Sometime in December 2015 I accompanied the Editor and Publisher of the INK NEWSPAPER as the legal adviser of the tabloid to an event in one of the LGs that make up my Oro nation. On getting there, I discovered it was actually organised by an APC chieftain who invite my friend to cover the event and since the two were friends my publisher instead of sending one of his reporters opted to grace the event himself. As a wise man, he went with a witness and I was his choice witness. As an Oro son I didn't mind if it was APC or PDP. Anything that benefits my people is acceptable. But the twist to the whole event came when a long time senior friend of mine walked in with the APC demi gods and hopefuls and other dignitaries. My big friend sighted me first and beckoned on me to come over to their table. Thankfully the security and protocol gave way for us to felicitate. He poured encomiums on me, complained how he's missed me and told me how my press work and few news of my legal exploits in the state really overwhelmed him. (Remember, I was the only lawyer petitioning to drag some of the commissioners in Gov Akpabio's regime to court while Akpabio was still the sitting governor. Then some Oro senior lawyers and politicians disclaimed me because they thought they had a chance for governorship ticket and shouldn't therefore be associated with a radical if not rascal like me). He said I have been a true advocate till date and then proceeded to introduce me to his boss. The boss confirmed to my surprise that he's heard so much about me and was impressed with my works. At this point I wasn't so sure which work he was talking about because my recent hobby has been to tear his party's strategies and propaganda apart. There and then the Oga asked that I come over to the house the next Sunday. There was enough space for me at the top with them he assured me. Very few Oro people were going around with them and almost none was doing what I was doing my bid friend hinted. So I won't be contesting space with anyone. They convinced me that I was really needed by them and pledged their willingness to pay my bills no matter my rates. They assured me that the judiciary was going to order a rerun in Akwa Ibom and Rivers state and at the re-run they will take over these states. He convinced me that they had federal power working for them and God. In fact, it was God that brought me to the event. And truly, it was God because earlier that week, I'd run into a cousin of mine who's also a publisher who told me how this my senior friend was always saying some good things about me and that he'd promised to take me to his house on Sunday for a meeting. I agreed but surprisingly, on that Sunday here I was at an event with the very same person. This truly was God. And so we scheduled another meeting for next Sunday.
On the scheduled next Sunday, I switched off my phones, went to church between 7-9am with my gadget bag. From there I went to a fast food and spent the whole day alternating between watching movies and reading one of my Dan Browns' till the day was fully spent. I never got back to them again. I avoided my cousin also. He wasn't so pleased with me. Why on earth would I reject an open offer to make money and be in government by simply changing sides after all, nobody was paying me to work for PDP?
Today, the rerun dream has ended. They will wait for another four years to attempt a better dream. And I'm thinking, what if I actually joined this people then for the money? Where would I hide my face today? Why did God make it look like he was really the one arranging for me to change side and I was just being obstinate? I remember at a time telling myself that even if God's plan is to bring Umana Umana and his APC lots into the hilltop mansion and reveals it to me I will rather perish than join them because I had taken a stand already and on that ground I shall perish or triumph.
Then came the news of the defection of a Brigadier General who was very instrumental in Gov. Wike's Victory in Rivers state. What could this man have seen and heard to make him shift grounds? I asked myself. It made me revisit my law books searching for possible "Stare Decisis" and "Ratios" that could make the Supreme Court go against its own authority in Agbaje v Ambode. I found none. Convinced that such judgment was not probable I didn't rule out the proclivity of politically induced rulings like we'd seen already. So I visited my village where I had a surprise meeting with my polling unit and confirmed their willingness to repeat April 11 as many times as they'll be called to so do. I hoped for the best but prepared for the worst. If they perform magic in the court they will need to perform a miracle in my polling unit I resolved.
Alas, today, I reflect over this and many other pressures and advances from some friends, elders and ogas to shift my ground, how divine they seemed then and how stubbornly I stood my ground. I'm lost as to why God would expose me to such temptations and then I remember the bible story of the prophet from Judah. Wow, I'm no prophet but then I can look proudly, raise my head and brag: "I stood my ground till the end!" It's even sweetest knowing it was done without a single financial benefit. I did it for principle. That principle I shall reveal soon - in later days. Akwa Ibom people should know the truth. APC as led by the Umana Umana lots in Akwa Ibom is worse than a "one chance bus" in Lagos!
May they rest in peace.
Selah...
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