Supreme Court’s verdict: Governor Eno’s long walk to victory

In his New Year message many years ago, Tai Solarin of blessed memory, a renowned educator and social critic took a rather unusual path when he wished Nigerians unapologetically to have a rough road ahead if they wished to have a good time.

It was in his famous article titled, “May your road be rough,” in which he stated clearly that he was not cursing anyone and that if they did not know what response to give, he would appreciate it if they wished him the same.

Indeed, it was a way of saying that if you expect an easy ride in the affairs of life, you are not likely to be well-equipped for the rough road ahead. In other words, the bumpy road is the likelihood that you would be able to take on life challenges head-on. This could be similar to the biblical injunction of entering through the narrow gate rather than preferring the Broadway.

With 26 cases from the magistrate courts, high courts and courts of appeal to eight cases in the apex court, Governor Umo Eno has walked the rough road and it seems to confirm the agelong adage that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Since many of the cases were political, some had to do with allegations of certificate forgery, and governorship election issues, it was thought the governor would eventually be vindicated but the thought, the stress and the distraction they created, were enormous.

So, when the Supreme Court gave the final verdict and returned a clean bill of health on the Governor’s election, it was a great relief and it brought a new lease of life to governance in the state.

Specifically, the applicants in the cases at the Supreme Court involving the All Progressives Congress, the Young Progressives Party (YPP), the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Accord Party had to withdraw their petitions against the governor and the case was struck out for lacking in merit.

“It is not every matter you bring here to bother us. Since you could not invite the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to disown the certificate you claimed was forged, then stop wasting our time. The tribunal did a good job, we read the judgement and it was a perfect judgement,’’ the court ruled.

So, it was quite natural for the governor to dedicate his victory at the Supreme Court which affirmed his election to the Almighty God and the people of the state.

The governor, who also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his inclusive leadership and being a father to all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliations, has really surmounted many hurdles on the road to the hilltop.

“This afternoon, the Supreme Court affirmed the victory that the people of Akwa Ibom State overwhelmingly gave us at the March 18th, 2023 Gubernatorial Poll.

“This victory is an affirmation and vindication of that huge and unassailable mandate.

“Let me thank the Nigerian Judiciary for the great and enduring work it has done to deepen and protect the guardrails of our democracy; the judiciary indeed remains the last hope of the common man. We will continue to have our hope and trust in them.

“Let me once again dedicate this victory to God Almighty, the resourceful people of Akwa Ibom State, and all of our friends who have continued to work with us and assured us that God will not abandon us.

“Let me thank our great party, the PDP, the Campaign Council, headed by our DG, H.E. Chief Assam Assam, SAN, the fathers in faith for their consistent prayers for this mandate; the various groups that worked tirelessly for this victory.

“Let me specially thank and profoundly appreciate my worthy predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, and his wife, Martha Udom Emmanuel, who was our Campaigner-in-Chief, for their faith, belief and trust in me. He has always encouraged me to remain calm and be focused on the task of leading our people.

“Let me also thank all our past leaders: Obong Victor Attah, the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and others for all the support and encouragement they have extended to us.

“Once again, I call on our brothers who aspired to lead this great state with me, to come and join hands with me to continue the task of building this state and help bring more developments across sectors.

“We hold no malice, or grudge but love even to those who did not support me.

“In any political contest, a winner must emerge and it has pleased God, to hand me the baton of leadership today.

“I promise to use this baton to work to cement the blocks of our continuous unity, shared dreams, development and growth,” the governor said.

A former member of the state executive council who was in charge of the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources, Eno, a well-known hotelier and entrepreneur was full of emotions when he was sworn into office on May 29, 2023, describing himself as a barracks boy who had lived with his parents, his father being a police officer in the barracks.

Indeed, in life there will be ”plenty of sunshine, there will also be hills and valleys,” Eno’s long walk to victory shows that in the midst of hills and valleys, there is also sunshine.