2015: Akpabio Spends N5Billion on Toyota Corolla Cars to bribe delegates!

As we count down to 2015 election year, there seems to be a new twist with respect to who succeeds the incumbent Governor of Akwa Ibom State. It is no longer news that Governor Akpabio has anointed his successor and the people of Akwa Ibom State have also drawn a line between Akpabio’s inordinate disguised third term ambition. What is news rather is the startling revelation that the Governor is determined to bring down if possible the Walls of Jericho to ensure that Udom Emmanuel, an unknown political quantity is imposed as Governor of Akwa Ibom State on reasons best known to the Governor.

The scary revelation according to very impeccable source is the purchase of over 1000 Toyota Corolla cars which is to be given to each delegate in the state as inducement to support Governor Akpabio’s anointed candidate. The source who did not want his name mentioned in print expressed shock at the level Governor Akpabio could go just to fulfill his ambitions.

The source decried Akpabio’s failure to fulfill his second term campaign promise of establishing one industry in each local government area of the State. According to the source, “does the Governor have the fainted idea what N5Billion can do to our economy?”

Speaking exclusively to our reporter, a political stakeholder in the State described Akpabio’s action as near insanity. He reminded the Governor of the incidences which led to his emergence as Governor 2007. “Despite all the money Obong Attah spent with the machinery of government at his disposal, Attah could not impose his son-inlaw on the people of Akwa Ibom State. We have heard the Governor boast that God starts where money ends and let me tell him that the God of Akwa Ibom State will not let Akpabio’s taunt go unchallenged.”

A spirit-filled man of God who spoke on condition of anonymity noted that Akpabio will leave office unceremoniously because of his haughtiness and presumptuousness. He wondered why a man with a humble beginning such as Akpabio would later deride God’s grace for self elevation. In his words, the clergyman said, “if Godswill Akpabio is not careful, if he does not retreat from the path of self glorification, if he does not ascribe his rise to power to God publicly, if he does not desist from squandering the common wealth of the people, if he continues to deceitfully disunite this state with his antics of zoning or no zoning, the God of Israel who enthroned and dethroned Saul as King of Israel will make Himself manifest to Godswill Akpabio.”

An unemployed University Graduate, Inemesit Etuk, urged the Governor to invest and diversify the State’s economy to create jobs for millions of unemployed graduates. He observed that had the Governor concentrated on developing Ibaka Seaport and the Science Park, the youths of this State would have remembered him for a very long time. The unemployed business graduate said that the potentials of the Seaport and the Science Park alone would have created millions of skills related jobs and that would have reduced  political tension in the State in the sense that youths wouldn’t have been available for thuggery and other inhuman jobs.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has been given a conditional proposal by the Akpabio led PDP Governors for Jonathan’s re-election in 2015. According to media reports, the conditions include among others the imposition of their successors as well as giving automatic tickets to Governors who are willing to contest senatorial seats. But a Presidential source who spoke to our correspondent in strict confidence described the purported proposal as ambitious, self-centered, egoistic, greedy and lacking democratic merit.

He wondered why Governors whose tenures will expire on May 29, 2015 are desperate to anoint their successors at the same time demanding a seat in the hallowed chambers of the Senate. To him, it is “a sign of fear of life after office.” Continuing, the source said that the Presidency seriously views the actions of Akpabio and his co-travelers as a stab in the back and a well oiled ambush of the President.

Concluding, the source reiterated the President’s and the Party’s earlier position that there will be no automatic tickets in PDP.