The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has met with the leadership of Ibibio Elders Forum and disclosed his intent to lead Akwa Ibom state as governor in 2015. The Forum made this known on Friday when Mr. Udom Emmanuel paid homage to the Elders Forum in Uyo and shared thoughts with them on prevailing contemporary issues bothering the state, the leadership demands of the state from 2015 and his desire to serve the state in 2015 as governor.
Declaring the Forum’s support for the governorship hopeful, the Chairman of Ibibio Elder’s Forum, Obong Dr. Okon Akpan Uko noted the outstanding leadership qualities, intimidating profile, exposure and impressive managerial antecedents of Mr. Udom Emmanuel and extolled his noble characters and dedication to God and his life of selfless services. He described him as the man with the kind of personality, character, experience, exposure, vision, ingenuity and capacity that the governor of the state in 2015 must possess.
He disclosed that contrary to insinuations and rumours making round, that Ibibio Elders are in support of Udom Emmanuel’s aspirations as a true Ibibio son and charged him to strongly resist every attempt to lure him into cultism and diabolical practices and continue to worship and trust only the Most High God. Dr Uko told Udom Emmanuel: ‘You are going to be the governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015. I was one of those who attended the Thanksgiving Service organized for you recently. I was highly impressed by the testimonies of all the good things said about you and the many great things you have silently done, the lives you have touched and your selfless sacrifices and contributions to the uplift of humanity.
I was particularly touched by the testimony of your contributions to the building of the Church. And because you have served God, He will honour and raise good men to work for you. Your master, Chief Godswill Akpabio has done a lot but there are certain things that he said he will do which you will have to continue from where he stopped. He said he will build industries, you will have to ensure that this and many other things are done’.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Udom Emmanuel said the visit was necessary for him to interact with his fathers first as a truly exposed Ibibio son who is also serving as the Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom State and particularly thank them for their periodic wise counsel to government and their commitments to giving direction and ensuring the unity and peaceful co-existence of the state.
He said the visit was also intended to offer Ibibio Elders the opportunity to ask him questions on the various issues that have been raised in the media and rumour mills about his personality and afford him the opportunity to properly inform Ibibio Elders about the true position of things and the need to be properly coordinated in the march towards the future. He described the various negative media propaganda about his person as untrue and noted that it is sheer insincerity for anybody to label certain people as belonging to Governor Godswill Akpabio stressing that the generality of the people of the state are the people of the governor because nobody can rightly claim that he has not benefitted from the development programmes of the Akpabio administration and that as the governor of the state, the over 4.9million Akwa Ibomites young and old are children of the governor.
He described the sentiments that described him as a political neophyte as a product of ignorance noting that he has played politics even at the international level where politicking is not merely intense but demands an even higher level of intrigues and brainpower.
‘The time is now for the Ibibios to properly assess and collectively decide on the best leadership material that understands and has the capacity to properly manage the prevailing socio-economic and political situations in the state and the dynamics of the national and global politics beyond 2015 in the overall best interest of state. Meeting the tasks ahead does not require the services of a quack but a very experienced, trained and exposed person. It requires a person that has the needed capacity and relationship at the national level and with the international leadership and economic communities. It requires a leader that is devoid of ethnic sentiments, a leader that will unite rather than divide the state, a leader that has respect for the elders and constituted authorities. It requires a leader that will be transparent, responsible, prudent, ingenious, honest and accountable to the people in his dealings and not a liar’, Udom stated.
He said having examined what the state needs beyond 2015 and the caliber of leadership that can drive the state in the desired direction, he decided, as someone with the needed leadership qualities, integrity and capacity, to share with Ibibio Elders his desire to occupy the office of the governor as a true Ibibio son, a true son of Iman, a true son of Afaha, and a true son of Ntippe Ibibio and solicit their fatherly blessing and the needed support. He said he does not only have all that is required to lead the state in 2015 but is better qualified and properly positioned to do so.
Others who spoke at the meeting include Obong Michael Afangide who thanked Ibibio Elders for accepting Udom Emmanuel. He said the overwhelming adoption of Udom Emmanuel by Ibibio Elders has dispelled the wicked rumours that the Ibibios have rejected him. He thanked Ibibio Elders for the support they gave Chief Godswill Akpabio, to be the governor of the state and pledged his commitments to mobilize the support of the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District for the governorship ambition of Udom Emmanuel. Also Speaking, Obong Otu Robert Akpan thanked Ibibio Elders for taking the bold step and advised the elders to unite the various aspirants emerging from Ibibio land and impress upon them the need for all to support a cause that is rooted in justice, equity and fairness.
The Secretary, Ibibio Elders Forum, Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong who also extolled the outstanding leadership capabilities of Mr. Udom Emmanuel thanked him for the visit and promised that the Forum will invite him again at the appropriate time for further interaction. He presented three of his books to Mr. Udom Emmanuel, expressing the hope that the books particularly “Democracy in Small Doses’ will be useful in guiding Mr. Emmanuel in making daily insightful democratic and leadership prescriptions for the betterment of the society.
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