By Emmanuel Unah

CALABAR—Since his assumption of office in 2007, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, has fully metamor-phosed as the political C in C of the state.

His calm appearance could be deceptive to those who do not know him closely, but anybody conversant with his persona knows that his political influence is not just within the confines of the state, but up to the nation’s capital, Abuja, where he is a strategic player in the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

He did not acquire this larger than life political status overnight. It was built through several decades of consistent and deliberate planning, spreading of goodwill and reaching out to people in divergent strata of society.

Self-effacing beginning

His background as the son of Dr Samuel Imoke, an acolyte of Nigeria’s first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who rose to become the Minister of Education in the First Republic, also contributed to the power Imoke wields today.

Senator at 27

In 1992, at the age of just 27, he was elected Senator representing the Central Senatorial District of Cross River state above notable contenders for the position and this feat was majorly based on his father’s reputation in the society.

Political dynasty

He learned the ropes from then and in 1996, he and his friend, who later emerged governor of the state, Mr. Donald Duke pitched tent with the DPN and before that era crumbled under the military regime, they had built a political structure across the state with Imoke as the principal driving force of the political empire.

When in 1999, Duke became governor of the state; Imoke was seen as the force behind the throne. He, Duke and Gershom Bassey were the arrowheads of the dynasty and Imoke ensured stability of the Duke administration in the state even when he was functioning in Abuja as Special Assistant and later Minister of Power and Steel to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

When it was time for Duke to vacate office in 2007, having served two tenures, it was obvious that the next person to step into his shoes was Imoke and this he did effortlessly, as there was no serious opposition to him. But, it is not clear Bassey will step into Imoke’s shoes with unfolding political developments in the state.

His style

He has rallied support from all and sundry, including opposition parties whose presence is hardly felt due to his preponderant power in all sections of the state.

Imoke is consistently seen as the political father of the state and anything he wants done is achieved with microscopic struggle. It is his singular decision that the governorship position should be zoned to the Northern senatorial district of the state by the PDP.  Though, the decision did not go down well with many stakeholders, nobody had the impudence so far to challenge him.

Refusal to anoint successor

Even when over 20 persons from the north are jostling to succeed him, he has refused to anoint any one of them which would have facilitated an easy ride to Government House for such a person.

He has continuously insisted that such an action would be immoral and tantamount to trivializing the position of governor.  Reiterating this position, October 1, while addressing stakehol-ders during the state’s Merit Award ceremony, Imoke said those waiting for him to anoint them as his successor would have to continue to wait until he swears in the new governor without their ambition coming to fruition.

According to him, the office of governor is such an important position that the person occupying it takes charge of the affairs of millions of people and should, therefore, not be toyed with, just for personal interest.

He said though the position has been zoned to the northern part of the state, the contestants from that zone must go out and sell their vision to the party organs and people to enable  them make an informed decision and elect who they consider  fit to occupy the position.

The new Cross River

”The challenge we faced to build the new Cross River should not be forgotten and if today we make a governor by appointment, the governor will owe allegiance to his masters.

“Today I see public office holders becoming contractors, beneficiaries of everything with nothing left to trickle down to the people.”