Despite the perceived marginalization of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District by Udom Emmanuel administration in Akwa Ibom State, some political stakeholders of the district under the aegis of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have thrown their weight behind the governor for a second term in the office.
At an annual get-together party organized by Moses Ekpo, the state deputy governor for some PDP faithful from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District on Sunday, December 31, 2017, Senator Godswill Akpabio had spoken against the perceived marginalization of the senatorial district by the governor, insisting that he would only support Emmanuel for a second term if he addresses such.
Akpabio, who is representing the senatorial district, warned that the era of ‘carry-go’ politics was gone, and charged the governor to brace up for the big task.
The Senate Minority Leader, widely believed to have installed governor Emmanuel against all odds in 2015, said he would only endorse Emmanuel’s re-election and rally support for him if the policies and programmes of the administration were not discriminatory against Ikot Ekpene geo-political zone.
He lamented that some of the projects embarked upon by his (Akpabio’s) administration including the multi-million naira Four Points by Sheraton Hotel at Ikot Ekpene and the dualized Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road, had been abandoned by governor Emmanuel, noting that the completion of the projects would form part of the recommendations for his re-election in 2019.
“2018 is less than one year to election. All is not well. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you that all is well. If the hotel in Ikot Ekpene rots after so much money had been expended on the project, would that be a good thing? That road from Uyo to Ikot Ekpene, is still the way it was. In the 2018 budget, what is the percentage for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district?” Akpabio queried. He charged the governor to remove the wedge that stifles development in his zone or be prepared to face the consequences of such action in 2019.
“My job is to say the truth because if at this level I cannot say the truth, then I am not doing well. So, please I want us to start the hotel because when the Commissioner for Works addressed the youths in August, he assured them that the hotel would be opened in December. Please, let us check the budget to know what has been earmarked for that place.
I am not interested in what I did and what I did not do. I am only interested in what I am going to do. The truth is that Godswill Akpabio expects us to set our path straight so that we can take one route. Even when you are going for communion, you must be in a state of grace.
So, let us have something from the senatorial district to use in talking about election; to use in convincing the people to stand by us. We are in opposition, we don’t have government. We don’t have Police. We don’t have INEC,” he concluded.
However, on Thursday, January 4, 2018, some PDP stakeholders from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District led by Senator Akpabio turned the table upside down by endorsing Governor Emmanuel for a second term in office.
At a breakfast meeting with the Governor at Government House, Uyo, the stakeholders declared their unanimous support for him.
Briefing the press after the meeting, Akpabio said the political stalwarts paid the governor New Year visit, saying that the meeting afforded them the opportunity of discussing issues concerning the state.
Engr. Christopher Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of the state, lauded the leadership and ingenuity of the governor, resulting in recording several achievements in the face of economic downturn in the country.
Engr. Ekpenyong who was a member of the group said while some states are finding it difficult to pay salaries, pensions and run the affairs of their states, Emmanuel has surmounted such challenges, stressing that the group visited the governor to identify with and endorse him for a second term in office.
According to him, “As a PDP family, the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District with a voting strength of more than 500,000 came to intimate the governor that our votes are intact and we will deliver on our votes in 2019 for the continuation of the present administration. Irrespective of the party at the centre, we will support Governor Udom Emmanuel for a second term.”
He called on Uyo and Eket Senatorial Districts to key into the vision of supporting the Governor beyond 2019.
Ekpenyong, however, announced that in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District had already passed a vote of confidence on the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Akpabio for his eminent representation at the eighth Senate, pledging to return him to office for a second term.
Also speaking, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, the PDP National Legal Adviser, remarked that the people of the senatorial district are delighted that the immediate past governor, Akpabio was succeeded by another focused and sincere governor committed to the Akwa Ibom project.
Enoidem recalled the response of the immediate past Governor of the state when quizzed by the press during his last days of his administration on what he would like to be remembered for, saying that Akpabio lived up to his promise of “producing the best Governor that will ever govern a state in Nigeria” to succeed him.
“On account of what we heard the governor enumerated on the development plans he has for the state, it is very obvious that the governor is on course and is meeting the target of being the best Governor in the history of Nigeria, after Godswill Akpabio,” he added.
The PDP National Legal Adviser hoped the party would be victorious during the 2019 general elections and take over governance at the national level, and hinted that the party is putting modalities in place to capitalize on the mistakes of the opposition party to realize the goal, urging the PDP members to continue in keeping faith with the party to ensure its success.
(Vanguard)
