With the storm ignited last week in Akwa Ibom State over some clerics and royal fathers tapping a governorship aspirant as the governor of the state in 2023 yet to calm down, a political activist in the state says there is nothing wrong with their making their choice aspirant public.
Public affairs analyst, Franklyn Isong, says the presence of Oku Ibom Ibibio, Solomon Etuk, and other traditional rulers at a stakeholders’ meeting which produced an aspirant they prefer as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate to succeed Governor Udom Emmanuel is justifiable.
Isong, who holds the traditional title of Otuekong Ikpa – Isong Ibibio gave the insight in Uyo, the state capital during a chat with newsmen in which he explained that royal fathers are public servants whose certificates of recognition are signed by the governor, and issued to them by the Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Isong notes that governor usually presents the Staff of Office to newly appointed paramount rulers in the state as part of activities making the celebration of the state’s anniversary on every September 23, and they are placed on monthly stipends by the State government thus making them part and parcel of the government.
The activist argued that it would have been wrong if the patriarch of Ibibio people and other traditional rulers invited by the state governor to the meeting had ignored the governor’s invitation, even when the invitation said it was a “private meeting with the State governor.
He stated that if the traditional rulers had boycotted the meeting, their absence would not have changed the outcome of the meeting but instead, would have created tension and spited by the governor
He further cited instances where some first class traditional rulers were dethroned by their state governors on allegations of working against the state governments.
He said, “in March 2020, Lamido Sanusi, who ascended the throne of Emir of Kano in 2014, was accused of ‘disrespect to lawful instructions’, by the Kano state government and was removed from office
The government said his removal was made to safeguard the ‘sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige’ of the Kano state emirate established more than a millennium ago. The deposed ruler was taken into custody by police in his palace immediately after the announcement was made, and then escorted out of the city to Nasawara state under tight security.
“The only offence of Sanusi was that he disagreed with the policy of the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, as an outspoken and influential traditional ruler in the north. The Governor accused him of supporting the opposition during the 2019 elections.
“After the election and Ganduje winning re-election as governor, he quickly ordered the creation of four new emirates in Kano in a bid to reduce Sanusi’s control and influence.
“The pathetic situation is that the traditional rulers have no constitutional role in Nigeria. They wield enormous influence over their subjects. Their funds come from the state government, and politicians rely on their support during elections”.
He urged other governorship aspirants to redouble their efforts in their consultations, saying that in spite of the presence of the traditional rulers at the meeting where Pastor Umo Eno was endorsed by the governor; the royal fathers are nonpartisan and will continue to play fatherly role in the State thus, without shutting their doors against any aspirant or political party that would seek their royal blessing.
