As a build up to the March 9 Governorship/House of Assembly elections, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has frowned at the military personnel for alleged meddling in the country’s general elections.
Addressing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP supporters during the party’s Mop-Up Campaign Rally for the upcoming elections at Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo, Emmanuel said the Armed Forces should allow the will of the people to prevail during the elections.
“Please, the gun you are carrying is not for innocent citizens. The gun you are carrying is not for election’s day. Election is a critical part of democracy. Allow people to exercise their civic responsibility,” the Governor noted.
Emmanuel accompanied by his wife, Martha and Deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, cautioned the Nigerian Armed Forces against the use of weapons to intimidate electorate or carry out illegal activities that may disrupt the peaceful co-existence of people in the state.
Thanking the security agencies for partnering the state in maintaining peace, he warned against allowing the elections to destroy the existing relationship, urging them to protect the citizens to enable the people to exercise their franchise on March 9.
He said with the application of option A4 method, where the people queue behind their preferred candidates, the opposition party does not stand a chance of victory in the state, stressing that democracy is about the people willing to vote people they desire to lead them.
The Governor appreciated those from PDP who have collapsed their political structures, and the youth leaders who defected from APC to PDP.
While assuring the defectors that the umbrella party is big enough to accommodate every lover of good governance, Governor Emmanuel charged them to go to the grassroots and apprise the people that the PDP is the only Party that cares for the people, enables development, prosperity, peace and unity as well as integrity.
The State Chairman of the PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, thanked God for manifesting His power in the elections and the party faithful and the electorate who voted the PDP on the February 23 elections, expressing hope of victory for the Umbrella Party at the upcoming elections in the state.
A former Deputy Governor, Engr. Patrick Ekpotu, described the upcoming election to choose the Governor of the state for another four years as critical, and called on the people to vote again for the governor.
Senator Anietie Okon said Governor Emmanuel is God’s gift to Akwa Ibom, imploring the people to go out in their numbers to vote the Governor for a second term of good governance.
Senator Helen Esuene and Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, remarked that Akwa Ibom indigenes and non-indigenes have mobilised to re-elect Emmanuel as Governor, wishing the wishes of the people be respected.
Also speaking, Dr. Akon Eyakenyi, the Senator-elect for Eket Senatorial District, stated that the presence of many women at the rally was aimed at appreciating the Governor’s good leadership in the state, assuring of unalloyed support of the women at the governorship polls as well as other PDP candidates for the State House of Assembly.
In their messages, Senator Etang Umoyo, the Senator-elect Chris Ekpenyong for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and Bassey Albert, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, who spoke for Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Senatorial Districts, unanimously expressed confidence in the leadership of Governor Emmanuel.
They applauded the Governor for leading the state and the PDP to victory in the last elections, and reteirated their support to the governorship zoning arrangement with the conviction that the Governor will be voted back into office.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, lauded the Emmanuel administration for creating a peaceful atmosphere to allow businesses to thrive in the state, pledging to support the re-election bid of the Governor.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth matters, Akparawa Aniefiok Iwa-Udofia, maintained that the responsibility of the youths is to vote and defend their votes, hoping that God will ensure absolute peace during the elections.
At the rally, 20 governorship aspirants from different political parties in the state through their representative, Mr. Nature Udo of Young People Party, YPP, declared their support to PDP, and collapsed their political structures to support re-election of Governor Emmanuel.
