“You can't fire whom you didn't hire” – Efanga

Says Ekere is not the sponsor of “One for Change” Hon Samuel Efanga is a former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Akwa Ibom State.

He is the initiator of the foremost sociopolitical organization, 'One
for Change' with over 20 thousand membership. Efanga, a seeker of the Uyo Federal Constituency Seat during the
2015 general elections, responds, in this exclusive interview with Joseph Atainyang to issues of vivid blackmail and sabotage, where he has recently been
reported as being sacked by Obong Nsima Ekere from leading the group.

Happy reading:
GOOD EVENING SIR, THERE SEEM to be conflict in 'One for Change', what's happening?

Thank you. As you can see, “One for Change” is a political structure that was initiated by me.

It has membership in all wards across the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State. I initiated the group to
advance the cause of my political beliefs. You know I am a practicing politician.

Yes, it came up to support the policies of change. We tried to use the platform to assess candidates to see the one having the right character that can assume the position of leadership.

We started mobilizing people since mid-2016. Along the line, there
are a number of issues that came up which I felt have sufficiently altered the cause of my principles and beliefs.

So, I decided to have a rethink because a lot of things have changed in ‘One for Change’.

OK SIR, PLEASE TELL US WHAT IT IS THAT HAS CHANGED IN ONE FOR CHANGE?

As I have said, a number of things have happened that have conflicted with my own beliefs as a person.

For the maturity of politics, you cannot say everything in the public. But I owe my followers across the state an
explanation.

After series of consultations, I have taken a position to disengage my services to the group. There are fundamental issues which I raised and were not sufficiently addressed.

So, I felt that I cannot continue.
As I have said, ‘One for Change’ is my initiative. I assembled over 90 percent of the membership.

I assembled the leadership; I assembled the caucus members; I assembled the coordinators. By the grace of God, with the support and cooperation of the entire
membership, we made a great progress to assemble huge followers.

For me, I feel I have a responsibility to explain certain things to those who followed me and by extention the general public to correct some erroneous perception.

Like I read in some of the papers, they said “Nsima Ekere sacks Samuel Efanga”. So, I feel there are a number of things to be clarified.

SIR, WERE YOU REALLY SACKED AS CLAIMED BY THE REPORTS?

That’s not true. You cannot fire whom you did not hire. Nsima Ekere is not a sponsor of “One for Change”.

So it cannot be said that he has fired the services of whom he did not hire. The group is my brain child. If you go into a
journey and you discover that the route you are taking will not lead you to a desired destination, what do you do?
You return to the starting point and take the right path because you must arrive at your desired destination.

I strongly say that I am not paid by Nsima Ekere, neither did he engage me. I did all I did on my own.

The people I brought have also made tremendous contributions to the
development of the group. So that's why I keep saying that I owe them explanations.

I don't like to behave like a 'general overseer' because I am not a boastful person.

OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TAKEN A DECISION TO QUIT THE PRODUCT OF YOUR HARD LABOUR. BUT WOULD YOU DISSUADE YOUR MEMBERS FROM BEING PART OF THE GROUP?

I am an independent person and I encourage people to be independent. But I will explain the situation to my people.
All the members are very enlightened and experienced politicians.

I don’t like to impose my decision on anybody.

I can only tell them why I decided to take my decision.

Everyone deserves the right to either share in my thinking or follow their hearts.

I brought them in based on a collective understanding of where we were going. So, if things do not work out as envisaged, it is very instructive that I call them and give them the necessary
explanations.

KINDLY TELL US THE NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF ‘OCHANGE’ppCHANGE’.

From the level of registration, we have a population of over 20 thousand membership across the state.

We have established support structures across all the wards in the State. Each ward has over 38 member exco plus the 10 elders that we have assembled in each wards of the 329 wards in the state.

We have chapter excos of similar number across the 31 Local Government Areas of the state and then thousands of other registered members.

SIR, AFTER RAISING SUCH A LARGE SUPPORT GROUP, YOU CHOSE TO ABANDONE IT. DON’T
YOU THINK THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR FUTURE POLITICALLY?

That’s why I said I owe my people an explanation. I owe the general public an explanation.

I need to engage them in discussion. I believe a lot of people will get to understand my decision. So, it is left for others to take their position.

But for record purpose, all those I have
shared my experience with so far, have not condemned me. They rather commend me for being diplomatic in my
action.

But it is a continuous engagement. Any action we take has both the positive and the negative interpretation. But let it be that in future, people will see reasons to appreciate what I have done today.

WE BELIEVE THIS CONFLICT IN “ONE FOR CHANGE” HAS A CONNECTION WITH YOUR
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO DEACON UDOM EMMANUEL WHEN HE WAS BEING RECEIVED BY
IBIBIO NATION. AS AN APC MAN, WHY DID YOU CONGRATULATE THE GOVERNOR?

For me, politics should not be played with malice. We are in a democracy; the only difference between me and you is our opinion.

I don’t hate you for holding your own
opinion on any matter or issue. Whether you are a member of my party or not, I believe you have an independent way of looking at something.

Even in our homes, we hold different opinions. So, I see nothing wrong in congratulating somebody for attaining a feat. In politics, sometimes you fight or may be, you went for an election! At the end of the day, your opponent emerges
the winer.

For God’s sake, you need to congratulate the person for being seen as the best by the populace.

For instance, if you look at the American election, bill Clinton congratulated Donald Trump. In this case, Ibibio
Nation honoured one of her sons, Udom Emmanuel who is the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

mind you, there is no debate anywhere that Udom is not an Ibibio son. So, if
his people, seeing him as having risen to the apex of his profession, and succeeding as the Governor, decided to honour him, who says he does not deserve it? No matter the disagreement, he is the Governor of this state till 2019.

So, I see nothing wrong in congratulating him. The honour done him by Ibibio people was not a party
thing. After all, I was part of the planning committee of the honour done to Obong Victor Attah when Ibibio people proclaimed him the leader of Ibibio Nation.

The arrangement was done across party lines. I remember in that event, distinguished Senator John Udoedehe as an APC Aspirant attended.

Helen Esuene of Labour Party and Bishop Sam Akpan of Accord Party were there.

Umana Umana, Nsima Ekere, Bassey Albert, and the rest were all there. Even His Excellency Udom Emmanuel
was represented by the former Commissioner for Economic Development, Barr. Jerry Akpan. No
sentiment was attached.

People simply came together to express the oneness of Ibibio people. I was actually invited for the reception of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

But I knew I won't be around because I had already scheduled for an engagement outside the state.

So, in a diplomacy, I had to write that congratulation through my facebook page to His Excellency and the wife.

It was clearly stated that I extended good will to them on account of the honour.

And to that extent, I see nothing
wrong with that. And I stand by it. People should be satisfied in their own actions. Don’t forget that the Chairman of APC Governor's Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was there in that event.

SIR, YOU WISHED THE GOVERNOR WELL IN YOUR MESSAGE. TELL US ABOUT IT?

Of course, you don’t expect me to wish him bad or curse him. The best thing anyone can do to his leader is to
wish him well. The scriptures expressly direct that we pray for people in authority.

If it is well with the Governor, it will be well with the state. And if it is well
with the state, it will be well with the people. So, it is better to be well with him.

YOU SEEM TO BE A VERY INDEPENDENT POLITICIAN, WHY DO YOU CONGRATULATE
NSIMA ON HIS RECEPTION IN SPITE OF THE NEGATIVE FALL OUTS IN ‘ONE OF CHANGE’?

I congratulate him on his thanksgiving. Of course, I have a duty to do that as an Akwa Ibom person; I have to show that solidarity.

What people do not understand is that, if today is their turn, tomorrow should be another person’s turn.

If something good has happened in the life of another person, it is your duty to thank God. So, we have a duty to congratulate him and wish him well.

SUPPOSE THE DIFFERENCES ARE ADDRESSED AND YOU RECEIVE DUE APOLOGIES FROM THOSE WHO SEEM TO HAVE HIJACKED THE STRUCTURE, WOULD YOU KINDLY RESUME YOUR POSITION AS THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE GROUP?

Well as I have said, I didn’t lay claim to the group as a founding ‘general overseer’.

I allow people to also express themselves. So, being the coordinator was not the issue. I only did what I did for my belief that I should make positive contributions wherever I find my self.

Don’t forget that the group is barely one year old and it has risen to that feat.

There are a lot of things I could do to
express myself as a practical politician. I don't have to be a coordinator of a group forever. In fact, I like building institutions that have succession of leadership.

BUT SIR, SUPPOSE THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE ADDRESSED AND THE ISSUES SETTLED,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE YOUR SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTION NOT ESSENTIALLY AS THE LEADER, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACTUALIZING THE VISION?

I engage people in discussions. A lot of things went against my principles. There are a lot of things to do.

You must not necessarily continue to engage yourself in one thing. Sometimes you change you direction and develop new ideas on what you can do.

SIR, KINDLY TELL US YOUR PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHIES IN POLITICS?

I don’t keep malice. I don’t hate people. I am a Democrat. I also believe in the free society where people should be free to express themselves.

I am not violent, that is why my politics has no room for violence. These are some of the principles that shaped my politics.

If you check my life, you will know I am a very peaceful person and I like to operate in a peaceful environment.

It is not about my association with the group. It is about my person generally. So, seeing that my congratulatory
message to the Governor has generated undue unrest, hatred and fury, I decided to space so that people can continue to express themselves.

PEOPLE SAY ITS NOT ALL ABOUT YOUR CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE. THEY SAY YOU
WERE PAID BY THE GOVERNOR. WERE YOU PAID?

I have never met Udom Emmanuel since he became the governor of this state. That’s the fact. I have never discussed with him and I don’t think that is even the case.

My politics does not depend on that kind of payment. First of all, I must establish my belief. I don’t depend on any inducement.

At this stage, if it were payment, don’t you know Nsima Ekere has something to
offer? I would have said let me wait and look for contracts.

That’s to show you my way of thinking. Some people have also said “are you mad? That you choose to withdraw when contracts are being given?" So, if it were
to be about inducement, I would have also said let me stay and look for contract papers. So, that's not my kind of politics.

WHO WAS PROF. ETOK EKANEM AND HOW DID HE JOIN THE GROUP? WERE YOU THE ONE WHO
BROUGHT HIM INTO THE GROUP?

He is a member of the group. You know I can't tell you the whole story for maturity sake. I told you I assembled
over 90 percent membership of the group. He is actually one of those I persuaded to join us in the advancement of politics.

That’s why I keep saying that I am indepted to the generality of the members.

I owe them explanations on why things have turned out this way.

SO, WHAT DO YOU WANT AKWA IBOM PEOPLE TO BELIEVE AT THE MOMENT?

We are still talking. We are in a transition where we continue to weigh options and look at how realistic some
of the situations are. I don’t impose my ideas on people.

I allow everyone to have independent mind. I only present my position and allow people to either accept or not. But
let it be known that Nsima Ekere did not sack me because he didn’t hire me.