http://blog4all-com..com/2013/08/akwa-ibom-2015-and-succession-riddle.html



Umana Okon Umana had for long rated as heir apparent to the governorship throne of Akwa Ibom State until he bowed to pressure to resign from government during the week. IDOWU SAMUEL writes that the turn of events was a manifestation of some intricate scripts on the 2015 succession politics in the state.

By the last count, 21 aspirants are likely to file out in contest for the gubernatorial seat of Akwa Ibom State in 2015. The contestants are spread along the three senatorial districts of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket/Oron. Two years before the real contest, politics in Akwa Ibom has been intense, so much underpinned by intrigues, back stabbings and strives. Each of the senatorial district feels it has the legitimacy to lay claim to the governorship seat.

Notwithstanding, from the crowd of contestants, no one is sure about getting the endorsement from the electorate to be governor in 2015. The general impression in the state is that beside God, Governor Godswill Akpabio is the only mortal who has the answer to the riddle of who becomes his successor. Akpabio, many believe, is the reason politics in the state continues to be boisterous and unpredictable.

Since he became governor in 2007, Akpabio has been communicating his intentions on politics with the use of body language. That has made him inscrutable and hard to understand. It presupposes that the degree of closeness to the governor cannot be the yardstick for making him pliable to deep expectations from friends and even confidants. As of today, Akpabio is in full control of politics of Akwa Ibom, a reality that has never encouraged any political bloc in the state to muster strength.

Akpabio has experimented with different aides since he became governor. The first aide to suffer the sudden mood swing of the state helmsman was Obong Patrick Ekpotu. He was the first deputy governor to work with Akpabio. But in 2011, Ekpotu lost out to political intrigues around his boss. He failed to make it as the governor’s running mate in the governorship election of that year.

Read more at: http://blog4all-com..com/2013/08/akwa-ibom-2015-and-succession-riddle.html