Mr. Onofiok Luke, a member of the House of Representatives has formally declared his intention to run the 2023 Akwa Ibom governorship race under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Luke, whose declaration in Uyo Wednesday coincided with his 44th birthday and 14th marriage anniversary, witnessed by a large crowd of PDP members, his supporters and admirers.
So far, Pastor Umo Eno, Senator Bassey Albert, Mike Enyong also known as Babantan, Akan Udofia, Akan Okon, among others under PDP have declared intention in the Hiltop Mansion, Uyo race.
Luke, the member for Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives applauded past leaders, including Governor Udom Emmanuel, for laying the infrastructural foundation in the state, adding that it was now time to build the people.
Also the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary and a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, he noted “Dear Akwa Ibom people, we have built roads and the infrastructure built has opened up our dear state and brought opportunities. It is now time to build our people.”
According to him, his campaign focuses on “social contract” which is “building together and growing together.”
“If we are going to build together then we must grow together. That was an important lesson that our mother taught us. She never left any of my siblings behind. And what does it mean? It means no nobody will be left behind!”
The lawmaker, accompanied by his wife, Uduak, said he is “fully prepared” to lead Akwa Ibom as its governor, and that he would hit the ground running if elected by the people.
At the colourful ceremony, the Senior Pastor of Full Life Church, Uyo, Rev. Ntia Ntia delivered a sermon at the occasion.
The celebrator said if elected governor his policy direction would rest on nine pillars: food sufficiency and agricultural development, education, healthcare, technology development, entrepreneurial and industrial development, tourism, sports and entertainment, youth, women and social inclusion, security, environment and infrastructure, good governance and administration.
“We have been blessed with good leaders who have contributed in great measure towards the development of the State, with transformative projects and progressive policies in areas such as Agriculture, Education, and Infrastructure etc.
“One example of such transformative policies is the area of education, free and compulsory education programme, which was initiated by the administration of Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio and sustained by the administration of Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel with the aim of improving access to the education for young people.
“Our state’s Aviation development is another example in this regard. The Victor Attah International was initiated by Governor Victor Attah. The airport was built by Governor Godswill Akpabio whose administration landed the first plane and commenced commercial activities. Governor Udom has since continued with this vision, leading to the bedding of an airline – Ibom Air and the implementation of various improvements at the airport and today effort is being made towards the completion of the MRO,” he said.
Human resources
Mr Luke said if elected governor his focus would be on “human resources.”
“My objective is to rally the abundant human resources towards building a vibrant and diverse economy in Akwa Ibom State, while leveraging our infrastructural development and active youthful population to create jobs and provide visionary and selfless leadership to consolidate on the gains of past and present administrations,” he said.
I will focus on STEAM education
At the NUJ Press Centre, Uyo on Monday, he consulted members of Akwa Ibom State Council on his aspiration, saying that the result of years of investment in education in Akwa Ibom cannot be measured because of the absence of data.
Luke said, as a product of a public school, he is not satisfied with the crop of students currently churned out of schools, as such he would support the review of the education curriculum to reflect current job demands, redirect focus to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education as well as create a State Teaching Commission to look after the welfare of teachers and ensure professionalism in the teaching profession.
The House Representatives member pledged to leverage Governor Udom Emmanuel‘s 10-year education roadmap to inject new energy into the education sector as well as change the mentality of Akwa Ibom youths from being job seekers to creators of jobs.
“I am a product of public school. I am not very comfortable with the products churned out now by our public schools, we will support missions that own public schools so that they can help us impart to our children values and sound education that schools like Lutheran High School, Etinan Institute, Boys High School, Oron, Cornelia Connelly College, Adiaha Obong Secondary School, were known for.
“The elementary level education is the foundation, so we must get it right. As part of our social contract with the Akwa Ibom people, we will establish a State Statistics Commission so that our investments and policies on education will be data-driven.
“We would like to know the number of teachers per subject in our schools and their spread across the State. This will guide our decision to strategically invest in faculties in state-owned tertiary institutions training manpower in subject areas where there are personnel deficits, for our primary and secondary schools”.
“To promote interest in subject areas where there are personnel deficits, we will subsidise tuition fees and give scholarships where necessary to our students studying such courses in our College of Education, Polytechnics and Universities. We will give incentives to those who are studying education so that our people will choose education as their first choice and not as a last resort. We will ensure prompt payment of emolument and due to retirees.”
He promised to give more incentive to personnel, create opportunities for exchange programmes between schools in the state and abroad, build a faculty whose membership in the teaching profession will be borne out of passion and not a last resort, and create a State Teaching Commission to look after the welfare of teachers and ensure professionalism in the teaching profession.
Luke also made some donations towards the completion of the NUJ auditorium; stressing that having been part of the union by association and through studies at the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) at the Press Centre, he would ensure that the welfare of the members would be given topmost priority
The Akwa Ibom State Chairman of NUJ, Amos Etuk, congratulated Luke on his vision for the state and thanked him for always being a friend of the Union.
Etuk promised that as a professional body, the union would give equal opportunities to all the as[pirants; but he appealed to him to remember the union and its members when he becomes governor.
