, social and cultural endeavours in recent times.

Through synergy, Akwa Ibom people have strategically existed as one indivisible entity. This has brought about positive collaboration in the state, particularly between culture and religion. This is also evident in the manner at which religious and cultural activities are managed in the state without conflicting interests. Religious synergy embraced by different quarters of the state has allowed people from different denominations to relate well, share views and transact various forms of businesses irrespective of ethnic and tribal affiliation.

The religious, social, economic and cultural synergy expressed by people of the state over time has paved way for political synergy to be enhanced for development of the masses. This can be expressly classified in the development recorded by previous administrations of the state, and recently the Governor Akpabio led administration from 2007 till date.

The uncommon transformation witnessed in the state can be sufficiently linked to synergy created by relevant stakeholders in the polity with opinion leaders and the masses over the years. It is through synergy that Governor Akpabio against the odds appointed Obong Bassey Albert (OBA) as commissioner for finance in 2007 to set up a solid financial management framework to see to the development of Akwa Ibom people across the 329 wards of the state through the Interministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee.

The successes recorded by the Interministerial Direct Labour Committee was as a result of the positive collaboration between the Government and the Governed (The People), championed by Mr. Bassey Albert. As a project manager with depth and vibrancy, he ensured the demands of the people were met in line with provisions of Government.

Akwa Ibom people who were in close affiliation with the distinctive attributes of Mr. Bassey Albert unanimously called for and asked he led them as number one citizen of Akwa Ibom from 2015, to guarantee continued stabilization of the relationship created by Government with all manner of persons (professionals, cooperate individuals and street boys) in the last decade or so. Obong Bassey Albert harked to the voice of the people and consulted widely across the 31 LGAs of the state to seek the opinion of stakeholders for the plumb job.

Throughout his consultation with the people, synergy and collaboration were watchwords in the mouths of women, youths and political gladiators. Mr. Albert is seen as the bridge needed to synergize both ends of the new Akwa Ibom. This is responsible for his wide acceptability across various fractions of the state.

 The build up to the 2015 elections in Akwa Ibom state has been intriguing and probabilistic. Several political equations have been developed by theorist and realist, but the reality lies behind what the people want and what can be provided by a Government. Political pundits are of the opinion that the incoming political dispensation may be faced with an uphill task of catching up with standards set by the current administration in the state.

Obong Bassey Albert, a leading gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom state was believed to be on the brink of clinching the party’s guber ticket, until the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party zoned the office to Eket Senatorial District, thus ruling OBA who hails from Uyo Senatorial District out of the race.

Expert analysis recently revealed that the 2015 gubernatorial election on the basis of the PDP was hugely dependent on a constant, classified as the “OBA constant”. Following the NWC’s decision, there were rumours that Mr. Albert will dump the PDP for another party. But as a loyal party man, the former finance boss decided to stick with the ruling party. His decision to remain with the PDP proved bookmakers wrong, who were keen on seeing the Ibiono Ibom heavy weight blow into thin air his magnificent political structure.

Political associates and schemers, individually and collectively approached the former finance boss to join collapse his political structure for one camp or the other. It was on this basis, after due consultation that Obong Albert engaged in robust research to ensure his decision to support a candidate will not lead to disaffection amongst his supporters and admirers.

On the 6th of December, 2014, history was yet again made as far as political synergy and collaboration is concerned in Akwa Ibom state, when Obong Bassey Albert handed over his political structure to the candidate of the PDP in the February 2015 polls, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel. The move was greeted huge criticism by a cross section of supporters, who now hail his decision as the best thing that has happened to the state politically in recent times. OBA’s decision to synergize with Udom Emmanuel, an accomplished professional in the cooperate world, was based on his careful analysis of all aspirants under the platform of the PDP using a confined research and development model.

Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel possesses an intimidating résumé, which is in line with the yearnings of Akwa Ibom people. His leadership and empowerment qualities are in consonant with the modus operandi of Obong Bassey Albert. These qualities are the basis on which supporters of both camps have enjoyed positive collaboration in all facets of the polity.

The synergy between OBA and Udom is believed by many to be key to realization of the New Akwa Ibom. It is widely believed that when the Industrialization drive of the state is set on course by the incoming administration of Mr. Udom Emmanuel, issues of empowerment of Akwa Ibom Women, building of youths and maintenance of elders will be properly addressed with Obong Bassey Albert defining strategies at the National and State level of politics as Senator of the Federal Republic and resource mobilization agent respectively.

Akwa Ibom people, there is need to consolidate on the synergy created by Obong Bassey Albert and Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel to allow room for speedy development and continued sustenance of the uncommon transformation brought to the people by the Governor Akpabio led administration. This will be positively enhanced by voting Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and Obong Bassey Albert, both of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as Governor and Senator (Akwa Ibom North East District) respectively come February, 2015.

[+] Promise Etim

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