Mandate is concessionary. It is not absolute. Mandate goes by tenure. It is derived from the people. This is the norm in democracy. The beauty of democracy is about the people determining their leadership. At the various levels of choosing representatives; it’s the people’s votes, cast at the polls, that determine who takes the mandate to serve. In this wise, while the representative is a ‘tenured’ leader of the people; power ultimately resides with the people, who so elected him.
The representation becomes a contract. The expectation is service. The people expect dividends. To drive the mandate successfully, regular consultations must be created. In this wise, a ‘dialogue- process’ is what keeps a people and a mandate holder together. In political parlance, it is known as constituency briefing.
Such interface enriches decisions touching on the socio-economic and political activities of the people. How compliant a representative is to the ‘dialogue- process’ with his people defines his political character and acceptability.
A social scientist, Dr Artika Tyner aptly stated that “The heart of the leader is manifested through service to others.” Another philosopher, Aleksandra Layland went further. Layland said that “The king should be the servant of his people, and seek to uplift them and their lives.”
The mandate holder is expected to offer reasonable services to the people in the capacity of his office. His constituents must be his focus and he must regularly interface with them; appraise their feelings on issues, and to report progress from time to time.
This accounts for the adoption of the appellation of ‘Servant- leader’ by some political office holders as a ‘conscience guide’ to drive their commitment for service.
An American information expert, Vern Dosch was emphatic that “In a servant leadership culture, we learn by choice or example that if we want to be great, we have to serve others respectfully.”
Democracy situates the structures of obtaining representations on the political parties. Aspiration to serve the people begins with the political parties. This etches another social contract on the mandate holder. He must be committed to the ideals of his party by upholding the party’s manifesto in providing services to the people.
Expectedly, a political officer must be a true party man and must also be dividend conscious. It becomes abstruse when he falters, either in jettisoning his commitment to his party or failing in delivering services to the people.
The Nigerian Constitution cements party bond. It goes ahead to frown on carpet-crossing. In keeping political officers in check and also in demanding good ethical behaviour from them, especially those in the National and State legislatures, the Constitution stipulates penalty against infringement. A Nigerian political commentator, Adesina Ogunlana opines that “ Carpet crossing from one party to the other is immoral and shows the politician concerned as being more interested in his personal gains rather than service to the people he is elected to serve or who elected him to represent and serve them.”
The 1999 Constitution states that a member of the Senate or House of Representatives is liable to vacate his seat under section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution "being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which the House was elected".
A similar provision is also stated in section 109 (1) (g), pertaining to the states House of Assembly. The grounds of exception for carpet-crossing are very limited. This clearly gives the people and the party a hold on their representatives.
This is the scenario playing out in Eket Senatorial District (ESD). Their representative, Senator Nelson Effiong has suddenly dumped his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC). Did he interface with the party or the people to get their consent before taking his action? Effiong’s decision has stirred a flurry of reactions from his constituents, PDP and many others, who see his defection as a breach.
This is our today’s magazine report for you. It is titled “Sen Effiong’s Defection: Eket Unites For Udom.” It is a must read.
The gathering was thick and unprecedented. In less than few hours, the expansive hall of the Octagon Event Centre in Ikot Udoma, Eket, Akwa Ibom State was filled within and outside by a mammoth crowd.
The entire Eket City itself had witnessed a gridlock on that Friday, January 20, 2017 as stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), came in from all the 12 local government areas of Eket Senatorial District.
In Nigerian political parlance, that was a fitting assemblage of men and women of “timber and calibre.” The stakeholders were chieftains of the party in the senatorial district, serving and former Federal and State Legislators, serving and former Commissioners in the State Executive Council, current and ex-Local government chairmen, former Ambassadors and ex-federal Ministers, business tycoons, Special/Personal Assistants to the Governor and leaders of groups, etc.
It also attracted Elders, Women and Youth Groups, Socio-political organizations. As soon as the tone for the political gathering was set by party leaders, thunderous applauses for Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel filled the air. From speaker to speaker, Gov Emmanuel’s excellent scorecard in the last 19 months of governance was very obvious to be given a second term in office.
Some of the speakers were Mr Mfon Nkantion, Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Chief Nduese Essien, a two-term member of the House of Representatives and former Federal Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Mr Francis Charles Uduyok, ex-chairman of Eastern Obolo Local Government Council and Member representing Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo in the House of Representatives; Mrs Princess Felicia Bassey, Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and member representing Okobo State Constituency in AKHA; Ambassador Assam Assam SAN, former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Akwa Ibom State and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia; and Mr Ephraim Inyang-eyen, commissioner for Works.
Others were Mrs Valerie Ebe, former Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor; Dr Esio Okwong Udoh, former Local Government chairman and former member of the House of Representatives; Dr (Mrs) Akon Eyakenyin, former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Chairman of Akwapoly Governing Council; Bishop Etim Ante, PDP South South Zonal Publicity Secretary, and numerous others.
Two key issues dominated the enlarged stakeholders’ meeting. These were the 2019 Governorship election and the sudden defection of the Senator Nelson Effiong to the All Progressive Congress (APC). Effiong, the senator representing Eket Senatorial District, had announced his defection from PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the senate on Thursday, January 19, 2017.
The communiqué issued at the meeting clearly conveyed the mood of the day on these issues. Communiqué stated thus, “Stakeholders and leaders of thought from Eket Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom State converged in Eket on Friday, January 20, 2017 to review developments in Akwa Ibom State under the able and charismatic leadership of His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
“The meeting noted the tragedy caused by the collapse of Reigners’ Bible Church building in Uyo and condoled with the families of those who died in the unfortunate incident. The stakeholders wished those who were injured speedy and full recovery. The meeting also commended His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for promptly leading rescue operations after the incident, even when he himself was in the building when it collapsed. By his prompt response, His Excellency once again demonstrated his humaneness, love and care for his people and indeed, for humanity.”
They commended the governor for his achievements since assumption of office and recalled that he has “so far initiated and even completed many laudable projects and sustained a high momentum in governance, even during this difficult economic period.”
It also x-rayed State’s free education policy, challenges of infrastructure in the health and educational sectors and expressed delight not only was the governor sustaining the hope of the people in those sectors, but that many schools and hospitals are undergoing renovation while the Akwa Ibom State University has recorded increase in the number of accredited courses.
The stakeholders noted the governor’s undaunted drive to industrialize the State as evident in the revamping of Peacock Paints Limited in Etinan while the Coconut Refinery, the Metering Company, Ibom Deep Seaport and others are in various stages of actualization, maintain that these are promises fulfilled.
They also expressed satisfaction that Mr Emmanuel has held “passionately to his five-point agenda of job creation, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, economic and political inclusion, infrastructural consolidation & expansion,” adding that like “the planting of a seed, we are beginning to see the fruits.”
Also pleasing to the stakeholders, was the governor’s commitment towards strengthening the unity of Akwa Ibom people by reaching out to broad segments of the State through an all-inclusive approach to governance. He added, “This is important so that our people can work together and realize our abundant endowments in line with the Dakkada philosophy.”
They categorically endorsed the governor for a second term in office and as the zone’s sole candidate for the 2019 Governorship election in Akwa Ibom State. The communiqué read, “The meeting noted with deep appreciation the open endorsements recently given His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel, to run for a second term by the people of Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts respectively. We thank the two Senatorial Districts for their patriotic and far-sighted endorsements. Such initiative will ensure social justice and strengthen the fabric of Akwa Ibom unity.
“Given the overwhelming current of opinion in the State that Eket Senatorial District should occupy the governorship seat for eight (8) years, after which the position moves to Uyo Senatorial District, we, the stakeholders and leaders of thought in Eket Senatorial District hereby throw our weight behind His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for a second term in office.”
Further adducing reasons for the endorsement, the stakeholders with the excellent scorecard, it is quite appropriate that he be encouraged to run for another term so that he can fully utilize the opportunities he has created to further develop State.
The defection of Senator Effiong to APC attracted considerably reactions by various speakers, who were unanimous that the action of Senator Effiong was an act of betrayal, and that it was of no consequence whatsoever towards the success of the PDP in the next general elections in the zone.
But in an apparent effort to defend his action, Senator Effiong, who was quoted to have stated that he had widely consulted the people of his Senatorial District before defecting to the APC, said that he defected to APC from PDP because of factions and crisis in the party.
“PDP is factionalised, that is the major reason why I left the party; and then you can not be in a party that has no direction, people are leaving the party because of the inability to solve its crisis,” he added. However, his constituents countered that claim as being spurious and a blatant lie.
Chief Nduese Essien, the former Minster of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said PDP will recover its mandate from the defected PDP senator.
According to Essien, who is the political leader of Eket Senatorial District, the state PDP would begin the process that will ultimately ensure that the mandate given to Effiong was recovered. He frowned at the alleged level of indiscipline exhibited by the senator, saying that the party would take drastic action to recover its mandate.
“We will take steps to recover our mandate from Sen. Effiong, who defected to APC. We are not talking about recall, because recall is an electioneering process, but there are other ways of recovering our mandate.
“When I heard that Senator Effiong has defected, I was happy because this is the man that we were told was ill for so many months and he was not appearing in the floor of the senate. We were not hearing from him, we were not seeing him in the constituency and he was not doing anything.
“He was merely wasting our senatorial seat, now that he has gone; I think we have the opportunity to replace our mandate with another son of the area.”
The political leader noted that Senator Effiong’s defection was strange because he emerged from a predominantly one party in the state and that the party was not in crisis in his senatorial district. He said, “There is disagreement in the leadership of the PDP at the national level, but back home at his constituency and at the state level, the party is intact.”
He described his performance in the upper chamber of the National Assembly as “abysmal.” Essien maintained that for the Senator to have left the party without consulting the people who elected him in the first instance was completely “uncharitable and unacceptable.”
Essien’s reaction and that of the Eket Stakeholders’ have received the approval of the party in the State, the State publicity secretary of PDP, Barr Ini Ememobong said in a statement soon after that the party has “received with mixed feelings the announcement of the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong, who was elected on the platform of our great Party to represent the people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District.”
“ The Senator, who had been in the eye of the storm recently for his below par performance in and out of the Senate, cited the division at the National Level of the party as his reason for defecting adding that “any politician worth his salt will not stay back in a Party that is sinking like the PDP.”
Ememobong disclosed that the State chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo has directed the Legal department of our party “to commence the process of recovering the mandate freely given to Effiong and manifestly mismanaged and corrupted by him.”
“We however note that his actions and statements are indicative of a drowning man, who in his speedy descent into an abyss, holds on to any straw within sight and seeks to take with him anything willing to follow. The People’s Democratic Party is not and cannot be a sinking party; even Nelson Effiong recognized so during the last enlarged stakeholders meeting of the Party held in December 2016, where he spoke glowing about the party.”
The publicity secretary urged party faithful, especially those from Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District “to remain calm and continue to support the party, knowing that we will do everything within the ambit of the law to reclaim the Party’s mandate. We agree with Abraham Lincoln’s postulation that “nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character give him power”. As a party, we gave Nelson Effiong the power to speak for his people, but his character showed up and now the whole world can judge him.”
Oro, the Senator Effiong’s immediate constituency, also distanced itself from his action. Stakeholders from Oro, comprising five Local government areas were unanimous in their condemnation at a Press Conference held at the Emerald Event Centre, Edet Akpan Avenue, Uyo on Tuesday, January 24. 2017.
In their statement by Bishop Etim Ante, PDP South South Zonal Publicity Secretary noted that “The sudden announcement of defection in the floor of the Senate, Senator Nelson Effiong, to the All Progressive Congress (APC) came to everyone of us as a big surprise. And of course, the PDP stakeholders in the Oro Nation were quick to read meanings into it and could see through the ulterior motives behind Nelson Effiong’s move, forgetting that he went to the Senate on the platform and patriotic sacrifices and votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
The stakeholders said that consequent upon “our unpretentious displeasure, the following resolutions were reached:
*That Senator Nelson Effiong did not consult with the people of his immediate constituency and the entire people of Eket Senatorial District before his controversial and questionable defection.
*That the Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oro Nation strongly condemn in its entirety and vehemently disapprove the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong to All Progressive Congress and therefore see his ill-advised, indiscrete defection as baseless and inconsequential. This suicidal act of cross-carpeting is nothing but a betrayal of trust of the most unthinkable dimension.
*That because he acted unilaterally, having been pre-judged by his conscience that the Oro Nation would never give him the endorsement for such deadly summersault, we accordingly consider the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong as strictly personal and therefore not in the best interest of the PDP family in Oro Nation. It is saddening and nauseating that Senator Nelson Effiong has so soon lost touch with history and contemporary reality.
*That as the Senator Representing Eket Senatorial District, he has to his greatest disadvantage, disconnected himself from the people he is representing from inception of his election.
His representation is therefore abysmal, woeful and insulting to the loyalty and trust the Oro Nation once had on him. It is even most shocking that at a time Senator Nelson Effiong should be consulting and liaising with those who empowered him, he rather was busy plotting evil on how deep to bite the finger that fed him.
We are tempted to ask: How many Constituency projects has Senator Nelson Effiong attracted to his immediate Constituency? How many and how peculiarly populist may the motions he claimed to have moved been in the floor of the Senate and how beneficiary are they to the people of Eket Senatorial District? Oron stakeholders have observed these with total disappointment.
*That Senator Nelson Effiong, a visionless politician, has cheaply given himself to flippant, unguarded and inflammatory comments to discredit His Excellency, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State in a failed attempt to distort or twist facts and misinform the gullible. Freedom to air opinions or views on any media platform does not arrogate to a drowning politician the right to peddle unsubstantiated facts to curry unjustifiable political favour from the All Progressive Congress.
*Senator Nelson Effiong should stop dissipating his weak energy in desperation to score cheap political points and redeem whatever is left of his broken political relevance.
*That the Oro people condemn in the strongest terms his derogatory remarks on the leadership of PDP and the leader of the party in the State, Gov Emmanuel.
*That, in sharp contrast to his lopsided permutations and counter-productive miscalculations, we view his exit as a blessing in disguise, a good riddance to a bad rubbish, for the good people of Eket Senatorial District whom he has irrationally severed himself from. This has culminated in his present political woes, inducing to the total loss of confidence in his entire representation.
*That, consequently, the Oro people as one integrated and indivisible entity, have passed a Vote of Confidence on the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Gov Udom Emmanuel, for him to continue to deliver quality democratic dividends to the people of Akwa Ibom State, who never for once had any doubts nor fears in his integrity, capability and patriotism.
*That we as a people never had any agreement for a single term for our Governor as Senator Nelson Effiong has been peddling for cheap sympathy from the sycophantic elements from the other side of the divide. For the repetition and emphasis it deserves, we hereby once again unanimously endorse His Excellency (Deacon) Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for a second term in office as the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State.”
The stakeholders expressly refuted his (Senator Effiong) allegations that he was not involved in the decisions concerning his wards and Local Government party affairs. They stated, “For the avoidance of doubts, copies of PDP Oron Urban Ward 10, Ward 1, Chapter Executive Members and harmonized list of PDP Ward Executive Members in Oron Local Government Area, that of Local Government and State Delegates were signed by Senator Nelson Effiong, using his red biro. Surprisingly however, Senator Nelson Effiong, in his very confused state of mind, during a phone-in interview with Planet 101.1FM last Saturday, January 21, 2017 out rightly denied that he had no hand in the election of ward and Chapter Executive Members of Oron Local Government Area Chapter of PDP.”
Signatories to the statement were: Mrs Princess Felicia Bassey, Deputy Speaker and member representing Okobo State constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Bishop Etim Ante, PDP South South Zonal Publicity Secretary; Mr Effiong Bassey, former Deputy Speaker and Member representing Oron State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Dr (Mrs) Akon Eyakenyin, former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development/ Chairman of Akwapoly Governing Council; Mr Victor Antai, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism; Mr Orman Esin, Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources; Chief Esio Okwong Udoh, former House of Representatives Member, Oron Federal Constituency and Mrs Atim Okpoyo, wife of former deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom State among others.
Another formidable group, Oro Nation Volunteer Group held a meeting on Saturday, January 21, 2017, at ORON, Akwa Ibom State. The group in its communiqué, “unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and leader of our great party, the PDP, Gov Emmanuel especially for his prudent financial management, prompt payment of worker salaries and maximum utilization of scarce funds to embark on new and viable infrastructural projects across the state. We note with pride and satisfaction the governor’s administrative and macroeconomic management prowess which has stabilized the state during this unprecedented national recession.”
It appreciated the governor for “the proactive steps he has taken since assumption of office as governor to promptly intervene and salvage major connecting streets in Oron main town and the on-going construction of a new Uyo-Oron dual carriageway that will terminate at Ibaka. It is pertinent to note that most of these streets were impossible for about three decades before the intervention; hence, Mr Emmanuel can be rightly described as the best governor to impact positively on the socio-economic and political lives of the Oro Nation.”
The group condemned the defection of Senator Effiong from PDP to APC, describing it as “a storm in a tea cup”. It said that “Senator Effiong had never held any meeting since his election in 2015 not to talk of a constituency briefing before the defection and as such has no backing of the right thinking electorates of the senatorial district.” They assured the governor that the PDP is intact in Oron Federal Constituency, and that outside the PDP umbrella the said Senator cannot win election even in his unit, ward, Oron Local Government nor in the Oron Federal Constituency.”
In the face of the development, the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel exhibited humility and confidence as a great leader, who is well loved and supported. The governor said Senator Effiong’s Defection Cannot Weaken PDP in Akwa Ibom State. Reflecting on the development, the governor called on Nigerians to emulate civilised climes where people are identified with party’s ideology irrespective of the party in power.
He said that cross carpeting has become prominent in the Nigerian political scene because people have refused to imbibe healthy political ideologies and culture but prefer to use political parties as platforms to gain political power.
The governor, who bared his mind at Ibom International Airport during his interaction with Government House Correspondents, shortly on his arrival from Abuja, however assured that the defection of one person cannot affect the strength of the party in the state. According to him, the defection does not change PDP narrative in the state as the party is like a religion with large fellowship across the state.
He assured that his administration would not derail from its five - point agenda in which political inclusion is paramount and called on PDP faithful not to be swayed by political persuasions by unprincipled persons.
“In developed Democracies people are inclined to party ideologies and platforms, Democrats or Republicans. Even in some African countries, you hardly see people jumping from one party to another for selfish reasons. I see the development as cheap political blackmail where a person chooses to dent his party which has brought him to limelight in order to gain acceptance in another Party," he added. At the airport to receive the governor were the member, representing Uyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Michael Enyong; Commissioner for Housing and Special Duties, Mr Akan Okon, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Glory Edet, State PDP Legal Adviser, Mr Godwill Umoh, who is a lawyer and, the PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr Ini Ememobong, a lawyer, permanent secretaries and other top government functionaries.
Mr Ephraim Inyang-eyen effectively stated the commitment of the administration to deliver on the mandate given by the totality of Akwa Ibom people to the governor. “You can see that the governor is very committed day in and day out, working to fulfill his vision and promises to the people. We are conscious of the support by the three senatorial districts to the administration and nothing will distract us from delivering on our promises.”
“Throughout the state, our vision and commitment is clearly seen by the extraordinary superior performance encapsulated by the projects completed and on-going. Our programmes greatly touched the lives of people of the state and we will remain very focus to these.”
Culled From Community Pioneer of Monday 30, January, 2017 .
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