Richard Peters

The long awaited 2023 election is drawing closer, and unfolding events have brought to the fore the unimaginable. Never in the history of politicking in Nigeria has the system been so abused and devalued as witnessed in recent days. The privileges and liberty offered by the judiciary have been abused by desperate politicians who are experts in telling lies to get the attention of the court, and later parade the street with a short-lived and premature court orders. There is still hope because the court has remained the hope of the just, as most of the anomalies are often corrected to sustain the sanctity of the court.

There is absolutely no justification for concocting lies inorder to whip sentiment and deceive the gullible. Events of late have really exposed who some people are. Their lifestyle and habits have been brought to the fore, as a result of their desperation for power. Those we thought had borrowed a little dignity from other significant individuals around them have proven us wrong, by throwing dignity and value to the gutters. Thank God for the spirit of discernment that guided Governor Udom Emmanuel that he did not make the mistake of pitching his tent with rogues in honourable robes.

With few weeks to go, and without sounding like a prophet of doom, the crookedness of men will assume a higher dimension. But the wickedness of the wicked will certainly consume them.

Just yesterday, one of the People's Democratic Party governorship aspirants who boycotted the main primary, and staged managed what he claimed to be another primary in his house is now claiming that he is the authentic candidate of the PDP. Wonders they say, will never end. How can one explain this, that an aspirant who never showed up on the day of the primary now claimed he should be recognized as the party's flag bearer.

Everyone knows that he used his house to conduct the "primary", bought boxes and hired crowd to cast "votes", act as INEC officials and party agents. Then, he invited newsmen to report same. It was nothing short of comedy of the century. Comedians feasted on it and increased their popularity. This is nothing but fraud, popularly known as 419.

This act is not a surprise to many who know him in person. It has been his "business" in the US before nemesis caught up on him and he was smuggled home. That was when Godswill Akpabio picked him and he ended up at the national assembly. Before now, he had already sold all his father's lands to Akpabio. He would have done same if he becomes the governor. Akwa Ibom state is not for sale.

This is the same thing Akpabio did last year. He was aspiring to pick the APC presidential ticket, but shocked his supporters by standing down for Tinubu. The next thing we heard was that he had forcefully snatched the senatorial ticket from the authentic winner of the primary. Remember, Akpabio did not contest for Senate. That is what bullies do.

Akan Okon came up with allegations that Umo Eno is parading a forged WAEC result. He took the naked dance to the village square and danced away the little respect that remained. Today, he has embarked on a self-imposed political asylum.

Before we breathed in and out, a man convicted of fraudulent practices acted as a sick person in prison, and was granted bail by the court. Today, he is parading himself with a criminal chain hanging on his neck.

While the people were trying to understand what was happening, a faceless individual was said to have approached a magistrate court in Abuja, and misled the court into ordering the arrest of Pst. Umo Eno for an offence he knew nothing about. Thank God the court quickly discovered that there was an error in judgment, and corrected the anomaly.

As the political motivated litigations were laid to rest, Baba Ntan has taken the center stage, praying the court to recognize him as the authentic winner of the PDP governorship primary. This is laughable.

Truth is, all these hurdles are increasing Umo Eno's popularity, and helped to build his stamina for the Hill Top mansion. The series of propaganda, blackmail and falsehood peddled by mischief makers are refining him. The finest ore is the one that had gone through fire. Again, only trees with ripe fruits receive stones and sticks. These refining fire of blackmail, accusation, name-calling and litigations will certainly bring out the best in him.

Pst. Umo Eno is not distracted. He is becoming more passionate, selfless, sincere, forgiving and transparent. His supporters are not perturbed either. In fact, the love and supports are increasing.

The good thing is that there is always a way to scale through. There are options in law to be adopted by Umo Eno's legal team to address all these issues. But one thing is certain, Pst. Umo Eno is the next governor of Akwa Ibom state, and nothing can change the verdict that has been sealed by Akwa Ibom people.