By John Ntekim
I have read the Former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Akwa Ibom State, now chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Arc. Otu Ita Toyo describe in his recent interview, the Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria, Mr. Udom Inoyo as one of the significant donors who contributed immensely to the purse of the PDP under his watch.
According to Arc. Toyo, Inoyo officially registered with the PDP in 2007 and did “a lot of deep things” for the party. If this claim by Total Chair (as he is fondly called) is anything to go by, then Mr. Udom Inoyo is not a beginner in party politics, as some persons have already been misinformed.
More testimonies have been told about Udom Inoyo’s personal strides and contributions to the development of Akwa Ibom State, even as a private citizen. Projects, innovations and various schemes have been credited to him by commentators and others who know him closely, since his name dropped as one of those interested in the governorship position of Akwa Ibom State ahead of 2023.
In an essay published few weeks ago, a development expert and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Civil Society Forum, Harry Udoh reminisced about how Inoyo got ExxonMobil to in partnership with World Bank’s International Financial Corporation, IFC, establish Support and Training Entrepreneurship Program (STEP), to build capacity of Akwa Ibom citizens who wished to run and grow private businesses.
Udoh further explained how Inoyo assembled a cerebral team to devise a blueprint for the establishment of a sustainable development programme for littoral oil-bearing communities in the state. The 12 year old Inoyo Toro Foundation, through which Mr. Udom Inoyo invests on the state’s education sector by motivating and empowering teachers and indigent students, as well as the ‘Inoyo Haven’, an estate built by ExxonMobil staff corporative in Lekki, Lagos State and named after Udom Inoyo, in recognition of his diligence and commendable leadership as Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil in Nigeria, were not left out in Harry Udoh’s eulogy of Inoyo.
Notwithstanding the sterling qualities of the corporate chief and many attestations to his patriotism and political savviness, a few persons who perhaps consider their political fortunes threatened by the rumoured gubernatorial ambition of the Nsit Ubium born lawyer have resorted to the crude methods of vicious gossip and propaganda, in an inordinate bid to sway public opinion.
While some are already failing in an attempt to label Udom Inoyo a ‘returnee’ and ‘newcomer’ in the politics of the state, others are beginning to question his level of openhandedness. Laughable. It is however satisfactory to note that in all the speculations about Inoyo, none has ever questioned his integrity, patriotism and proficiency, which are three indispensable factors in good governance.
In his tribute to Mr. Udom Inoyo during a reception organised for the ExxonMobil chief by the Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Ibeno communities in April 2018, Former Nigerian Ambassador to Russia and the Belarus, Chief Assam Assam, SAN recalled how Inoyo led Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos, to vehemently oppose the Supreme Court judgement that deprived Akwa Ibom from benefiting from the 13% oil derivation payments. According to Chief Assam, the effort culminated in the increase of Akwa Ibom’s revenue. This, plus the expo recently made by Arc. Otu Ita Toyo, cannot be said of a novice in politics. So, it smacks of ignorance to have anyone refer to Inoyo as a ‘newcomer’.
Assuming that Udom Uko Inoyo whose record of excellence in the corporate world and private life are in public domain and are backed up by tales of his achievements in his home state, has decided to contest to lead the people of Akwa Ibom State as governor, this writer is only concerned about what the fears of the few politicians who are struggling to calumniate him are.
However, since Mr. Inoyo has neither been incriminated nor had his reputation blackened by the naysayers thus far, it is safe to conclude that his political aspiration (if any) is harmless to the generality of Akwa Ibom people, while his excellent personality is made more appealing by his wealth of experience and testimonies from reputable Akwa Ibom indigenes. Hence, it would not be risky to dismiss the phobia of Inoyo as a form of anxiety expressed only by self-serving politicians who are uncomfortable with excellence, resourcefulness and good exposure, but are only interested in constantly feeding from the people’s collective patrimony.
John Ntekim is a public affairs analyst.
