By Peter Ekanem/Lagos
Following the endorsement of the Akwa Ibom Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Udom Emmanuel, by the incumbent governor, Godswill Akpabio, during a recent special thanksgiving, an Igbo group has pledged to mobilise the Igbo community in the state for the victory of the SSG at the poll.
Addressing a cross-section of the Igbo community shortly after the thanksgiving service, which took place at Qua Iboe Church, Awa-Imam, in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, the Coordinator General of Grassroots Coalition for a Greater Nigeria, Best Njoku, described the SSG as “an epitome of intellectual capacity, a man of great attainment and a true democrat.”
Njoku urged Ndigbo in Akwa Ibom to give total support to him. Njoku, a lawyer and former don, said the endorsement of Emmanuel, an Ibibio from Eket Senatorial District, is “well articulated, strategically placed and most appropriate to continue the good works of Governor Godswill Akpabio.”
Also, Director of Media, Strategy and Publicity of Grassroots Coalition for Greater Nigeria, Dennis Adikwuru, lauded the achievements of Akpabio, “whose uncommon transformation agenda has turned the destiny of the people of Akwa Ibom for good.” Adikwuru, a political scientist, media and social analyst and former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha, eulogised Akpabio “for the solid infrastructural development projects he has built in his state, which will stand the test of time and an enduring legacy not only for the people of Akwa Ibom, but also the teeming Igbo population in the state.”
Adikwuru said Akpabio went for the best standard in infrastructural projects, unlike what obtains in other states “where some of our governors employ wheelbarrow and head pan contractors, who mess the entire place with substandard jobs.”
Adikwuru asked Ndigbo in Akwa Ibom to “activate, sensitise, mobilise and deliver Udom Emmanuel to victory,” because, according to him, “Udom is Igbo friendly from his background and he is a sure bet for the protection of Igbo interest in Akwa Ibom.”
He described the SSG as “a sound professional with good Christian upbringing and one who is so loved by his people, a friendly and amiable young man who has an unblemished success record.”
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of Igbo Community for Udom Emmanuel, Sunday Nwora Orie, welcomed the team from Imo State, who came to grace the special thanksgiving of the SSG, and assured them of Igbo support for Emmanuel.
Orie, chairman of Ultimate Automobile Dealers Association in Akwa Ibom, promised to extend his “dragnet to the auto dealers and my entire political network in Akwa Ibom for our candidate’s victory.”
Other members of the Igbo Community for Udom Emmanuel at the brief meeting, who spoke, included Paulinus Anochieuwa, a petroleum products dealer and owner of Buddies Hotels Limited; Okoli Daniel Uchenna and Destiny Modestus Maduike, among others. Anochieuwa applauded Akpabio’s choice of Emmanuel despite that he is an Ibibio, while Akpabio is from the Annang tribe.
While Uchenna was confident of “the continuity of uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom through Udom Emmanuel,” Maduike said Emmanuel will “consolidate the cordial relationship existing between our host state and other Nigerians resident in Akwa Ibom State.”
The team from Owerri had earlier inspected various projects of the Akpabio administration, including the Ibom International Airport, construction of over 1500 km of roads, with street lights and underground drainage system, five flyover bridges and 32 bridges across the state, 30,000 seated Olympic sized Ibom Stadium, Ibom Power Plant, 2500 housing units, new state-of-the-art Governor’s Lodge, Governor’s Office and Banquet Hall, first in West Africa e-library, 20th Anniversary Specialist Hospital, free education and healthcare, as well as numerous empowerment programmes for youths and women in the state.
The team leader, Njoku, former Adviser on Electoral Matters to Okorocha described Akpabio as a real uncommon transformer, while Adikwuru concluded by saying “he has indeed manifested God’s will for his people and he is a governor of excellence, one that our governors need to emulate.”