SENATOR EFFIONG BOB AND HIS POLITICAL MAGIC!
By Desmond Peter
Senator Effiong Bob is a wonderful man. In fact, he is the type Mark Anthony calls an “honourable man” in William Shakespeare’s epic work, Julius Caesar!
Bob’s political story tells like a smooth fiction. But the character remains, again like Shakespeare would say, “as constant as a Northern star”! In deed, Bob is an interesting study in how to foist political relevance. For, since he failed a third term bid to the red chamber, he has amazingly managed to hang around the corridors of power.
Senator Bob represented(2003 - 2011) representing Uyo Senatorial District between 2003 and 2011. Before then, he rose from the lower rungs of the political ladder and even became the Attorney General in Akwa Ibom state. He is 63 years but surprisingly, he is still energetic enough to run around Umo Eno’s “endorsements” shows and survives in Akwa Ibom political space. How?
Bob is a lawyer by training. One is not sure if he studied anything about marketing, but he seems to posses an enviable skill in negotiation. “When former Governor Godswill Akpabio fell apart with him, he personally went to Akpabio's house at night to negotiate his political future", said Bob’s former aide who volunteered some information. He added that it seems not much has changed. That probably explains why and how Bob can easily hang around the Hilltop corridors this long.
A careful study of his tactics reveals a man who is ready to do so much to remain politically relevant. Perhaps, some may see it as humility, but there is something odd about a man who was once the Pro Chancellor, University of Benin, running around with a paid crowd of “hungry youths” in the bid scurry favour. Certainly, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, who succeeded Bob as Pro Chancellor would not do that!
But then, Senator Bob is an honourable man! His actions are personal and always good, though some feel otherwise. According to a former aide to the Senator, he is a man of “stable character “. Once, recalled the source, Bob “attacked Akpabio for initiating a pension bill for former Governors in 2014, when he was the Pro Chancellor at University of Benin. But at night, he was always busy waiting in queues to see the same man he was attacking in the day time”.
The former aide explained that Bob is so stable that he keeps doing the wrong things consistently, no matter who is miffed. When Udom came into power, Bob’s next nocturnal destination reportedly moved and till today, remains around Udom.
“He claims to love the Governor, but he does not. It’s all a game. Self interest first. When Senator Akpabio defected in 2018, Senator (Bob) made it clear to Governor Udom that his interest must first be protected before he declared his full support. The Governor who was almost a drowning man obliged and gave his son, Otobong Bob, the ticket to the House of Assembly (Nsit Ubium constituency). In 2019, he (Senator Bob) was one of the early bidders for 2023. Shockingly, he was the first to step down, so the son can be given a ticket for second term”, said the former aide.
Bob believes he owes no one an explanation, it doesn’t matter how many times you may feel he misled you as his supporter. That was the attitude he displayed recently on the University of Lagos Alumni platform, when some colleagues asked him to explain why he stepped down so easily, soon after he begged them to support his aspirations. Rather than explain what happened, Bob threatened to quit the platform claiming he owed nobody an explanation. He employed a bullying and intimidating tactics that made some members to shut up in fear. But a few still dared him and spoke up. What came clear was that Bob’s political magic starts from the self. That’s a question mark on Bob’s diminishing leadership quality!
A check from another angle showed that when Udom directed the councillors in a local government in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to impeach a council Vice Chairman, Senator Effiong Bob panicked. He ran to the Governor, expressing his worry that the grounds used for the impending impeachment of the said VC would affect his son. Recall that the grounds used by the councillors was the age of the embattled Vice Chairman, which was same with Bob's son. The Governor reportedly promised to use another allegation through the House of Assembly to oust the Vice Chairman. Such is Bob’s political magic!
And it goes on, yet. About 2023 gubernatorial election, our source confirmed that Senator Bob's aspiration was "just a charade". Initially, Bob was said to have had some disagreements with the Governor because of the latter’s preference for another aspirant (names withheld) for the Nsit Ubium State constituency seat.
Later, according to our findings, the senator saw it as a slap for his son to serve only one term. So, he decided to muster what he could to trade for the son’s political future with the Governor. "That was the reason he drafted himself into the gubernatorial race, though he knew about the Governor's premeditated preference for Umo Eno. He just needed a negotiation platform. At some point, he was so desperate for the Governor's phone call for negotiation, but it was not forth coming. So, the senator later reached out to the Governor that he was ready to step down and collapse his structure for Umo Eno, if his son's second term ticket was guaranteed. I heard some money followed but I’m don’t know. What I know is that the Governor who was so desperate for support for his choice aspirant immediately obliged”, said the source.
What followed was almost predictable as Senator Bob did not only bury his gubernatorial quest, he pledged loyalty to the Governor and support for his “anointed”. Now, Bob is said to be the one waking Umo Eno with calls most mornings. He arrives the venues of “arrangee” endorsements before most people. Some sources on Eno’s campaign train say he exhibits a nauseating trend of sycophancy not expected of a senator, political leader, former AG and former Pro Chancellor.
"Almost on a daily basis, the senator is one of the early callers of the Governor's anointed aspirant, Umo Eno, lamenting that he needs this and that, sometimes regretting burying his gubernatorial ambition. Sometimes, his attitude is shameless. He doesn’t behave like a true leader. In fact, he seems is followers and suso desperately sycophantic. But then, that seems to be his political magic towards perpetuating himself in the corridors of power”, the source concluded.
A man who thinks only about self and family can never lead selflessly. A man who uses bullying and intimidating tactics against his flowers and supporters can never be a truly uniting leader. A man who negotiates every opportunity his way can never think of fighting in the interest of the masses. Such a person, rather than helping Uyo Senatorial District to move forward would help it to disintegrate. For sure, he might negotiate away the chances and fortunes of the district. A timely warning, Oh, Uyo
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