BEING THE TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF EKET SENATORIAL DISTRICT MEDIA PROFESSIONALS, AKWA IBOM STATE.
As he panted and waddled along towards the staircase to the podium, you could see his handlers and few Akwa Ibom elites who packaged him to the stadium holding their hearts in their palms, with bated breath. Their fears were obvious. This man may drop like a sack of sand. The atmosphere was tense, and became more tensed as he went closer. It nearly happened. This power-thirsty octogenarian with a murky past and cloudy tomorrow shouldn’t be putting himself through this, just because of the mad crave for power. He needs help. Urgent help! Even though he continues to deceive himself to think he is deceiving Nigerians, it must be sounded for the umpteenth time that, after past experiences, Nigerians do not need a president on a life-support as an 8-year liability.
If the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, still has conscience and places any value on his already fractured and widely ridiculed presidential ambition, he must be weeping wherever he is at the moment over the monumental disaster his campaign in Uyo was, as he was escorted to the airport amidst boos, condemnation, and curses for his grand scale failure to respect his age and emulate the fine example of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who showed instructive maturity, played by the rule, and further proved his statesmanship the day he visited Akwa Ibom State.
On Monday, January 30, 2023, Bola Tinubu, clearly demonstrated to Akwa Ibom people, and indeed the whole world, why he has been irreconcilably rejected, widely rebuked, and even stoned by Nigerians in many states he already had gone on campaigns, thus further confirming the whole exercise the huge joke it is, an avoidable waste, and mere adventurism by a sickly old man caught in the illusion of becoming president of a country that needs urgent deliverance from a contraption he conspired to mastermind and foisted upon innocent Nigerians few years ago.
The poor attendance at the stadium that day, 90% of which was rented, may have said it all, largely because APC has no root in Akwa Ibom State - and will never have because of the likes of Tinubu. Many went to the stadium in high hopes that the mysterious bullion van was part of the convoy, apparently forgetting that CBN had successfully deflated the tyres of the special project vehicle, hence, the fights that ensued at the end of the rally among the hired supporters. There are enough videos to that effect.
And we ask: What really was Tinubu's motive of coming to Akwa Ibom, where Governor Emmanuel graciously granted him the use of the State's international stadium and other facilities and security upon which he sooner would stand and vomit? Did he come to Akwa Ibom to campaign or to heap insult on the Governor whose superlative performance is celebrated across the world and the people of a State he hopes to govern in his dream? Very shocking and disappointing.
It was curious that all through his ranting and laborious teleguided stuttering speech, greater part of which was punctuated by long unintentional pauses within which he got prompts from a baritone voice around him, a symptomatic evidence of someone suffering from dementia, BAT did not make a single policy statement that inspired hope or make any conscious reference to his manifesto. He rather began by wasting the whole time and space to unconscionably berate President Muhammadu Buhari with effective innuendoes and imbued invectives.
Among other things, the fanciful crowd may have expected the fretting presidential candidate to say something about corruption in the country and how he intends to tackle this behemoth that lives and breeds in his many mansions. But knowing himself, he cunningly diverted from that unsafe lane wandered ill-advisably into unbespoken trivialities, his familiar tales by moonlight. Making reference to the enduring epidemic of hunger Nigerians have been put through over the years, he told the disappointed crowd “This hunger will be gone”. And the crowd instantly understood whom he was indicting, like he did in Abeokuta .
He then descended further to insult, abuse and attack Akwa Ibom State people and their Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel: “Akwa Ibom, you will not suffer again. Akwa Ibom, you will not suffer again. That boy where bring Atiku here, where they call himself State governor, tell him, tell him, enough is enough. He lives in my backyard in Lagos. If not because we be one, I would drive him home. That big palace that he built, we would used lizards, pythons and scorpions, if not that you’ve begged me. But what do we do for him? Broom revolution!”
So Tinubu’s sole motive of coming to Akwa Ibom State was to launch invectives and insult on the people of the State and their celebrated Governor or to campaign like responsible, popular and decent candidates who have also come?
Whatever makes Tinubu to think that he has the monopoly of insult wherever he goes must also let him know that there are limits he must not cross no matter how intoxicated he may be with narcotics and his condemnable mannerism. He must know that Akwa Ibom people know him more than he knows himself in matters of leadership, character and political history of the county. While he may see himself as a tin-god in a fiefdom in Lagos, he needed to have known that Akwa Ibom people do not worship idols or demigods with feet of clay.
We therefore commend and urge other Governors and politicians to emulate Governor Udom Emmanuel's exemplary leadership style for diplomatic repartee to Tinubu’s unguarded diatribe. What a response loaded with lessons from a down- to- earth, capacity, competent, intelligent, God- fearing and outstanding professional in politics.
It is sad that Tinubu's shameless misdemeanor is coming after series of warning by regulatory bodies and commentators against deploying offensive speeches as part of electioneering by politicians. Having already rained insults on Mr
President while campaigning in Abeokuta and other places about a fortnight ago, one would have expected a senile Asiwaju to put an iron bridle on his leaking mouth like he may have stopped other parts of his body from embarrassing him. Is this a man seeking to govern Nigeria, a country in dire need of rapid psycho-mental rejuvenation?
Hence, on the heels of the premeditated insult and assault most insolently and recklessly launched against the corporate dignity and hospitality of Akwa Ibom people by the desperate and hopeless presidential candidate during his Monday campaign in the State, Akwa Ibom people most urgently demand and deserve nothing less than prompt and well-worded apology from the struggling old horse. Such apology must show manifest evidence of regret and contrition that leave nothing to the slightest doubt. Akwa Ibom People love and respect their Governor. No sane child will appreciate or support anybody( no matter how highly placed) who cast a slur or aspersion on his parent. Therefore, Asiwaju Tinubu should not be cajoled by those who want to benefit from the contents of various bullion vans within his estate to believe that he will have 10 percent vote from Akwa Ibom State. This is the first time in the history of democratic governance in Nigeria that we have a National Comedian going round various States in the federation to entertain Nigerians and insult their leaders in the name of Campaigns. Too sad.
It however must be observed that
extremism and insult have nailed Tinubu’s coffin and that of the APC in Akwa Ibom State. For even his few most loyal supporters and stakeholders of the party have expressed utter disappointment behind the scene and have vowed to make him pay the price for garrulousness.
This is jointly signed by:
Comrade Jeremiah Edoho
Secretary General
Comrade Joseph Ekong
Director of Public & Strategic Communication
For and Onbehalf of The Executive Council, Board of Trustees and Members, Association of Eket Senatorial District Media Professionals.
January 31, 2023.
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