By Dele Sobowale

Not fire, nor walls of iron can hinder fate. Pindar, 518-438 B.C.
(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS P 57).

I met Obong Umana O Umana, October last year at the Catholic Church in Uyo, when he attended the first year memorial service for the late first Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Alison Attah. He had only recently ceased to be the Secretary to the State Government, SSG under conditions still shrouded in mystery. Until then, he was regarded as one of those on the other side by those close to Obong Victor Attah, the former Governor; including me. We got together after the service and exchanged cards. Something told me that this was a man to watch closely. Thank God, my instincts, on matters like this, never deceive me. It is already news that Umana had emerged as the flag-bearer for the All Progressive Alliance, APC, in the state just a few weeks after decamping from the PDP where he had been a member since 1998.

The forces which drove Umana from PDP will continue to shape the politics of Akwa Ibom State beyond 2015. But, I have forewarned President Jonathan, since last year in a series of columns titled AKWA IBOM 2015: JONATHAN VERSUS AKPABIO. In all of them, the same point had been made that, given the ethnic composition of the state, with Ibibios constituting about sixty-five to sixty-eight per cent of the population, and Akpabios Anangs accounting for only about twenty per cent, the Ibibios hold all the aces. And, the vast majority of them are resolved not to vote for any candidate supported by Governor Akpabio. Meanwhile, Jonathan is not only openly totally supportive of the state governors, he is particularly close to Akpabio. Mutual admiration and support, while it might be beneficial in Kogi, where the Igalas are the overwhelming majority is becoming something close to a kiss of death for Jonathan and Akpabio in AKS. The Ibibio people are still pro-PDP at heart, and would have voted overwhelmingly for GEJ again in 2015. But, his closeness to Akpabio is threatening to exact a heavy price from him. The loss of Umana is the first in a series of shockers awaiting the PDP and the President if the dispute between Akpabio and Ibibio leaders is not quickly laid to rest. Time is not on anybody’s side.

Having decided that Umana was a man to watch, I took Stephen Cranes, 1871-1900, advice. The author of the classic, Red Badge of Courage, had made the point that the prophet who predicts a flood, must be the first man to climb a tree. Since, I was convinced that this man is destined to be a game changer in AKS politics, I went to the state, at least twice, at my own expense, to find out what the people think of him. The details will be made available later if the PDP is foolish enough to let more people like Umana decamp. It will be costly.

Umana

As fate would have it, I was in Uyo the day the NATION, on its front page reported that Umana had decamped to APC. I took a few steps; made a few phone calls, and it was certain that a red carpet had been laid out for the newcomer to the party. The presence of so many top members of the APC, at his declaration and other events on Friday, November 28, 2014, including the reception at Assam Ibibio, the traditional meeting ground of Ibibio people, proved conclusively that a political earthquake had occurred in AKS. This would be the second time in as many months for the Ibibio people to openly show the direction in which they are moving.

REQUIEM FOR EKWUEMES BABY PDP (4)
Money politics should be played down. The donation by Obasanjo is reckless. It is true that political parties need money to run the affairs of the party. The donation presupposes that the party [PDP] is for sale. Mrs Iyabo Anisulowo, former Minister of State for Education, in 1998.

To this Engineer Salifu, CAN Secretary General, at the time, added, looking at it, Obasanjo, just out of prison should not have that kind of money. So one would like to know where he got that kind of money he gave to the PDP. ( PDP: CORRUPTION INCORPORATED pp 94-95).

Last week ended with the revelation, which baffled Nnanna, my friend and VANGUARD co-columnist, that Obasanjo, just out of prison donated N130 million to the PDP. When asked by reporters, Obasanjo’s answer was, at first, evasive, later it became a blatant lie. He said the donors satisfied his own criteria of wholesomeness and that they were credible Nigerians. Unfortunately, OBJ, who is probably the most self-righteous Nigerian alive today (by comparison Jonathan is a saint), forgot what we teach as introductory course at Unijankara. A secret is best kept if only two people know about it with one dead. The source of funds, which Baba Iyabo thought would never be known, engaged my mind from that day. Like an FBI agent, I determined to find the truth.

On pages 108 to 110 of my book, you can read how General T.Y. Danjuma, provided the funds, which were collected from people unknown to Obasanjo. That was down payment for the purchase of the PDP. So, Obasanjo, with the N130 million donation to the PDP in 1998 (the nearest other donor paid N20 million)

SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO REUBEN ABATI
We promise our people that even with the drop in oil price, the economy will be stable – President Jonathan, in a statement issued by Dr Reuben Abati on Thursday, December 4, 2014.

One of my nieces, 19-plus, a level 200 undergraduate reading economics, who once adored Uncle Abati sent me the title. The rest of the message was dripping with contempt. She didn’t believe GEJ or Abati, both over 50. I strongly believe that the true measure of any man in public office is how much respect he can still receive when out of power.