The popular saying that “every man knows where his bread is buttered” came to fore recently as the battle for who governs Akwa Ibom State between Governor Godswill Akpabio and Obong Umana Okon Umana continues.
Following the fall out of the two over political ideologies bordering on who will be the governor of the state in 2015, Umana had been ordered by the governor to resign his appointment as Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government and he subsequently went into hibernation.
However, he recently resurfaced and perhaps in a bid to measure his political weight and see his true loyalists, the erstwhile SSG, who celebrated his 54th birthday on Tuesday, August 20, hosted a few friends and supporters to a dinner in the state capital, Uyo.
www.theoctopusnews.com learnt that the birthday bash was without the loads of friends and well-wishers that used to throng Umana’s parties in the past.
We also learnt it was devoid of the usual pomp associated with his previous birthdays as SSG.
Those at the event said it was a big reality check for the former strong man of Akwa Ibom politics, as people in government circle shunned the event for fear of being caught in the cold war between the state Governor, Godswill Akpabio, and his ex-SSG.
We were also informed that Umana’s 54th year birthday was a clear departure from his 53rd birthday when he was treated to a lavish birthday bash at the prestigious Monty Suites.
A few of the people present at the event said Umana was in good spirit in spite of the poor attendance at his birthday party and appeared to have put behind him the shock and embarrassment of his unceremonious sack by a man he helped to become governor in 2007 and 2011.
Umana, who served in several key positions in the state lost his plum job as Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government in the aftermath of his open declaration of intention to run for the office of governor.
Miffed by Umana’s excessive display of bravado, the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had ordered Umana to resign and has since appointed Mr. Emmanuel Gabriel Udom as the new Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
In spite of the dust raised by his gubernatorial declaration, Umana has vowed that only death could prevent him from realising his long-held ambition of becoming governor in 2015.
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