In Akwa IbomState, a crass desperation has led the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Nsima Ekere, into the assumptionthat the people of the state are gullible to empty lies and gross fakepromises.

Mr. Ekere whose desperation to be governor has seen him embark on a campaign of calumny, wild accusations and outright resort to cheap blackmail, took his jaundicedworldview to shocking heights when he told a bewildered public that he’llprovide local government autonomy if elected governor.

Since the NDDCman made the promise, not a few people have alluded to what has been widely known before now to the effect that the APC gubernatorial candidate and his party have no cogent plans for the state nor the people except the wild goosechase of political power in order to put the state on a reverse gear.

As a man who claims to know a lot, it is preposterous and beffudling that Nsima Ekere could,before the public, make such a bizarre promise.

For one, it shows clearly that the man is simply out of sync with reality and the law, so much that he can spew anything as campaign promise just to sway the people.

But AkwaIbomites know better. They have seen through this 21st century deception , the fake and vague promises hence are better positioned to choose between moving forward and plunging the state into the abyss of confusion with a band of desperate hawks whose plan is to return our state to the dark age of politically motivated assassinations, kidnappings and other sundry butdespicable vices, which walked on all fours on our streets.

If this is not their plan, it’s difficult to come to grasp with Mr. Ekere’s pledge that he’ll restore local government autonomy as soon as he becomes governor. Does he not know that this issue is a constitutional matter and is not within the powers of a governor to determine?

Why should theAPC standard bearer stoop so low to utter such embarrassing and unpardonable statement? It points to one fact: these people do not mean well for our state. Such empty, warped and patently misguided promise brings back memories of 2011,when 31 industries were once promised the people of Akwa Abasi Ibom State.

Today, the people can judge for themselves how many of the 31 industries are cited in their domains as was promised. Curiously, it is the same people that have formed a desperate alliance to once again churn out unrealistic promises in order to hoodwink the people again. But the people are now wiser and will vehemently and unanimously reject these men whose voices drip with deceptionupon a body language that reeks of war.

It’s the sameNsima Ekere that had the false stamina to say he’ll build real industries in the state. And one is led to wonder, do APC and its governorship candidate think Akwa Ibomites are so poorly lettered? The man has not told Akwa Ibompeople what and how real industries look like. Apparently out to promiseanything to earn votes, he steps on the soapbox and says just anything as ifhe’s addressing toddlers. He forgets that his ability to create industries, canbe measured by the number of factories and job opportunities brought about whenhe served as the Chairman of the state investment and industrial clearinghouse, the Akwa Ibom State Investment and Industrial Promotion Council, AKIIPOCand later as deputy governor during the 8 years reign of Governor Akpabio. Therewere none of course.

One had thought that the tomfoolery of the APC and its candidate will have some level ofrestraint, but Nsima Ekere has given the clearest indication yet that he has neither vision nor mission for the state. And he can’t even pretend otherwise Sad!

Nsima goofed bigtime when he said he’ll grant autonomy to local governments. How can a gubernatorial candidate not understand the workings of the Nigerian constitution? Autonomy for LG is a constitutional issue and only amendment can affect that.

Nsima Ekere cannot claim ignorance of this reality, but he had little or no choice than tosay what he said just to deceive the people into believing he means well and will effect what he promised in public glare if he fulfils his lifetimeambition of becoming governor.

It is obvious that the season of politics and promises of heaven on earth by politicians is here. But while some promises made by politicians have raised hopes of the masses that they are in for better times, some, like Mr Ekere’s, have clearly stood out as vague, empty and misleading promises. It is sad and rather unfortunate that desperation could cause someone who should know to embark onspewing lies to the people.

Akwa Ibom people now under the able leadership of Mr. Udom Emmanuel will never succumb to these issues of falsehood and grand deceit. They are now wiser, more circumspect and highly discerning, hence will not fall for empty and unrealistic promises from desperate men.