ENJOY WHILE IT LAST; AKWA IBOM BELONGS TO ALL

                                                                                            12th January, 2014

Mr. Aniekan Umanah

Commissioner for Information & Communications

Akwa Ibom State

Uyo

Sir,

ENJOY WHILE IT LAST; AKWA IBOM BELONGS TO ALL

I feel it is necessary to put things straight to you, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, you are a Commissioner in Akwa Ibom which is my state of origin. Secondly, you happen to come from Abak Local Government Area, same with me. Thirdly, your area of political assignment happens to align with media which I have been preoccupied with in the last six year. Fourthly, your attitude towards the citizenry of the State especially the media professionals is very repulsive, and as a younger brother, I am persuaded to tell you the truth. Fifthly, your actions and activities as spokesperson of the Chief Akpabio-led government is devoid of patriotism but a strong drive for personal aggrandizement and profit making; a concern I share because of my unflinching support and belief in H.E, chief Godswill Akpabio administration. Sixthly, that you may by this letter, change your ways and move swiftly to a path of honour, “before it is too late’ (apology to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, rtd).

Seventhly, every other avenue to reach you to express my humble opinion failed including text messages and phone calls which you blatantly ignored.

May I remind you that your achievements as the information boss in the State prior to May 2011, was unprecedented and a testimony of the stuff you were made of earning you the “Information Man of the Decade” by Pioneer Applause Magazine on May 2010.

However, you deviated from the task of projecting the image of Governor Godswill Akpabio and his government and took to an ungodly path of self-destruction by pursuing personal interest against the interest of your boss, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio.

Mr. Commissioner, there is a German word called “Schaden-freude”. It means “damage and joy”. You seem to derive joy when you set out to damage people, their visions and reputations for the sake of material things.

I will embark on this journey of consciencetizing you with an accurate psychoanalysis of your egocentric sojourn to self pity, perdition and job insecurity.

Sir, until I am proved wrong, you are the architect of many people’s problems in the state. I will not hesitate to mention few names of those genuine supporters of the governor that you have manipulated and slander as well as give examples of how your greed for wealth has almost caused great havoc to your principal, Chief Godswill Akpabio.

Let me start with Mr. Sampson Akpan, alias ‘Politics Today’ before others including my humble self.

Sampson Akpan, a core loyalist and supporter of the governor nearly lost his life to assassin’s bullets because of his hard stance for the governor’s reelection on the electronic media among other avenues. It is no longer secret that you hideously kicked against his appointment as a media aide to the governor. Who among the governor’s present media team had worked genuinely for the benefit of the governor a little close to the smooth talking broadcaster? But you will dare not have good people reap from where they sow. Not only did you succeed in keeping the die-hard supporter of Chief Akpabio out of the system, you have continually frustrated him for reasons known to you. I wish to ask you Mr. Commissioner, where the programme “Uncommon Transformation” on AIT emanated from? Only you, Sampson Akpan and God Almighty can tell.

Before your appointment on July 8, 2008 as Commissioner for Information, a fine gentleman Mr. Udo Silas, the General Manager of Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation, Publisher of The Pioneer Groups of Newspapers shone like a thousand stars when he took The Pioneer to the next level in the newspaper’s content and production. No other paper could dare compete with The Pioneer because of its re-branding and innovations introduced by Mr. Udo Silas. But you set out to frustrate the efforts of Mr. Udo Silas so that he will not get the attention and recommendations from higher authorities because you were insecure of your job since he was performing better than you in his assignment. Today, The Pioneer, a state owned newspaper is producing far behind many local newspapers because you do not want Udo Silas to be noticed. Many thanks to you Mr. Commissioner; I am sure you will add that to your list of achievements.

You cannot also deny your alleged attempt to usurp the duties of your brother from Abak, the governor’s Special Assistant on Media, who is currently the CPS, Pastor Anietie Ukpe immediately after the 2011 general elections. Before political appointments were appropriated, you were insecure and scared that Ukpe may be elevated to commissionership position. You therefore schemed to have him out of the system without success. Ukpe, whose difference from you is only in the title “Pastor”, is lucky to still be in the government payroll.

Mr. Commissioner, you also frustrated the musical duo of KCPRESH, (Presh is an indigene of Essien Udim). Prior to the governor’s re-election in 2010, they got some international movie producers from South Africa to do a documentary on H.E projects. You made concise efforts to stall the project until they got to the governor through former Deputy Governor, Engr. Patrick Ekpotu. And when it got to the time for payment, it is on record that you highly shortchanged and underpaid them.

Ndueso Essien, your former Special Assistant on Media is not left out of your iniquitous onslaught. You relieved him of his job a month to his wedding because he was hired to do a documentary magazine for the Ministry of Special Duties headed by the erstwhile Commissioner, Barr. Austine Mbeh. If both you and Mbeh were serving the interest of the governor does working for any Ministry warrant a sack or you were angry that the young man was making money to sponsor his wedding?

Mr. Commissioner, do you remember Home Page Limited, Lagos? A media outfit that organized Governorship Debate in 2011 for gubernatorial aspirants in Akwa Ibom State. The debate was in partnership with AIT, NTA International and AKBC TV/Radio. I was privileged to be the Organizing Secretary of the Debate and six governorship candidates had given letters of intention to participate, except Chief Godswill Akpabio. Home Page held a meeting with the Country Director, International Republican Institute (IRI), Washington DC, in the presence of the INEC Chairman, Atahiru Jega at Tinapa Calabar and the Democratic Institute agreed to sponsor the debate on the condition that Governor Godswill Akpabio must participate. At a time when the governor who had performed creditably during his first term was campaigning and looking for an avenue to propagate his many achievements and manifestoes if voted in for a second term, as well as instill confidence and put away doubt in the minds of his many supporters, Mr. Commissioner, you sat on the letter inviting H.E for the debate. You reasoned that since sponsorship was not coming from the government, you would not make money from the debate; hence you decided to sit on the letter and dissuade the governor from attending the debate.

In order to gain more support and votes for Chief Akpabio in the 2011 gubernatorial elections, I put together and headed a team of consultants with a mandate to break through the ranks of the opposition parties so as to give PDP an edge at the election. Ten days to the election, I led a team to discuss with three governorship aspirants on the need to forgo their ambitions and declare support for H.E. It was a positive meeting and the outcome were communicated to Pastor Anietie Ukpe who later drove us on a convoy to inform the former SSG, Mr. Umana Okon Umana on the development. Umana referred him (Ukpe) to see Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem. After that, we were able to lure in four political parties’ State Chairmen who paraded governorship candidates, their Exco members and the Chairman of the Conference of All Political Parties in the State into declaring for Chief Akpabio. They agreed to denounce their support for their candidates and declare support for Chief Godswill Akpabio at a world press briefing. Since my group was working with little resources, we couldn’t afford hosting a World Press Conference. So we sought for your help through Pastor Ukpe. Ukpe informed us that he had spoken with you and you fixed a date and time for the world press briefing. We then secured a hall through the help of Pastor Ukpe for the press briefing. Everyone was seated on the day you fixed from 10am to 5pm but Mr. Commissioner, you never showed up or sent anyone to the venue. We later got to find out that the reason why you did not show up was that no one called you to discuss your financial benefit in the matter should the governor reciprocate the parties’ good gesture.  

Time and space will not allow me mention more instances however there are many other people whose efforts have been undermined and thwarted by your seemingly greedy attitude. Mine is not the least worst than others.

On November 15, 2010, TELL Communications Limited, viz a viz TELL Magazine & two others desecrated the Altar of Governance and the highest seat of power in Akwa Ibom State, when they called Governor Godswill Akpabio a terrorist and murderer. The over 800 socio-political groups, individuals and political office holders including you Mr. Commissioner who happens to be the mouthpiece of government kept mute. That was the highest betray of trust on H.E to have allowed such publication to go unrequited.

Knowing the negative implications of that publication to the hard earned reputation of Chief Akpabio and his administration, especially his political future, I felt it was politically precarious for the governor to allow such publication remain in public domain unchallenged. And since the governor was busy governing the State and pursuing reelection, someone has to fight to protect the state and his good family name. That was the reason why I initiated the 100 million naira suit with number HU/405/2010 against TELL Communications Ltd.

When you got wind of my actions, you called me and expressed happiness and encouraged me to fight on that the governor will be very happy. But it was a fool’s hardy to have believed you or craved your support.

When the case came up, you kept me floating, unsupported and exposed to the dangers inherent of taking up such highly politicized matter. I was maligned, intimidated and threatened. A number of times, I informed you about the threats to my life and my predicament through text messages, you blatantly ignored me. I am obliged to believe now Mr. Commissioner that you never believed in the governor’s innocence but encouraged me to go on so as to have an avenue to milk the state government of cash.

How did I get to this conclusion? You recall a number of times you asked me to write an executive summary so that you can forward it to the governor for financial assistance to enable me hold a strong case, which I did. But you never made any move. You were waiting for the right time to hit. And it came one year after.

Two days before I met the governor through one of his friends in the academia, Dr. Peter Esuh, you told me you had informed the governor about the case and he directed you to take me to see the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, however meeting with H.E, I discovered it was another of your many lies because the governor was unaware, shocked and happy to realize I had been fighting on his behalf in the court of law. He urged me on with promise of every support.

I sought audience with you to inform you of my encounter with the governor. I was advised by people who knew you too well not to tell you about my direct encounter with the governor. They claim you have a trademark of betraying and blackmailing people in Akpabio’s government and that you will feel disappointed thinking that you have been outsmarted as the link between me and the governor, and may destroy the relationship which now existed. But I immediately waved their concern aside; which was my greatest undoing. When we met, you weren’t interested on how I met the governor. Your interest was what the governor told me. And I told you exactly what he said.

That was the beginning of my setback orchestrated by you, Mr. Commissioner.

You felt I had a link to the governor and feared your usefulness in the case not knowing that my meeting the governor was an opportunistic one. So you swung into action.

Mr. Commissioner, you collaborated with others still unknown to frustrate my suit by instituting a new suit number HU/676/2011, Chief (Dr) Godswill Akpabio Vs TELL Communications Ltd & Two others in a Magistrate Court, one year after I had been in court against same TELL at a High court.

What baffles me till date was why couldn’t the governor, a honest, decent, and promise keeping man, who told me that I have his full backing to continue with the case against TELL when I met him on September 2, 2011 or you, Honourable Commissioner of Information and Communications inform me that I should decline pursuing the case against TELL since the governor had gone to court himself? No one could inform me. I tried to investigate the authenticity of the said case in the Magistrate Court but everyone I went to such as the governor’s aide on Legal Matter, Barr. Aniefiok Denis, the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Assam Assam and one of Governor Akpabio’s personal lawyers I knew as at that time, Barr, Uwemedimo Nwoko, deny knowledge of such suit with the name of the governor.

This meant that the suit was your covert operation and money making apparatus.

  

How did I know you were the brain behind the suit, Mr. Commissioner? Firstly, two weeks after I informed you about Governor Akpabio intention to hire a SAN, join the suit and give me every necessary backing, you sent one of your aides to come and collect the case file and every published document related to the case. I gave him those documents believing you were documenting the court proceedings as a media manager. I did not envisage that you had other clandestine plans to outmaneuver me out of the case for financial benefit. You knew I had made impact which impressed the governor, so you blackmailed me so that the governor would forgo his support for me without knowing your grand plot was for selfish reasons; making money.

Secondly, a close ally of mine was called to the Judiciary Guest House, off Barracks road to be enlisted as witness to the case by the new legal team you assembled. I was informed that when he got there, he met you and others eating, drinking and celebrating at a buffet and at the same time filing documents. When I got that information, I sought to know about the case from Barr. Aniefiok Dennis and others who denied knowledge of the case.

Thirdly, if the governor had gone to court in 2011 according to the suit number (HU/676/2011), and I met him in September 2, 2011, why didn’t the governor tell me to forget pursuing my suit since he had gone to court himself? It simply means there was no suit in court with the governor’s name as at the time I met the governor on September, 2011. So when was the suit HU/676/2011, initiated? And if the governor reneges on his promise to support me through the case, why did he send logistic support to me in March 2012?  Only one reason can be deduced from all this: I have been impersonated.

  

Fourthly, you met me at Sir Emem Akpabio’s house when I went to discuss the matter with him on November, 2012. You interrupted and took over our discussion. You never mentioned to me or Sir Emem Akpabio that another case was in court. Sir Emem Akpabio promised to assist me to continue with the case at the Appeal Court pending when he takes up my matter with the governor. Immediately I left, you discouraged Sir Emem Akpabio from assisting me or take up my matter to the governor. Since the day I left you at Sir Emem Akpabio’s house, he has declined seeing me or taking up my matter to the governor.

It is pertinent to note Mr. Commissioner that I continued with the case despite your betrayal because I did not take the action out of partisan consideration for attention or self interest but out of patriotism. I am not claiming to love my State more than others but, manipulating Chief Akpabio who happens to be an executive governor, a husband, father and leader of my State as a murderer and terrorist in the cover of an International News Magazine was too uncharitable to have been left unchallenged.

On June 11, 2012, I needed some money for the case and I came to you for assistance. You gave me #2, 500 (two thousand five hundred naira only) and told me that there was no money because you just “finished Local Government elections”. It was discouraging but I persisted. When my doggedness paid off and I won the preliminary hearing against TELL on the 3, August 2012, you were away with the governor in America for the annual Akwa Ibom day in USA. But I informed you. When you returned to the State, you did not bother to send for me neither did you inform the governor of my victory at the Uyo High Court. And after weeks when I saw and gave you copies of the court ruling including TELL Appeal, you promised to get to the governor and back to me, but you did not.

The most annoying part of your entire shenanigan is that after TELL Appealed, they went back and studied the High Court ruling and noted that their chances of winning was slim. They got back to me through their lawyer for out-of-court settlement. I asked them for a huge amount of money as well as to publish an apology to the governor in four major daily newspapers in the country.  They could not meet my demand and opted out for a short-cut which they found in your willing hands.

While I was waiting for TELL to appear at the Appeal Court, Calabar, they left me there reasoning that the governor would not ask for money as a condition to withdraw the case. They sent emissary to the governor through you and a meeting was held between TELL team and the governor’s representatives headed by you on the 21, December 2012. It was agreed at the meeting that TELL should apologize to the governor which they did on their January 28, 2013 publication. I was not invited for the meeting with TELL but I am aware you arranged someone to impersonate me at that meeting. This is because Governor Godswill Akpabio who urged me on with the case and assured me of his full support would never hold an out-of-court settlement with TELL without inviting me. That is not the character of Governor Akpabio.

Mr. Commissioner Sir, who has been impersonating me especially at the meeting with TELL magazine? I have gone through untold hardship and trauma as a result of being neglected to pay the legal and professional fees of my lawyers which the governor promised to offset. Since the day my lawyer threatened me through a letter to use every forceful legal means to collect his fees, both of us have become enemies over a matter that would have been celebrated. No one believes the governor has not offset my legal fees. Is it possible that H.E, Chief Godswill Akpabio we all know in words and in deeds would go ahead and settle with TELL and refuse paying my lawyers legal fees which he promised to offset? Can the governor who urged me on betray me or have you and your team collected the legal fees without my knowledge? Mr. Commissioner, I am inclined to believe that someone you organized to impersonate me have collected the money meant for my legal fees and many other cash I may not know about.

This is because during the Dinner/Award ceremony organized by the state Leagues of Newspaper Publishers, on January 4, 2014 at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Course, Uyo, the governor saw me and told me he would call me for a meeting. I came to you with my knees on the ground, begging you to take me to the governor so that he could assist me offset the huge legal fees burdening me but you told me outrightly to forget about the TELL issue and never to bring it up again, that I should go and look for a permanent job in the civil service. I was shocked and had difficulties to recover from what you told me that day. How can I forget about the TELL issue just like that? A case of libel I fought alone for two years on behalf of the GOVERNOR and WON. I risked my life to ensure justice was achieved and you said I should forget about it, who does that? Jesus!!!

God installed Chief Akpabio as governor to empower people and raise men of eternal value. And the truth is that governor Akpabio has not failed God in that regard. He has empowered you and also evidential are the young men he raised from nowhere to become somebody, many of whom are in his government. Painfully, if you continue to rob people of their opportunities, how would the governor continue in God’s mandate? Did any man hinder your appointment as a Commissioner? Every man will definitely answer to his or her deeds in life.

It is no longer news that you have bought the surrounding buildings around your resident in Shelta Afrique; enjoy while it last. A passage in the Bible said “what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and losses his soul”. Whatever a man sows, he reaps. I also wish to jog your memory that if you continue to act like a god today, what were you on July 7, 2008; a day before you were appointed as Commissioner. The difference between you and any educated man on the street is a minute.  Akwa Ibom does not belong to one person and as such God can lift any man to whatever position He deems fit, anyday, or anytime and anyhow.

Mr. Commissioner, you may be aware but I need to inform you again that no journalist in the state like you. Even in Abak where you come from, a mere mention of your name is like “praying in Church with the name of the devil”. To think that we hail from the same Local Government Area is unspeakably devious and a justification of what Dimba Igwe, a veteran journalist said of you being “a media manager from hell”. No one is perfect but we should all endeavour to treat people rightly and justly.

  

Life is short and I wish to make proper use of the time God mercifully offers me to spend on earth, but not like a fool. The day I took up legal action against TELL Magazine was the day I vowed never to shy away from the truth and to seek justice in all cases at the risk of my life. Death will come to everyone and none knows when, and mine is only when God approves of it. This letter is not written to provoke your sensibility or person but out of principle. So if it provokes you, keep calm and do the right thing. I am neither a saint, so the letter is aimed at strengthening things and bring positive change out of you.

  

I have done justice to my conscience with this letter according to how the spirit directs.

God bless you in your future endeavours.

 Your sincerely,

 Comrade Godwin Tom FredFish (Youth Activist)

cc:  Barrister Ugwudor Ernest, Esq.

      The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State

      Amnesty International