Keresifon Essien ponders over the chances of Clement Jimbo to represent Abak/Etim Ekpo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives come 2023
Far beyond the transient glories and recognition that high offices fetch for the occupiers, especially in Nigeria, are the huge demands for sobriety and studious relationships and inter-actions with both the sacred and the profane. It is an estate of extreme carefulness.
Yes, this is obviously the period of carefulness in the country, now that there are much uncertainties on the political terrain.
Talking about carefulness here, one person who is very careful of his political direction is Mr. Clement Jimbo, whose emergence on the political podium of Abak in Akwa Ibom State has sent shivers down the spines of many political actors who are now afraid of him.
Since last year, Jimbo, 42 had the intention to run for a seat in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and began consultations with some political stakeholders in the 10 Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State in May, 2022, when he abandoned the Senate ambition and bought the nomination and expression of interest forms of the All-Progressive Congress (APC) for the House of Representatives and passed through the processes of party primaries and emerged the candidate for the House of Representatives to represent the good people of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in 2023 poll.
However, it has to be pointed out that his arrival at the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency tarmac has caused serious earthquake within the three Local Government Areas, as fear gripped some politicians and stakeholders in the opponents’ camps. The young Estate Surveyor turned Politician believes that he will win at the Polls come 2023, having enjoyed the huge support of the youths and elders of the area, who are clamouring for positive change when he becomes their representative at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
To deliver a sound answer to the posing question: “who is afraid of Clement Jimbo?”, one must take cognisance of his antecedence and personal idiosyncrasies. After some entreaties from some powerful political heavy-weights for him to back out of the race, he bluntly refused and resolved to protect and justify his party nomination ticket at the polls and the confidence repose in him by his people. The reason for his firm stance is because of the vision he wants to actualize and appropriate to his Federal constituency.
As they say:” without vision the people perish”. This is the tonic that gives him the energy to propel forward. Just like every successful son of Akwa Ibom State with vision like our iconic brother, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio who with good vision transformed the state from a pedestal entity to a land of promise.
As we know, God is no respecter of anybody, as he brought a green-horn in the mould of a young Godswill Akpabio all the way from Lagos in 2006 into the political scene in spite of so many political juries and he emerged the winner of the PDP Gubernatorial ticket and the 2007 Election to become the 9th Governor of Akwa Ibom State since creation in 1987.
The same God will continue to do new and wonderful things as he has brought Clement Jimbo to actualize the long dreams of the grassroots people of the Federal Constituency. Like little David and Joseph in the Holy Bible who came from nowhere to change the fortune of the people, a determined Clement Jimbo is coming to do likewise for the people of Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika who are happy to produce a knowledgeable, frank and eloquent young man with enormous zeal to stand up and make a case for his people back home with a lucid view to getting a good share of the National cake.
-Essien writes from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
