A Brighter Future in Sight With Senator Bassey Albert - OBA
By Ishmael Esenam
One of the slogans of the currently most acceptable party in the state, the YPP, “service to the people...for a better Akwa Ibom"! A better Akwa Ibom is the dream of every sane person, except the enemies of the people, who are currently benefitting from a system that has refused to be transparent in financial management.
But that dream of a better Akwa Ibom will be realistic when Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, CON, takes over from next year. Recently, some paid agents have attempted to sway the minds of the masses with skewed and jaundiced opinions, claiming OBA will no longer be on the ballot. That is a BIG LIE! Yes, he will contest and willwin the 2023 gubernatorial election!
Let's consider what the law says:
The 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly spells out what disqualifies a candidate from contesting election. Section 137(1) disqualifies someone who has been convicted by a court of law. Still under the subsection (1) e: the law states:
"If any appeal against the decision (of the lower court) is pending in any court of law in accordance with any law in force in Nigeria, subsection (1), (which disqualifies convicted candidates) shall not apply during a period beginning from when such appeal is lodged".
In other words, if a lower court convicts a candidate, and he appeals, then the law permits him to still stand election. This applied in Abia state in 2007 when the former chief of staff to Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, was convicted by the federal high court sitting in Umuahia. The judgement was appealed, and he contested and won the election. This also applied in Osun state as Senator Iyiola Omisore whose conviction was appealed, contested on a joint ticket with Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and won.
OBA, as a senator has sponsored 481 Akwa Ibom students so far, and this is what became difficult for a state government that has not been able to account for the whereabouts of our money, to do. Imagine then when he becomes the governor. OBA has not only promised to pay bursaries to those in higher institutions but to make the primary and secondary schools truly free, compulsory and effective.
Just some days ago, he dolled out gifts upon gifts to Akwa Ibom people spread across all the units, wards, and local government areas to celebrate the 2022 Yuletide. Even in incarceration, OBA still thinks it the good and wellbeing of the people. Imagine then when he becomes the governor!
In December, 2020, he trained, empowered and fed 520 physically challenged people. OBA has built the OBA Digital Technology Hub where our children are trained in different innovations revolving around modern technology and many more. These he did with the limited resources he got as a senator. What then will happen when he broke his the governor with more resources at his disposal?
This is someone who has promised to construct at least 50 kilometers of roads in each local government area, primary health centers within a kilometer radius, and many other things depending on the need of each local area.
Under Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, CON, our retired civil servants, including those from the primary schools, will receive their full entitlements. There will be no more owing of gratuities. Even arrears will be paid.
Our educational system will receive positive attention as we will have a special University of Agriculture to train our people to harness our natural resources. More teachers will be recruited to improve the teacher-pupil ratio, in order to give our children the deserved attention.
Our mothers are not left out, as OBA's government will group them into cooperatives in order to boost their businesses. Since most women belong to one “Nka Iban” or another, it will be easier to empower our women in groups.
OBA’s government that will put in place policies to accommodate every Akwa Ibom person, not for a selected few. Hence our youths will be positively engaged through Tourism Development; and by combining this with Agriculture, will create 500,000 jobs in two years. The government will also leverage numerous value-chains prevalent in agro-allied ventures to create multi-faceted employment opportunities, produce processed goods and facilitate the export of goods by Akwa Ibom people.
These and many more will make Akwa Ibom better. Vote for OBA. Vote for YPP. Vote for the fresh, green leaves, and expect a better Akwa Ibom.
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