Home Opinion Politics Without Bitterness: Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko’s  Example

Politics Without Bitterness: Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko’s  Example

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Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko

OPINION

Tony Okoh

The burning desire for selfless service and unparalleled urge to change the fortune of people around him especially the indigent ones in our society has remained the driving force behind Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko’s desire to avail himself at every opportunity to better the lots of humanity.

Ide whose sojourn in life started fully after his graduation from the then university of cross river state presently University of Uyo as a lecturer assistant latter bagged a masters degree as he joined ExxonMobil where he devoted over 30 years of his adulthood serving the oil conglomerate at different capacities in its affiliates across other continents of the world.

In his 30 years of service, ide left ExxonMobil unblemished and with his head high having served meritoriously in a company known for its high standards and sticking to the best international practices in all its dealings.

However, some glaring virtues in the life of Obong Ide Owodiong is passion for humanity, his love for the less privileged, his desire for justice and fair play coupled with his persistent advocacy for true democracy and good governance.

To demonstrate his burning desire for bettering the lives of the people, Ide in conjunction with his dear wife Mrs Ekaette Owodiong founded the Wodiong-Senie foundation to spread milk of human kindness across the length and breadth of the state and beyond.

The foundation through well-orchestrated programmes have done several free medical outreaches, gave out scholarships to thousands of youths over the years at every level of education, supported small businesses, train and equipped artisans to become breadwinners and supported evangelism to spread the goodness of Jesus Christ across the world. The list is endlessly and still counting.

In the political arena, Ide Owodiong who is an apostle of true democracy and good governance have shown considerable interest in politics and has made very modest contributions to see the consolidation of our nascent democracy.

An indigene of Nkop Ndua Erong Ibesikpo Asutan local government area of Akwa ibom state, Ide Owodiong singlehandedly built and donated a well-furnished ward office to his Asutan Ward 1 political ward and have carried out several empowerment programmes for his people and friends in politics.

He has also hosted and supported his party at the unit, ward and local government levels at all times and has been one of the pillars of the party in his council area.

In 2018, Ide Owodiong through persist call by his people to join the senatorial race on the platform of PDP threw his hat in the ring and contested but the political dynamics that played out at the time put his aspiration on great disadvantage against the justice and fair play he sings as a creed and that left much to desire but as a team player and good sportsman, he accepted the party’s position and also congratulated the eventual declared winner and moved on with his life.

In display of this rare virtue and maturity, Ide called together all his supporters during the race, feted and wined with them and pleaded with them to remain ardent supporters of the PDP and also support the candidates of the party in 2019 general election.

Fast forward to the present dispensation, Ide Owodiong again owing to his pedigree and enviable record in corporate world, selfless service to humanity and passion to do more for the benefit of the people got several encomiums, accolades and invitation to join the 2023 governorship race.  

However daze with the myriad of challenges confronting the country in general and Akwa ibom state in particular, Ide assembled together over 10 upward moving, intelligent and brilliant Akwa ibom indigenes faring well in their various chosen careers and together within 2 years brainstormed and churned out a 260 paged blueprint for Akwa ibom state.

The well packaged blueprint took time to identify, analyse and proffer adequate and lasting solutions to the several problems and other challenges hindering the rapid development of the state.

In the several interviews addressed by the politician before the last PDP primaries held in Akwa ibom state, Ide has severally lauded the great achievements recorded by the Udom Emmanuel’s administration and promised to build upon them.

However, the intrigues and political maneuvering which defined and heralded the accompanying results left much to desire.

For instance, on the day of the PDP delegates congress held 30th April 2022, Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko along with several supporters trooped out early to partake in the exercise and spent all day without either seeing any official or materials for the exercise but results were later declared.

He was also at the venue of the PDP guber primaries which others governorship boycotted owing to the skewed way the delegates congress was earlier conducted and was not also allowed to vote in the exercise a favored aspirant by the system was allowed to vote with his wife and he overlooked the embarrassment with maturity.    

Prior to the ongoing electioneering process, the leadership of the PDP in the state had assured aspirants repeatedly of level playing ground and to an average observer that promise was a complete mirage in the entire exercise.

Today, there are several court cases arising from the conduct of the exercise and its result and added the court cases is the massive defections to other parties by PDP members, who felt terribly hurt and betrayed by the way and manner the party had conducted the last delegates congress and primaries.

In a recent chat with Reporters, Ide who says he remains a member of the PDP and will not abandon a party he has helped nurtured with his hard-earned resources.

He maintained that he believed in the God of justice who knows the heart of all men stressing that the party known for its dominance of the political space in Akwa ibom state since 1999 will still put its acts together and come out stronger for 2023 general election.

“PDP will overcome these challenges, the God of justice will see us through, the right man will flag the party’s flag and our winning streak will continue in Akwa ibom state. We must ensure that in all we do Justice and fair play should remain our watchword” Ide highlighted.

Tony Okoh a public Affairs Analyst writes from Uyo Akwa Ibom state.

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