IN THE NEWS: 2019 UYO SENATORIAL DISTRICT ENDORSES GOVERNOR EMMANUEL
…………..Amidst fanfare and jubilations, a mammoth crowd consisting men, women and youths from Uyo Senatorial District, unanimously expressed confidence in the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration and marked it by endorsing the Governor for a second term in office come next political dispensation.
The mega rally organized by the Senatorial District made up of 9 Local Government Areas of the state in honour of Governor Emmanuel and Wife, Martha, held at the Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo and attracted dignitaries across the state.
Speaking to the large crowd of supporters, the visibly elated Governor, accompanied by his Wife, expressed appreciation to the people of Uyo Senatorial District for the massive show of love, describing it as unprecedented and wonderful and stated that he has accepted the endorsement with the zeal to consolidate on his achievements so far in the state.
“Today, Uyo Senatorial District has shown the whole world that love is a strategy and whoever love is given, love is given back in return. Let me state her categorically clear that I accept with all amount of gratitude, the volume of endorsements that are actually reeled out today”, the Governor stated.
Emmanuel remarked that the well outlined accomplishments of his administration in the senatorial district within the last three years, was an exercise of the mandate given to him by the people, saying, “I can only restate that you elected me to do all the things that the speakers mentioned, so it is not good for me to count them it is better for people to give accounts. I appreciate the testimonies”.
While urging Nigerians across the country to emulate the good gesture of the people of the senatorial district, he maintained that the symbol of unity of Akwa Ibom State, was anchored on the zoning principles and urged everyone in and outside the state, to respect the resolution.
The Chairman on the occasion, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, said he was delighted to see that the people of Uyo Senatorial District are gathered as a major bloc in the political configuration of the state, noting that the endorsement was part of their commitment to enable continued peace and development of the state.
Otuekong Nkanga, a former Governor of the State also remarked, “As a people, we believe in fairness and we put forward right avenues in support of whatever position we take in the best interest of the state. The people of Uyo Senatorial District want to place on record that they are doing what is right, factually right and what is politically correct”.
He explained that the Senatorial District decided to publicly declare alignment with the second term aspirations of Governor Emmanuel, based on their conviction that he is eminently qualified to do so, adding that the vast number of people who converged on the venue for the event was a clear indication that they were on the right path.
In his solidarity message on behalf of the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described Uyo Senatorial District as “the vote basket of Akwa Ibom’ with the highest number of voters in the state and urged them to continue appreciating Governor Emmanuel for opening up the state to tourists and making the state a destination for the global community.
Senator Akpabio, who is the immediate past Governor of the state, appreciated the people for the support he enjoyed during his tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of the State, imploring them to extend the same support to the Governor to enable him complete the stipulated two terms for each senatorial district.
He stressed that the Governor was very determined in ensuring the unity of the three senatorial districts and the state as a whole and added, “We must continue to remain united, love ourselves and not give room to division through ethnicity or tribalism, so that we can progress. It is only through peace that a government can achieve development”.
While outlining the numerous development projects undertaken by the Emmanuel-led administration in the senatorial district, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke, an indigene of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, said that the people of Uyo senatorial district were justified in endorsing the Governor, adding that, it was a delight to note that Emmanuel was running an all inclusive governance devoid of ethnicity and religion.
Barr. Luke, who was the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, maintained that the Governor has performed exceedingly well in striving to actualize the industrialization agenda of his administration, stating, ” the Governor has done so well in creating enabling environment for investors to come and do business because, without basic amenities and infrastructural development, there is no industry, without electricity and security, industries cannot thrive. You have done well in these areas”.
A former legislator, Senator Effiong Bob, stated that the people of Uyo senatorial district were satisfied with the impactful leadership of the Governor, which culminated in the endorsement, noting that the senatorial district was not ready to substitute any candidate for the gubernatorial race as it is waiting to take over from the current governor in 2023 after completion of his two terms in office.
On his part, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, who hails from Etinan Local Government Area, assured that with the Party’s decision to queue behind the Governor as the sole candidate of the Party, the people of Uyo Senatorial District have resolved to align themselves with the decision of the party, based on the Governor’s superlative performance, acknowledging that the loyalty and success story of the people of the senatorial district would be displayed in the gubernatorial elections.
Obong Ekpo stated that the endorsements of the Governor by market women, Councillors, all the Party structures and churches, were indications of the wide acceptance of the Governor, adding that such overwhelming support and solidarity was exceptional and historic.
In their separate messages, the Chairman of Uyo Local Government Council, Hon. Imoh Okon and Chairman of the State Councillors Forum, Barr. Bassey Etuk, accompanied by their colleagues, appreciated the governor for enabling massive development in different sectors of the state economy, particularly in Uyo Senatorial District.
The duo, who spoke respectively on behalf of all the Chairmen and Councilors in the 94 wards of the senatorial district, said that the people came out in their number in support of the Governor’s second term bid to show that every good deed deserve an applause, pledging their unalloyed commitment to realising the Governor’s second term ambition.
The Council legislators, who applauded the Governor’s ingenuity at facilitating the conduct of Local Government elections, despite recession, to give representation to the grassroot, moved a motion to return the governor to office in 2019.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, National Institute of Educational Planning and Research, Dr. Ekaette Okon, who spoke on behalf of women and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Comrade Aniefiok Iwaudofia, who represented the youths, said they came out in huge number to make a bold statement that all the votes in the senatorial district are exclusively for the Governor, stressing that Emmanuel’s signature in repositioning the fortunes of the youths and women in the state, has given him express ticket back to the Hilltop Mansion as Governor, come 2019.
Other distinguished indigenes of the senatorial district who presented goodwill messages endorsing the governor were, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Obong Bassey Albert and a former federal legislator, Senator Anietie Okon while a former Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien also presented a solidarity message on behalf of the people of Eket Senatorial District.
Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of the Holy Bible to the Governor and Wife, by the people of the senatorial district comprising, Uyo, Etinan, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Itu, Ibesikpo Asutan, Uruan and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas, while music performances added colour to the event.
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