As soon as Akpabio was (s)elected a Governor, he began referring to himself as a Barrister. Such a false claim was contrary to the ethics of the Nigerian Bar Association. The body had to send a “cease and desist“ warning letter to Governor Akpabio to stop referring to himself as a Barrister. It is okay if the media and others refer to Akpabio as Barrister, but Akpabio himself cannot claim that he is in-fact a Barrister.
Governor Godswill Akpabio is Not A Barrister? Now I know Why! By Thompson Essien
“At the Ibom International Airport and during a condolence visit to the wife of the deceased, Akpabio directed that the residence of the suspected leader of the six-man killer gang, who hails from the same local government area as the former scribe of the PDP, Ibesikpo Asutan should be completely demolished today (Tuesday).”
Not too long ago, Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio ordered the arrest of a civil right activist, Chief Effiong Ononokpono, for asking questions that the Chief considered the Governor owes the people some explanations. Those close to the Governor say of all the 14 questions that Ononokpono asked, the question which vexed the governor the most was question number nine (#9). To Akpabio, question number nine was like a pest that crawls inside the vest of Akpabio—extremely uncomfortable. This is the question number nine; “Are you sure you are a lawyer as you told me when you and I stayed in Udoakaha Esuene Government Guest House in 2003? The way you insult your seniors does not convince me you are learned or civilized or even in-fact educated. Your speech mannerism does not portray you as educated.”
In fairness to Governor Akpabio, he is educated. It is true that he was admitted to the University of Calabar to study Law. Many of his former classmates have attested to this fact. And Akpabio actually graduated from the program. It is also true that after receiving his Law Degree, Akpabio attended Law School in Lagos. Many of his classmates have also attested to this fact. It is a public knowledge that both Governors Imoke of Cross River State and Falusho of Lagos State were his classmates in the Law School.
The way I understand it is that, as practiced in several other countries of the world, upon the completion of the Law School, one must successfully pass the examination administered by some Nigerian legal board before the person can successfully practice law in the country. And this is where Governor Akpabio was shortchanged; he did not pass the Bar Examination. This is the reason Governor Akpabio couldn’t practice law in Nigeria before he was lucky for Obong Victor Attah, Akpabio’s predecessor, to bring him into his administration as a Commissioner. The failure to pass the Bar Exam may also be the reason Governor Akpabio does not understand the law.
As soon as Akpabio was (s)elected a Governor, he began referring to himself as a Barrister. Such a false claim was contrary to the ethics of the Nigerian Bar Association. The body had to send a “cease and desist“ warning letter to Governor Akpabio to stop referring to himself as a Barrister. It is okay if the media and others refer to Akpabio as Barrister, but Akpabio himself cannot claim that he is in-fact a Barrister.
The reason I bring up this issue is to let people know that if Godswill Akpabio had passed his Bar Examination successfully, he would have been in a better position to know what the law says about protecting individuals, their personal properties, and their entitlements to personal liberty. Governor Akpabio would have known that no one has the right to order the destruction of the property of any citizen without what is known in the legal profession as “due process.” To do so is robbing a citizen of his or her personal liberty, as guaranteed in Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution.
This is what the Nigerian Constitution says;
Chapter IV: Fundamental Human Rights
“35(1) Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law-
(a) in execution of the sentence or order of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty;
(b) by reason of his failure to comply with the order of a court or in order to secure the fulfillment of any obligation imposed upon him by law.
37. The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected.”
When Governor Akpabio ordered the demolition of houses of people suspected to be involved in the assassination of Chief Paul Inyang, the governor was wrong. He should have waited for the people to go through the “due process” as guaranteed in the Constitution of Nigeria. By taking the law into his own hands, Governor Akpabio has once again demonstrated his incompetence for tolerance. Going around demolishing properties of citizens suspected of committing crimes is in no way a good strategy or even a good policy in fighting crime. Even as I write this, only one suspect was caught and reports have confirmed that he died a couple of days ago.
The reason the governor reacted the way he did was because;
1) He has no policy for fighting crime. He has refused to sign the Anti-Kidnapping Bill, which was passed by the House of Assembly many months ago. What makes it more interesting is that it was the Governor himself who instigated and actually sponsored the Bill.
2) His reaction to the assassination of Chief Paul Inyang was carefully crafted as a design to deceive the people and divert public attention from the fact that it is the governor’s “people” that are responsible for the assassination. Sources say Chief Inyang was supposed to be kidnapped, not killed, but to extract, in the form of a ransom, the money which the Governor had hitherto given to the Chief. The Governor did not like the information he received that Chief Inyang attended a meeting moderated by Obong Victor Attah—whom Akpabio hates with a passion—to restructure the PDP party in Akwa Ibom State. To Akpabio, the Chief’s action was a betrayal.
3) When Governor Akpabio learned that Chief Paul Inyang was killed, he alerted his key officials to immediately put the Public Relation campaign into full gear. This may help explain why Aniekan Umanah, his Commissioner of Information, Usoro Usoro, the Press Secretary, and Umana Okon Umana, the Secretary to the Government, were quick to issue press releases, in which they attempted to put the blame for the Chief’s assassination on some imaginary opposition. We thank God that their strategies failed. Now, no matter what Akpabio does, or doesn’t do, the people of Akwa Ibom State still vehemently hold Akpabio and his Government responsible for the assassination of Chief Paul Inyang.
For the Chief Executive of a State to order the destruction of personal property is incomprehensible. The people of Akwa Ibom State, who in the past used to wring their hands in desperation to the governance-style of Godswill Akpabio, are daily beaming in happiness that the end of his administration is near. Come May 29, 2011, Godswill Akpabio will definitely be thrown out of office. On that day he will learn the lesson that rich people in other places, such as Ross Peroz of United States of America, had learned many years ago; money alone can’t buy power for anyone. Today in Akwa Ibom State, when anyone says Akpabio will go a second-term because he has the money, people simply shrugs their shoulders and say “to hell with his money.” Yes, Akpabio must go and Akpabio will go; it’s just a matter of time.
By
Thompson Essien
The Voice of the Poor Masses
Defender of the Oppressed
Social Critic
A native of Ibibio nation of Ubium Republic extraction, now living in the safe and beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, where no AKPF, ADUMA, ADV, and Akwa Ibom State politicians can reach.