A’Ibom stands still as Udom Emmanuel declares for Governorship

All is set for the much anticipated formal declaration by the Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, of his entry for the 2015 Governorship race on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

The disclosure which was contained in a release by the Chairman of the Publicity and Media Sub Committee for the event, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, reveals that, Mr Udom Emmanuel will make his intention known at a Grand Declaration Rally organized by the Akwa Ibom Consolidation Alliance, ACA, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at the Uyo Township Stadium by 10am prompt.
ACA, a socio political movement in Akwa Ibom State, is the Umbrella Organization of hundreds of affiliate groups, that have swept through the state in recent times as a mass movement advocating for the consolidation and sustenance of the Uncommon Transformation Agenda of Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio beyond 2015.

ACA, which is the platform projecting the SSG, Mr Emmanuel, as the best and most credible choice for the office of Governor in 2015, has concluded plans to mobilise at least 30,000 people from all 31 Local Government Chapters in the State for the Grand Rally as Uyo is already agog for the mother of all rallies.

It will be recalled that, several women, youth, socio-cultural and professional groups, have begged Governor Godswill Akpabio to release his SSG, and have been mounting tremendous pressure on Mr Udom Emmanuel to step forward and run for Governor in 2015.

The impending resignation from office and declaration by Mr Udom Emmanuel, who is generally acknowledged as the best for the top job has become the main issue and topic in public discourse all over the State.

According to the release, the event, under the Chairmanship of a former Military Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga will have Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio and Wife, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio as Special Guests of Honour, and will attract the general public and supporters of Udom Emmanuel including top politicians, party elders and stalwarts, religious and traditional leaders.
Udom Emmanuel, an achiever, a renowned financial controller and manager, is an internationally recognized accountant, a seasoned Technocrat, and one of the most sought-after in his profession worldwide.

Mr. Emmanuel, an achiever, a renowned financial controller and manager, is an internationally recognized accountant, a seasoned Technocrat, and one of the most sought-after in his profession worldwide.

Udom Emmanuel is from a God-fearing family in Awa-Iman, ONNA Local Government Area. His father, Mr. Gabriel E. Nkanang is a retired Head Master and a great teacher. Born on July 11, 1966, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel studied Accounting at the University of Lagos and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree with Second Class Honour, Upper Division in 1988. He has a Master of Science Degree in Corporate Governance at Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.

In 2006, he was appointed Executive Director of Zenith Bank PLC, a position he occupied until his appointment as Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government in July 2013. His other Board appointments include: Non- Executive Director, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), 2010 to date and Director, Nigerian Inter-Banks Settlement System (NIBBs), 2009-2011.

His brilliance and excellent service delivery stood Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel in a vantage position for his additional appointment as Non- Executive Director of Zenith Bank in foreign countries like, Zenith Bank UK, Zenith Bank Gambia and Zenith Bank Sierra Leone. He further served in the same position for Zenith Insurance, Zenith Pension and Custodian, Zenith Securities, Zenith Trustees & Zenith Registrars.

Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Fellow of the Institute of Financial Management, since 2005 and, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACIT). He was at the prestigious London Business School, for a programme in Advanced Leadership Management, at Insead, France, he took up Advanced Management Programme (AMP); at Harvard Business School, a frontline Business institution in the United States of America, he studied Negotiation and Competitive Decision-making, and at Colombia Business School in USA, he had training in Executive Leadership.