By Edifon ABASI-OBOT
Amidst heightening feelings and hopes that the upcoming elections in Ekiti State reflects the wishes of the people, a Political Affairs pundit in Uyo has said the Ekiti elections presents a metaphor for Nigeria’s democracy and a challenge for the legendary June 12 narrative.
Barr. Ekong Sampson, who is Special Adviser to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Political/Legislative Affairs and Water Resources, Barrister Ekong Sampson, while fielding questions in a radio programme on Comfort FM (95.1), said the integrity of the Ekiti election process presents a huge challenge that underscores how prepared Nigeria is to safeguard the major tenets of democracy.
In his words: “We have made so much noise about June 12, we’ve compared notes, we’ve exalted chief MKO Abiola and made landmarks through June 12. I think the major metaphor in June 12 is Ekiti”, Ekong Sampson stated.
Furthermore, “one can safely say that Nigeria is waiting for the Ekiti elections as a measure of our preparedness for democracy. The integrity of the process in Ekiti is so fundamental that it even beyond Nigeria, to speak of Africa and democracy”, Sampson added.
According to him, if on the one hand we elevate June 12 to a high pedestal and on another hand we play games in Ekiti, that will make nonsense of whatever progress we may have made as a nation, in terms of democracy.
On Akwa Ibom State, speaking about claims by some politicians, of being anointed candidates of the State Governor, Barrister Sampson said, in times like this, name dropping becomes a pastime in a democratic space, but beyond that, one can safely say that Governor Udom Emmanuel believes that power resides in the people.
The Political Affairs pundit made it clear that Governor Udom Emmanuel has not anointed anybody. He said the governor has affirmed his commitment to participatory democracy, that the wishes of the people should be respected.
Sampson said the governor, being the leader of the most pronounced party in Akwa Ibom State, the PDP, has ensured that the party is returned to the people and that the people are owning up the party, adding that the people, being the real owners of the party, will make their choices.
He admonished politicians in the State on the need to work hard to persuade the people, rather than dropping the governor’s name as their sponsor. Choosing to drop names is toying with the sensibilities of the people within the democratic space, and that is not good enough, Sampson added.
The Special Adviser reiterated that Governor Emmanuel is a father to everybody and as a father, he has endorsed zoning as a safety belt against tyranny and impunity. This, he explained, is because the Governor believes in opening up opportunities to the broadest segments of the people, hence encourages zoning so that more people can be accommodated.
Sampson described zoning is one huge experiment, is not to be done in abstract. Just as no human experiment is perfect, to balance the process, factors like power sharing, history, merit and the likes are also considered, he explained. Where there may be some compelling circumstances that require some level of streamlining, such factors provide a guide, but paramount of all, is the widest interest of the people, he added.
Speaking on the trending “Sign On for Udom” campaign, Ekong Sampson described the initiative as a well conceptualized idea to take the advocacy for Governor Udom Emmanuel’s continuity in office to the next level.
Sampson observed that Sign On has so far revealed that the opinion that Governor Udom has done very well is very genuine, fundamental and persuasive.
According to him, there is a very high current of opinion across the broadest strata of the society that Udom is doing very well, having designed an elaborate roadmap for governance, invested enormously in the future and strengthened the practice of democracy and good governance.
He therefore maintained that when a leader shows so much vision and commitment, he has to be encouraged to continue in the general interest of the people of the State. That is what defines the “Sign On for Udom” initiative, Ekong Sampson explained.
