2015 Governorship Race:

 I'Am Yet To Take a Dfinite Decision - Umana Umana

Mr Umana Okon Umana, the Nsit Ubium born technocrat and Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government has said that he is yet to take a definite decision as regards his 2015 governorship ambition, as he stated that, “it was premature at this stage to initiate a discussion on major issues”.

He did not deny his intention about running for office of the governor in 2015 but promised to address all the issues when he would be convinced and ready to enter the governorship race.  “I will also present my record, agenda and blueprint for public scrutiny”, Umana said, noting that it was “still too early to talk about the 2015 Governorship election” as he would rather concentrate on his current assignment starring him in the face as the SSG.

Umana who was responding to some issues about 2015 governorship raised by a member of the Ibomforum (a social network) assured he would make an appropriate response to the ‘forumer’s’  observations at the right time.

Mr Umana’s reaction followed a contribution made by one Anthony Ebuk and posted on Ibom Forum on Friday last week (23/11/12).

 Ebuk noted that ‘talk’ was the “greatest” but “craziest” of man’s inventions as members of the forum in the immediate past were busy talking about 2015 governorship elections, zoning and corruption with regards to Akwa Ibom State.

Anthony Ebuk had, despite other distractions by his forum members asked Mr Umana Umana thus, “My first question to you sir is, with the ever increasing rate of unemployment in the state, what plans or policies would you put in place to reverse the current trend?”.

Ebuk stated that, “in responsible democracies, good men are not voted into power, powerful ideas and positions on topical issues are. A man who intends to run for political office must first familiarize himself with the workings of such office, identify the gabs, challenges, proffer realistic solutions then put himself forward to be adopted by the populace with reasons of the solutions he has proffered”.

Continuing Ebuk said, “Money is spent on print and electronic media chats and interviews, anything that will get his views (not necessarily his pictures) across to the electorates and day by day he adds to his support new converts who are sold to his proposed ideology”.

He was worried how the Akwa Ibom people were responding to Mr Umana’s overt intentions to run the 2015 governorship by not seeking his answers to questions bothering on issues but wondered what gain it would be for some people to ask his “perceived supporters to swear to Mbiam that he [they]has [have] not been paid to support Umana’s ambition”.

 Mr Ebuk wondered where the place of “civility in our actions” lay when rhetorical questions and abusive remarks take the place of questions about issues of economic development in modern day democracy.

He noted that in 2007 Akwa Ibom people fought against Governor Attah’s attempt to “impose” a successor in his son-inlaw, Chief Udoma Bob Ekarika and sought for what he called “anything”.  According to Ebuk, “To us anything was better than Hon. Ekarika. And yes in the end, we all celebrated the ''anything'' with daily congratulatory messages that has uncommonly lasted six years now and counting”.

Mr Ebuk in his comment queried rhetorically whether Akwa Ibom people ever paused to reflect on their 2007 “actions” stating that even though Akwa Ibom people never wanted Chief Ekarika, they did not also have “anybody in mind”, quoting an ancient writer to buttress that, “an unexamined life is not worth living”.

It was his position that those seeking to contest election should let those they intend to lead to know their solutions to teething economic problems and how they intend to solve them by way of talking via print and electronic media, and advised that members of his forum (ibom forum) should not hide those they support(or intend to support) to enable the people assess their capability.  Rather than strategize on how to stop a particular aspirant by mobilizing all arsenal against him from contesting, Anthony Ebuk suggested sponsoring a credible candidate to take such a one to the “cleaners”, as according to him, the days of “the ayes have it” were gone.