By Ofonime Udotu
The Akwa Ibom State Chapter Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Hon. (Elder) Aniekan Akpan is not a political neophyte. The secret of this upwardly mobile politician lies in his vice-grip of the grassroots where he has etched imperishable imprints in the annals of political history. He believes in wide consultations and negotiations to achieve the power of the people. In his rule book, the people are the gleam and steam of politics. His indomitable spirit, suavity of language and aura of friendliness are all priceless assets in his laudable political career.
Since he was elected and inaugurated as the State Chairman of the party on 30th June, 2021, a balance sheet of his performance has been exemplary and inspiring. As a passionate promoter of equity, fair play and justice, Elder Akpan has maintained a safe distance from imposition and injustice which are embers of crisis in party politics. Where there is internal wrangling, he wields the big stick of negotiation to achieve desired results. He doesn’t follow the multitude to do the wrong. At different fora, he has been advising party faithful through the voice of prophet Habakkuk that vision is for an appointed time. He protects the interest of party members without compromising its supremacy. This stylish and seasoned politician believes in noiseless capacity delivery.
During the recent nominations of chairmanship, vice chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the party for the October 5th local government election, the party gave more power to the various constituencies to device a strategy for election of candidates. Some opted for consensus arrangement or voting by stakeholders to nominate their candidates. The choice of the political stakeholders was not out of place. The law of leadership is natural. Even in the periwinkle kingdom, there is hierarchy. In his political fable, Animal Farm which is a satire of the Bolshevik Revolution, George Orwell has said that all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. Politics is a game of interest even in superpower politics. Meanwhile, the state chairman has been reiterating the need for aspirants to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship because failure is neither final nor fatal. Leaving one party to another because of inability to win a ticket makes one a rolling stone that gathers no moss – a desperate gambler in search of fortune. One cannot rob Peter to pay Paul without depending on the support of Paul eventhough the robber cannot earn the trust of Paul. In any endeavour, a quitter never wins.
Besides, consensus democracy has its roots in Africa when elders used to gather in village squares for crucial decision-making. Therefore, consensus concession is invoking the spirit of African democracy. Elsewhere, yours sincerely has espoused that the western democracy imported by neo- colonial Africa is the fruit of the seedling transplanted from Africa to Europe. In this direction, the revered Greek philosopher, Herodotus comes out plain that not only were “the names of nearly all the gods came to Greece from Africa but the democratic government and ceremonial meetings for which the Greeks were famous were borrowed from ancient Egypt”. It would therefore hold no water for one to pick holes in consensus arrangement of the party. Sometimes, certain feats are achievable if they are in line with God’s promises and purposes.
Under the chairmanship of Elder Akpan, the party has given women a full sense of belonging by giving them an elbow room to represent their people at the grassroots governance. Thanks to the gender-friendly leader of the party, Gov. Umo Eno for this unprecedented political magnanimity. This political inclusion is a sustainable empowerment to these amazons of nation-building. The American politician and jurist, Sandra Day O’Connor may have had the party’s gesture in mind when she wrote, “As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As the society sees what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and will all be better off for it”. When the local government election is won and lost in October this year, it is not unlikely that 124 women would emerge councilors, 27 more as vice chairmen and 6 more of them as chairmen. That would give them a voice in shaping or reshaping their collective destiny. The Pakistani feminist icon and 2014 Nobel Peace Price Winner, Malala Yousofzai has lent a voice in this course when she said that, “I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard”. This participation is going to shatter the shackles of illiteracy, cultural and social barriers.
At the inception, Elder Akpan had given an assurance that, “I have a covenant with my God to strive to develop and alleviate our great party to a higher height”. True to his promise he has taken the party to a general elections in 2023 which it won landslide; mopped up what was left of the backbone of opposition parties in the state and fully integrate the defectors into the PDP family even as the governor’s fulfilment of campaign promises has presented an open invitation to all who want to associate with ARISE Agenda achievements.
