2023: OBA’S MOVE TO YPP RESTORES HOPE

The hope that was lost in PDP because of abuse of internal democratic, imposition of unpopular and self-confessed least qualified stooge, has fortunately been restored with the acceptance of Sen. Bassey Albert to lead a mass movement out of the Egypt to a virginland filled with fertile prospects.

The general support and acceptance could easily be seen in the jubilant members of the tumultuous crowd that thronged the Ibiono Ward 1, Ibiono Ibom LGA, to witness the historic detection.

The ecstatic crowd danced and sang around OBA and wife, Imaobong, as they took a majestic walk along the streets of Ibiono to the YPP office.

OBA, in the last few years, has become  a name associated with progress, growth, increase, improvement, capacity, character and competence. No wonder the YPP leaders were equally elated to receive the renowned senator, who has imprinted his positive impacts across the sands of the nation.

And with his entry, the YPP is transformed automatically to a more attractive platform because the popularity of a personality is what makes any party popular, too.

Similarly, with his massive supporters and popular politicians exiting with him across all the wards and units of the local government areas in the state,YPP is more strengthened in terms of political structure and might to confront and overwhelmingly subdue any opposition party.

Considering the cheers and jubiliations accompanying the decision by the senator towards actualising his assurance that he will be on the ballot, without doubt,  YPP provides a reliable vehicle to dislogde the ruling party and advance OBA’s noble course of salvaging the state from leadership mishap.

News of YPP with Sen. Albert Akpan as governorship candidate to provide a dependable platform to empower the youths, women, aged, physically-challenged and vulnerable ones has started spreading like wild fire across nooks and crannies,  sending panic waves to the ruling party.

Before this good news of defection, there was frustration written on the faces of aggrieved members of PDP who felt disappointed at the prevailing lack of internal democracy and impunity.

They lamented that the means for the will of the majority to be actualised was denied by a  few dubious characters in the party, who disenfranchised them in the last party’s nomination.

Recall that instead of free-and-fair adhoc delegate election expected by members and contestants, a few party leaders seized power by arrogantly disenfranchising aspiring delegates and the electorate.

By suck brash acts, the anti- democracy paved the  way for their stooge to be imposed as the party’s governorship candidate against all reasonable caution.

During the crooked nomination, the party was transformed overnight to military garrision where orders were barked to the democracy-starved electorate. A skewed list of those to contest as delegates had already been compiled by a few, and others like statutory delegates undemocratically eliminated.

Recall that the  problem this tyrannical leadership brought during the nomination was that the electorate were completely,  unjustifiably disenfranchised in the election processes of the party.

The result was that only stooges of the governor’s clique seized elective positions without any free or credible election to fill posts opened for scheduled contest.

With this crooked approach executed, doors were shut against popular aspirants who the majority wanted to represent them through the party’s nomination. Consequently, the desire of the masses to have their choices elected could not be met under the fast tearing “umbrella”.

As a result of the dubious tactics, a long list of scandals have been trailing the imposed PDP governorship candidate.

However, to beat schemes of the tyrannical political leaders, the electorate urged Sen. Bassey Albert to quit PDP and use his popularity to win election on the platform of any other party. Already, the leadership of over 400 socio-political groups, in an uncommon mass mobilization,  have started swelling the ranks of  YPP.

According to some of them, “the umbrella of PDP which covered many  members in the past is terribly torn, too uncomfortable and risky for any reasonable member to remain there”.

Factually, from all indications,  they were  not far from the truth. Examining from public disaffection and dissatisfaction with Udom’s  leadership style, many argue that the ship of state appears to be sinking. As such, they add,  wise politicians need to jump to safety.

At a meeting with members of the various groups, the  Chairman of OBA’s campaign Council, Sir Emem Akpabio, welcomed the idea of jumping from a sinking ship as a wise one. Before now, there were obvious rancour and other setbacks in the PDP.

Many political observers had reasoned that PDP was  unlikely to produce credible, dependable and tested politicians who understand the peculiarities in demands of the citizens.

The curious thing about OBA’s loyalists is that their rank remain as full as ever. Some in the camp of the opposition had expected that the senator’s defection to YPP will deplete his camp. Rather, former PDP executives and other members have been decamping from PDP to YPP, on daily bases.

As noted by  Emem Akpabio, OBA’s supporters have been resolute, committed and unperturbed by the various harassments from government quarters. They have shunned enticements by the so-called reconciliation committee and instead, stick by OBA to affirm that it is time for  a people-friendly, capacity packed and experienced person to govern Akwa Ibom in 2023.

Based on the verifiable experience garnered over the last few years of OBA’s public services, it is reasonable, according to his loyalists, to expect that the senator is on a “rescue mission”.

They argue that with Senator Akpan as governor of the state, there will be unprecedented social welfare schemes, peace, prosperity, employment and empowerment programmes as well as justice and equity for all.

By Richmon Benjamin