Why Not Onofiok Luke?

Why Not Onofiok Luke?

By N. T. A. Efo

        I had just one encounter and I knew that some legislators, including Onofiok Luke, a lawyer and member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency, were in the House of Assembly for serious reasons – to represent their people in the scheme of things in the State; to make extant laws for the people of the State and make sure the executive arm of government performed at the dictates of the people’s conscience.

        It was the day newly appointed commissioners – some were returning – in Governor Godswill Akpabio’s first second term cabinet were before the House for screening. The screening was anything, by any standard, screening.  It was more or less a sing - song afternoon, the lead vocalists being the legislators representing the nominees who in their choruses asked for those they sang for, to be permitted to take a bow and leave.

        It was few days after the Senate in Abuja had screened ministerial nominees. In Abuja, there was screening in all the sense of the word screening.  Though some Senators amongst them were told to take a bow and leave, some of them were still asked some questions pertinent to their nomination.

        You could see how disillusioned. I and some great minded Akwa Ibomites were, to watch the charade called screening at the State House of Assembly. Few people, including Luke, tried to ask questions but were overruled by the Speakers, who most times led the refrain in singing the praise of some of the nominees. On more them one occasion, he had tod the nominees, before putting the vote to the floor; “I know you performed in your office last time.  This time I know you will perform better”.  Who would ever not get cleared before such an Assembly?

        Immediately the charade was over, I called Luke and Bassey Etienam, another lawyer and member representing Urue Offiong Oruko State Constituency.  They had just left my circle in the Forum of Personal Aides to the Governor and moved to higher grounds.  So, I could easily connect with them.  They both picked the calls – they still pick my calls anyway – and based on their answers to my complains about the screening, I knew the duo were in the House for serious business.

Luke told me he had prepared questions for each of the nominees.  He never had the opportunity to ask them. Ditto Bassey. Why? The leadership decided to conduct the screening in a manner that did not allow the House to function, and the public to calibrate the scales of those to secure them.

        There are cries already in the public domain about the quality of representation thrown up by the last election.  Some say most of them can not really point hands to any valuable experience other than God’s favour and political brinkmanship.  In such cases, some believe it is only an experienced, informed, articulate, creative, sound and intelligent leadership that will make the new set of parliamentarians change agents.  Change sweeps across the nation.  All Nigerians yearn for change.  All Akwa Ibom people whether in the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the All Progressive Congress, APC, the Labour Party, other parties and even non-political citizens, yearn for change.  The change we yearn for is not about a change in leadership – though it is very important – but mostly a change in the attitude of leadership – in the things they say; in the things they do and in the things they accomplish.  People keep questioning the rationale behind a new five star hotel in Uyo and the four star hotel in Ikot Ekpene.  Yet, we put money on them and I join in betting that in two years, the two hotels will go under.  Why?  The local economy cannot feed them – with the Le Meridian Ibom Hotel and Resort being in a prime location and unique point to keep floating – not swimming - if you know the challenges of power, management et cetera, facing them. It was the House of Assembly which could have advised the government against such investments but allowed it.  All the Hose needed to do was to set up a team of consultants to look at the pros and cons of such investments and report back to the Executive.  I am sure no team could have adviced them to praise the Executives for such projects.  Ikot Ekpene needed an international market, one probably around Ikot Umo Essien axis where goods from Aba could upload for people to pick them and move them into Calabar, Eket, Uyo and the interlands, much more than a four star hotel.  Who will sleep in those hotels?  Certainly not the local populace who struggle daily to keep body and soul together.  Certainly not also the back up tiny business clan and political heavy weights who will prefer the quiet of the Nwaniba beach front to the noise of the Ikot Ekpene Plaza.

        Anyway, this piece is not about the hotels and some other misplaced investments that have left an opportunity cost in our lives.  There is still poverty glaring in the wanton display of desperation to catch any cash that drops from the Executive table. Tell people money is being shared on Wellington Bassey Way end and see the multitude that will go queue to up sometimes forever.  Sometimes without making a dime at the end.

        The function of the House of Assembly is therefore, very important, in the management of our resources to make sure that the executive gives us our vote’s worth.  We give our vocies to our representatives once we send them to the House.  My voice is now literally bequeathed to Emmanuel Bassey Ekpenyong, member representing Ini State Constituency.  On the national scene, I need to pass all my thoughts to Engr. Iboro Ekanem who will represent Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency and, of course Chief Godwill Akpabio at the Senate.  That is how democracy works. The trio need also to be in constant touch with me and other constituents to feel our pulse on all areas germane to our progress and development.

        It is on this note that I support a vibrant House of Assembly in the coming dispensation.     We have played too much of politics.  We need to move on.  From my fore-arguments, I look forward to a legislator in the mold of Luke to take up the leadership.  Thank God for the rules in the House, Luke belongs to the group of five returning legislators eligible to be voted in as Speaker.  Those who talk of setting aside the rules to allow new members become Speaker do not know how the legislature works.  The clerk cannot preside over such function.  The clerk’s duty is to see to an inauguration and the election of a Speaker.  The law can only be changed after a Speaker has been elected.

        By the zoning arrangement in the PDP, only two legislators are from Uyo Senatorial District.  Aside Luke, there is another lawyer Ime Okon from Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area.  Like Luke, he is said to be sound, intelligent, matured and experience.  He actually fits the bill the way Luke fits.  But the Speakership is not all about the maturity of age, which many agree Luke also possesses the maturity to the degree of his youth. The maturity of a young man like Onofiok lies in achieving so much in so short a time.  In the achievement lies an experience age cannot bring about.  This is maturity.  An elderly person who has no achievement and experience to colour his conduct in life is not matured.

        For Okon, many say he is being sponsored by the First Lady, Mrs. Uloma Ekaette Akpabio and Sir Emem Akpabio, fondly called the Godfather and the Leader.  For Luke, he is said to be backed by the Governor, the Governor-elect and incoming legislators led by Hon. Nse Ntuen, Chairman of Essien Udim Local Government.  These connections may be mere beer parlor gist though and cannot be taken with a pinch of salt.  But that is what I heard.  I also heard the First Lady-God help her; she’s too mentioned in the whole mix, including the fact that she is to produce a woman Secretary to the State Governor, SSG, from Oron nation; pray what will Udom Emmanuel’s wife produce – is also considering the Deputy Speaker, Udo Kerian Akpan, as an alternative.  Akpan is a good guy, experienced, matured but lacks the moral ground to stand on, being from the same area the Deputy Governor is from.  People are asking whether there is palpable fear that there may be a re-run and in an event Umana Umana wins, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District will be out in the cold. That shows a lack of confidence in the process that produced the Governor-elect and this shouldn’t be.  Afterall, PDP swept all polling units.  I hope nobody is trying to make us believe otherwise. 

Seriously, Luke exemplifies the new Akwa Ibom we envisage.  In Luke’s speakership will Udom succeed? Udom does not need a rubber-stamp house.  He needs a House that will engage him in robust debates which result will benefit all of Akwa Ibom State.  Luke is well concreted to both returning and incoming members of the House.  In this lies a unified House where no caucuses will be formed to the detriment of the new Akwa Ibom which we all envisage.

        Whether or not the aspirants are supported by powerful forces, the final authority lies in the members of the House which I implore to please, set sentiment aside and vote in Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke as the next Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. In Luke will they have their independence and freedom to fully cooperate with the Executive to the full extent of fulfilling their separate powers to the full benefit Akwa Ibom State.

Efo, a public affairs analyst, writes from Uyo