Uyoobong Udofia (Salem)
Last year, after the Young Progressives Party (YPP) had visited about four local government areas for its campaigns, a brother from the ‘Umbrella Organisation’ asked me if truly Senator OBA was doing ward-to-ward campaigns. My affirmative answer drew this reaction from him: “Indeed, OBA is not in for any joke with Akwa Ibom people”.
The long awaited year 2023 is here already. So far, the campaigns already done across the state are enough for Akwa Ibomites to determine who means well for them and who they want to vote.
It is never enough to flaunt blueprints of what your administration would offer the people. How much do you really know how about them to help you serve them well? Getting down to the roots, to the interiors does a lot of good. That way, you will see firsthand the nature of their roads, their condition of living, access to health facilities, sources of drinking water, access to schools, markets and other things government can do to better the lives of rural dwellers who mostly feel little or no impact of government. That is what Senator Albert is doing with his ward-to-ward campaigns.
For instance, at Eastern Obolo LGA, it took about four hours to navigate what would ordinarily be 40minutes drive to the paramount ruler’s palace. The indigenes spent time and energy to bash the ruling PDP for abandoning them to their bad roads, despicable source of water and poor condition of living.
Again, at Ikpa Ikono in Mkpat Enin LGA, same condition was met, as road to the Paramount Ruler’s palace, markets, schools were all in their different sorry states, absolutely nothing to rave about. There and then, the people, in their large numbers, stormed the campaign venue to not only declare support for OBA, but to thank him for coming down to the roots to see how his administration will be of help to their immediate problems.
Throughout the first phase of the campaigns, OBA, directly or through his wife, always heard promised to give local solutions to the local problems across Akwa Ibom State. He saw the need to resuscitate the raffia economy in Ikot Ekpene local government area to boost their local economy. At Oruk Anam LGA which is rich in oil palm production, OBA, as an economist of global rating, identified great business potentials and promised to turn the area to “Malaysia of Akwa Ibom State” – for large production/exportation of palm oil.
This is how to engage the electorate in a bid to sign a “social contract”. It is far beyond plagiarising an old and impracticable manifesto and importing people to a comfortable location to repeat another set of lies. Urue-Offong Oruko, for instance, have witnessed that repeatedly. In 2019, Udom promised to empower the youths there with fishing nets and fish preservative facilities. He never did and now avoids Oro like a plague. Embarrassingly, his stooge returned there a few weeks ago to promise the same things.
Are you wondering why Senator OBA is known in different quarters as Akwa Ibom Homeboy? Being a servant leader and having been so interested in turning Akwa Ibom State to a destination of choice, the Senator did tour the nooks and crannies of the State as the then Chairman of Interministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee. That was intentional. That was self motivated, a passionate approach to having firsthand knowledge of the people’s problems so as to proffer enduring solutions.
Yet, he is returning to all the wards to engage the people. To understand their enduring problems. So far, about 140 of the 329 wards in Akwa Ibom State had been reached during the first leg YPP’s Campaign. By that, about 1980 units have also been reached and the people, comprising the old, physically challenged, have felt OBA’s presence and also hear firsthand what he has for them.
Now, the masses are aware that OBA is the only governorship candidate who feel m their pulse and means well for them. Quite often, they pledge their readiness to take their destinies in their hands by choosing who they want.
Vote OBA; vote YPP; vote the green leaves!
