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The All Progressives Congress (APC) seems to be finding it tough and hard to get things done the right way and it appears to score low marks when it comes to the protection of lives and property in the country.
In fact, many have observed with dismay that never in the history of the country had human lives been taken for granted with hundreds being killed daily when the country is not at war.
The recent killing of two priests of the Catholic Church in the middle belt, Benue Sate in particular, has graphically illustrated the state of affairs in the country and the apparent lacklustre attitude of the ruling party.
Coupled with many other controversies that have trailed the many policies of the APC-led government, the party is certainly faring badly when it comes to controversial policies and programmes and it does not seem to care.
Take for instance, the opening of an office by a group known as the National Committee of Buhari Support Group (NCBSG) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the event and the location of the office did not come without controversy and confrontational attitude by the APC.
First, aside from the NCBSG office being located a few metres away from the official residence of Governor Udom Emmanuel which also serves as the Governor’s Office, a development which many consider to be provocative, the action itself is seen by many as confrontational in many ways.
Located along the ever-busy Wellington Bassey way in the heart of the city, it has the potential of causing disruption of free flow of traffic whenever the group has its activities being close to the road, according to observers.
Again, observers point to the golden rule of doing to others as “you would wish others to do unto you,” saying that it would have been unthinkable for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to locate any of its offices near the official residence of any governor of a state that it is not in power or that of President Muhammadu Buhari.
While inaugurating the office few days ago, the entire stretch of the road had to be cordoned off as traffic came to a standstill within a few metres to the governor’s lodge and forcing business activities within the vicinity to be put on hold.
Abu Ibrahim, chairman of the board of trustees of the group noted that the inauguration of the body in the state marked the beginning of activities aimed at ensuring national cohesion without saying how that would be done with the nation being more divided that it has ever been.
“This event will not only lead to the re-election of President Buhari but would open a new bridge of understanding between the state and other Nigerians. The South-South interest in national development is key to the success of this administration,’’ he stated.
No doubt, the South-South region of the country is crucial to the development of the country being a region which produces the country the bulk of the country’s revenue from crude oil and gas resources. Analysts have been quick to point out how Akwa Ibom State has remained without petrochemical facilities despite being a leading oil producer, how the state has no airport built by the Federal Government and no rail link to other parts of the country.
According to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom is one of the few states maintaining its airport without the support of the federal government while it is struggling to develop its deep seaport which has a natural habour that would require less dredging for it to be put to use. Yet, nothing has been done by way of support from the Federal Government.
They also point to the recent approval of a rail line to Niger Republic in which work is expected to begin soon whereas Akwa Ibom State, a major oil producer has nothing to show.
The implication of the location of the group’s office in Uyo close to the governor’s office which has sparked controversy can be gleaned from the statement by Ibrahim who seems to be interested in getting the best from the South-South and indeed Akwa Ibom State but not showing any commitment to addressing the injustice Akwa Ibom State has been exposed to over years. Among the notable cases of injustices are the negative effect of oil exploration, environmental degradation and non appointment of its citizens into top position at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In fact, in the last appointment announced by the presidency, the south-south zone has the least number of appointees on the board of the corporation. Akwa Ibom has none.
Another glaring case is the demand by the state government and the relocation of the head office of Mobil Producing Nigeria to Uyo as it is the practice in other parts of the world, but this appeal has always fallen on deaf ears. Despite the oil company having been in Akwa Ibom State for more than three decades, the major road to the company’s operational base in Ibeno has only recently been constructed by the state government.
Meanwhile, as the controversy continues, the group’s office is reported to have been marked for demolition because the building “never got approval before it was erected.” It was not immediately clear whether the entire building would be pulled down or only the fence marked by officials of the Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), the agency responsible for building plans in the state capital.
It has maintained that the building where the group has its office was among the several other property in the state capital that has been built without approval. The authority’s chairman, Enobong Uwah said the building had earlier been marked to be pulled down before it was rented by the Buhari Support group for its activities.
ANIEFIOK UD0NQUAK, Uyo
