During this time in the year 2002, Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN, Life Bencher was touring the entire 67 Villages in Ika Local Government Area campaigning to become the Executive Chairman of Ika Local Government Area.
As at 2002, he was ten years at the Bar having been called to Bar in the year 1992. He had one of the most electrifying campaigns that cut across party lines. He was the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was seeking for the chairmanship with his Master Degree in Law (LLM). Politics is a killer of career.
The powers that be in Power as at then in Ika Local Government Area and Akwa Ibom State said he was too intelligent, bold and vocal to be allowed to hold any position in Government. He was not allowed to even become a councilor. They came to Achan Ward 1 in Ika Local Government Area to imposed a local trader as the councillor in the ward. The person did not even come for election that day in his polling unit.
After being pushed away from the election, he returned back to his private legal practice. He was totally focusing on his career and till 2007/2008 when he contested again for the same Chairmanship of Ika Local Government Area. Again, political leaders in Ika Local Government Area and cabal in the Akwa Ibom State then swore not to allow him sit on any political stool in Akwa Ibom State.
He was frustrated out the election, the political magicians took over the process and made sure that their stooge was installed in Ika Local Government Area as their slot. He moved again back to his private practice and put more effort in litigation and focused on election litigation.
In the year 2011, owing to his personal exploits in election litigation, the same system that rejected him, sent for him to Coordinate the Defence Team of the Governor in the Election litigation that seems to be one of the toughest in Akwa Ibom State. The Present Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, SAN was the Lead Counsel for ACN – Action Congress of Nigeria and it’s candidates.
In 2013, he was made the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua. By January 2015, he emerged as the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State to the changrin of many political calculators. He served for six years left office not just as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) but a Life Bencher of Body of Benchers in Nigeria. The first Akwa Ibom State son to get to that enviable position in the Legal Profession in Nigeria. He was also fortunate to be the longest serving Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State since 1987 that the state was created.
The people that fought you day and night for the past 20 years are under you now. They have realised that you are a man of destiny and God is with you at all times to shape your destiny.
The new recruit have not heard the past or pretending not to know the past, this is why am sending the message to them now that you are not fighting or struggling for political position. That is not in your daily calculation or projection. But they may think so because you have uncommon character in politics.
You are stable and decisive in facing challenges headlong. Once you are for a person, you are with him even if you are standing alone. If you are not with a person, the person will definitely know you are not with him. You do not do political permutations.
You do not dance like a typical politician. You go all out for your course and deploy all your tactics to succeed. If you fail, you happily celebrate your failure by entertaining people and urging people to move on with life.
Proud of you always.
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