Umo Eno As Factor
By Sam Etuk Jnr
Intrigues war-chest and deft moves are directed at gaining a helpful gambit. These are steps every politician explores to gain prominent, and followers, in this era of politicking, the electorate expected to be kings and queens are taken for a ride. When a knowledgeable politician decides not to play games, he is regarded as a fool.
In the past, a good politician was a man, who surrounded himself with thugs and loved violence. The thugs must have padded muscles almost protruding out of the tiny t-shirt speaks in hoarse tone red eyes and unfriendly look.
If a politician is soft-spoken, very friendly, accommodating with a gentle mien, the person was not regarded as influential and not a good politician. In a society populated by all kind of vicious politicians, the electorate could be influenced by any of them to vote for them out of fear. Nowadays, things have changed.
As intense consultations continue ahead of the forth coming party primaries, in Akwa Ibom, the State ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have harvested many governorship candidates. Those who are visible presently are Ide Owodiong-Idemeko, Akan Udofia, Akan Okon, Bassey Albert, Onofiok Luke, Michael Enyong and Umo Bassey Eno.
With the extension of submission of nomination forms, more aspirants who are still warming up may come forward to indicate their intent. But the big question is who can deplore the best gambit and topple the apple-cart to emerge the party’s candidate.
Umo Bassey Eno is a business man par excellence, who is not your regular politician and will not like to employ half-truth to sale himself. He is forthright, pragmatic, unassuming and soft spoken. He is not a man given to frivolities and does not revel in cajoling people. He believes in facts and truth, to an extent, he is very liberal.
In Nigeria, when you step into the murky waters of politics, they will be splash of dirt, abuses, blackmail and other uncomplimentary hurl at you at every point or stops. Then you will know that your grandmother was not properly married by your grandfather, and other demining stories not even known amongst your people.
Therefore, Umo Eno is the reason that spurious tell have been manufactured because he is the only ‘influence’ Udom Emmanuel has seen as his successor. He is amassing large supporters and every day, his popularity is gaining prominence. He has even been tipped as the next governor of Akwa Ibom State.
For now, he is likely to emerge as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when the primaries hold next week in Uyo. This reality was revealed during the last Ad-Hoc delegates primaries held recently. His supporters won in almost all the wards in the 31 Local Government Areas of the State. Then, why is Umo Eno not the man to beat, he is definitely a politician without boundaries and does not need to be a fierce politician. A good man is a good leader.
