Udom’s  declaration: The Choice before Akwa Ibom in 2019

Aniefiok Macauley

President Goodluck Jonathan had during his 2015 presidential campaign stated concerning that year’s election, “the choice before Nigerians in the coming election is simple; a choice between going forward or going backwards, a choice between freedom and repression; a choice between a record of visible achievements and beneficial reforms and desperate power seekers with empty promises.”

If the statement was premature as at the time, that allusion has been seen as a prophecy foretold when placed side by side with the abysmal performance of the APC led Federal Government in the past three and half years.

Aptly, the Nigerian state is again on the march towards another election.
In Akwa Ibom, there would need for people to be guided in choosing their next governor.

There is no gainsaying that Akwa Ibom people are desirous of good governance, where development efforts are given high premium to a large spectrum of the populace without recourse to pecuniary interest, ego massaging and political leanings, they are yearning for a government where they are not intimidated, kidnapped, killed, murdered, maimed for expressing negative opinions against those in authority.

Akwa Ibom people are looking for a government where their money is spent on wealth creation, human capacity development, economic empowerment, infrastructural development, poverty reduction and job creation, among others. Needless to say, these are the planks whete Udom Emmanuel’s government is standing in pursuit of state that will engender economic prosperity for her citizens in the last three years.

Unfortunately, members of the opposition do not share these ideals and are desperately threatening declaration of war against the electorate using Adolf Hitler invasion of Poland as election winning strategy.

When declaring his intention to seek a second term mandate before a mammoth crowd at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Uyo, Emmanuel said “ I submit myself for consideration to continue the good works you have so far helped me to achieve as your servant leader and I seek your support for my candidature as governor for a second term under the PDP.”

Continuing he recalled “  On October 22, 2014, having criss-crossed the length and crannies of the state, consulting stakeholders, women , youths and students and having been convinced that I had the right credentials and experience, the passion and the drive to lead this great state that is named after  the Almighty God and in the process engendered new governance matrix where the people’s issues, concerns and needs would form the basis of governance, I stood before you at the Uyo township stadium to announce my entry into the race for the top position in this state: the governorship race.”

“I have operated a Christ-centric Government, I have led a People-centric Government, I have worn humility like a badge of honour, believing that power comes from the people; I have refused to hurl insults at people who have attacked and called me names.  I have refused to show anger even when I am severely provoked. I have been a Servant-leader which I had promised you. I have maintained peace in this State and brought about civility in our engagements.

I hereby ask you to send me back to go and complete the Divine Mission which you had first sent me to accomplish in 2015. We couldn’t have achieved all of these except ONLY GOD and to HIM alone be the glory!  Akwa Ibom is rising and we must continue to move forward; forward ever backward never. …”

I know I can count on you! Thank you and God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless our people and God bless Nigeria.”  –

According to the governor “I have always stated that the provision of steady electricity is not rocket science. All that it requires is the deployment of resources in upgrading existing facilities, and this, we have done!

“When I came in 2015, Ibom Power Plant was shut down. Today, we are fully operational and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in 2015 issued us a certificate bringing our total megawatts from 191 to 685”,

“We have built and upgraded substations in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and the first digitalized sub-station in Ekim, Mkpat-Enin will soon be commissioned.  Areas long cut off from electricity such as parts of Mbo, Ini, Eastern Obolo, etc, have been connected with power. Ikot Abasi which has not enjoyed electricity for sometimes will soon be experiencing steady power supply”,

“These investments have seen a steady increase in electricity supply throughout the State. Akwa Ibom people currently enjoy 18-22 hours of electricity daily – this is possibly the best of such achievements in the nation”.

Regardless, Emmanuel’s industrialization drive has received accolades from the federal government. It could be recalled that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo during the commissioning of the Jubillee Syringe Factory in Uyo has described the governor as the cleverest person he has ever met.

Again, an APC Chieftain and former governor, Senator Godswill  Akpabio had while commissioning Fertilizer Blending Plant in Abak attested to  Governor Emmanuel’s ingenuity and creativity in initiating programmes and policies geared towards industrial growth of the state.

According to him, “In a period like this, God must produce a leader.  In a period of recession, you have done exceedingly well. Your training as a top banker in the world, your training right from PriceWaterCoopers House to where you were as Executive Director in Zenith Bank , your training to work and manage people and resources, that training has paid off in the last few years.”

At the commissioning of the Greenwell Technologies Fertilizer Blending Plant in Abak he said “ if this is just in the first term how will second term be?” adding,  “we are not the kind of in-laws who would offer the bunch of oil palm fruit  as seat for their so- in-laws . Your Excellency, I want to congratulate for keeping to your election promises. You said when you come in as governor you will bring a lot of industries to Akwa Ibom.

Today, we have just commissioned a cassava processing plant near Afaha Obong. I was worried that this location was to become a den for criminal, but with your ingenuity and creative thinking, you came here and turned it into employment center. This is going to grow in leaps and bound and the multiplier effect of this industry, is creation of jobs not just for Abak , not just for Ikot Ekpene senatorial and Akwa Ibom, but for the whole of Nigeria.

So when we are talking about election, election cannot stand on nothing because you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand. Election must stand on something.  Is Udom election not standing on performance and industrialisation? I can encourage you to go beyond 2019.  So, what I am saying here is that God should bless you, your children your household and He (God) should give you good health so that when you finish doing the good things you are doing in 2023, God will guide you to produce a successor. We started together and in spite of how people feel, we will end together peacefully”, he enthused.

Though Akpabio defected to the APC about a month after speaking glowingly of the governor’s leadership prowess, creative thinking, ingenuity and performance, the governor of River State Ezenwo Nyesom Wike who was at the declaration told Emmanuel,  “ Those that defected cannot say that Udom is not performing well, they were only escaping from prosecution.  No man is God.  Do not be intimidated, the only thing they have is to cause violence and insecurity. But I know that you will stand and defend your votes.

Nevertheless, with the official declaration done and dusted, having been endorsed by several groups across all strata of political interest in the state, the stage is set for Akwa Ibom to make a choice.

The choice before Akwa Ibom in 2019 is simple. A choice between the era of politically motivated kidnappings and freedom of movement in spite of criticism of government, a choice between genuine industrialization for wealth creation as laid down by Udom Emmanuel’s administration and living in perpetuity as beggars with occasional peanuts thrown to few, a choice between light and darkness, a choice between a record of visible achievements and superior performance inspite of dwindling revenues and desperate power seekers with empty promises.###