Ekiti, Osun polls demonstrate INEC’s readiness for 2015 – Umoette

Robert Umoette is one of the governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State. In this interview with REPORTER,  he reveals why he wants to serve the state, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s recent visit, and more. Excerpts…

The President’s recent visit to Akwa Ibom state has been tagged suspicious by some people, what’s your own view?

Robert Umoette

Mr. President’s visit to our beloved Akwa Abasi Ibom State on a one day working visit was for him to perform the ground-breaking ceremony of a methanol plant at Ibeno as well as the commissioning of a sixty nine (69) kilometer Gas Processing Facility at Uquo, Commissioning of the Goodluck Boulevard in Uyo, inspection of the 30,000 capacity Ibom International Stadium, first suspended bridge in the State at Abak and dualization of the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road, which is still ongoing and these were well executed by Mr. President.

So you don’t agree with those who claimed that the visit had something to do with the President’s reelection bid?

I think Akwa Abasi Ibom people should thank the President for creating time out of his very busy schedule to come and do this and we do appreciate him immensely. We hope that Mr. President would grace us with an overnight stay during his second term in office as this has not happened so far and the people of our dear state are looking forward to hosting His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to a gala night and it would be my honour and delight to receive and host him then when am Governor.

Some people do not believe that President Jonathan has done enough to deserve a second chance come 2015, do you agree?

What I am going to tell you is a statement which I have maintained for over two years. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is constitutionally allowed to seek a second term in office and beyond that, the fact that his administration has donwe very well in building institutions of government, improved power supply and shown clear efforts towards realizing stable supply of power, transforming our agric sector, creation and intensified support to nomad/almajiri schools, transforming our aviation sector, rehabilitation of roads nationwide, local content act which has seen increased participation of Nigerians especially in the oil sector where hitherto foreign expatriates would be beneficiaries, sincere efforts in removing the major roots of corruption by privatizing the power generation and distribution sectors as well as efforts like the  Petroleum Industry Bill which when passed will remove massive corruption in the oil sector, passage of the Freedom of Information Bill which has availed Nigerians more information about government and which some states have refused to adopt clearly showing their innate hatred for transparency, creation of jobs for the unemployed as well as a graduate welfare scheme through the Ministry of Finance prior to being employed – which awareness on this needs to be widened – and more recently, the boost to housing for all via the creation of the National Mortgage Refinance Corporation, with a financial grant of N50b for takeoff, a precise and concise National Industrial Revolution Plan and the National Identity Card Project which upon merging data from all sectors with the National Identity Management Commission would form a critical ingredient to meaningful developmental aspiration of any responsible Government, which is a national database of its people as well as capturing data of foreigners which would be next to follow and to do this next phase, our porous borders need to be defined, secured, manned – all these facts underscore the rationale of those seeking the return of President Jonathan.

All you have just mentioned will be tagged paper projects by people who are yet to enjoy these amenities.

I can go on and on with the programmes and policies under his Government that have marked him clearly as a Transformational President.

There is also the argument that we need a more proactive and strong-minded President who would take care of issues like insurgency once and for all, don’t you agree?

The only basis of condemnation Mr. President has received from opponents is in line with security in a section of the country, especially in the North-East States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. In as much as security is the primary function of Government, Mr. President is unrelenting in making insurgency and communal clashes a thing of the past and he sure would make it so sooner than later. Fighting terrorism is a global concern and he has engaged the international community to address this menace. I therefore urge President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to declare for a second term in office and assure him of a resounding victory across the country even with support from opposition party members.

Do you think that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is ready for the 2015 elections? 

I do believe that INEC is ready for the general elections as demonstrated in the conduct of recent elections in Ekiti and Osun States. The roll out of permanent voter cards, though with some hiccups, has been largely successful and the remaining phases would be improved upon as not to disenfranchise any eligible Nigerian. One thing obvious about delivering a smooth, free and fair election is security and I believe more men should be enlisted in our Police Force as well as Military so that we can deploy reasonable number of members of the forces on general election days scheduled for 14th and 28th February 2015. In the absence of this, I think the elections scheduled for 28th (State Governorship and House of Assembly) should be staggered into phases where election for some States are held on the 21st of February and remaining ones on 28th February. Another thing I believe INEC should seriously consider starting is introduction of voting by Nigerians in Diaspora at our various foreign missions so that they can also have a say in the electoral process.

How would you react to the selection of Obong Victor Attah as the political leader of the Ibibio people?

I congratulate Obong Victor Attah who was on September 5th celebrated at Asan Ibibio as the political leader of Ibibio people, the fourth largest tribe in Nigeria. He is deserving of the position as he is the architect of modern day development of Akwa Ibom State whom the people trust and cherish. I wish to also commend the organizers of this epic occasion in history, the Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio and Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, as well as the entire people of Akwa Abasi Ibom State who trooped out to show love and support to a worthy leader. The unity of the Ibibios is something that needs to be strengthened by all Ibibio sons and daughters worldwide while also always carrying along the other tribes in the State and Nation. We need to look beyond local politics in Akwa Abasi Ibom State and move strongly as a force into national politics where sadly we are extremely lean. Akwa Abasi Ibom people must come together as one and always have the interest of all homogenous tribes at heart at all times and to do this effectively, governance at the state level must be all inclusive where projects and appointments are spread across for the benefit of all.

The Governorship position is one which is generating serious heat in your state presently, what do you think will be the outcome?

As regards the governorship position next year as the uncommon transformer, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, who has introduced quality finishing of projects hitherto rare to our State begins to wind up his second term in office, as I have been saying in over two years now, which the Governor and State Exco of our great party, PDP, has echoed, and as further echoed at Asan Ibibio by various speakers, the position would be produced by Eket Senatorial District. Anyone who works contrary to this is working against not just the people but working against the principle of truth, fairness and equity. Kings and Kingmakers are unique roles and only one person would become King while all others Kingmakers. I enjoin all our people to come together and work together towards a better tomorrow for our beloved State. We need to promote the culture of love, harmony and truth-speaking at all times no matter how bad it may be or sound to the receiver as sooner or later the person would realize the importance of the truth even if he or she does not come out openly to acknowledge it. We need to take our beloved State beyond federal allocation dependence and build a sustaining private sector powered economy as started by His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, through projects like Ibom Power Co. Ltd, Ibom Le Mereidien Hotel & Universal Energy Ltd and continued by His Excellency, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio via Ibom Tropicana, Ethanol Plant and Seven Energy/Septa Energy/AKSG Gas Processing Facility, where our people will be gainfully engaged in factories, modern agriculture, agro/marine allied industries as well as other service entities and stop negative acts like  blackmailing, robbery and assassinations while Government internally generated revenue increases.