Udom Emmanuel’s visit to PDP -My govt will respect the party & create jobs - SSG

BY JOSEPH OKON
-We have seen the true party Elders - Paul Ekpo
-Udom is in the mould of Clement Isong- ex-governor Nkanga

The Secretary to State Government, Mr Udom Emmanuel as told the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party PDP that his Government will respect the party and create jobs for Akwa Ibom people when emerged the 2015 governorship candidate of the party and subsequently elected as the governor of the state.

The SSG stated this at the weekend when he led a high powered consultation team comprises of senior citizens of the state; like ex-governor Nkanga, Senators Anietie Okon and Emmanuel Ibok Essien, Chief Okokon Etuk, Chief Micheal Afangideh, Chief Cyril Ekiko, Chief Out Robert, Chief S.A Akpan, Dr Val Attah, and many others to visited the party and intimate them of his intentions to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state on the ticket of PDP.

He said that is government will respect the party and the people of the state, and will always be under the umbrella not on top of it so that the umbrella will continue to cover everybody in the state and bring real development to the people. According to him, “today, as the party will give birth to the next level and generation of political movement, the party will determine what the direction will be and the destiny of government. I want to assure you that this movement you have seen today will be sustained and bring more transformations to the state”.

Speaking philosophically,the SSG reminded the party that there was a product that came out some years back, on the label of that product was a chicer that reads “beat this if you can”.He explained that the array of his team can best tell the party his acceptability and the quality of the man visiting the party, and if any other groups who have come or will come to consult the party can beat his team, then the party can listen to them; but if not, the party should remind them of the anti-racism slogan of FIFA which is “respect”. He maintained that the presence of party Elders from the 31 local government areas of the state is a clear indication of the respect he has earned in the state.

He said that it gives him joy to see the man who signed the PDP card 001, the first National Publicity Secretary of PDP who can tell the story and history of the party is one of the ebullient leaders in the team in the person of Senator Anietie Okon, adding the umbrella of the party signifies inclusion instead of exclusion and gives coverage.

The SSG assured the party that the government he will run will respect the party and create jobs, and will come under the umbrella not on top of the umbrella so that it will continue to cover everybody in the state.
The leader of the consultation team who is the former military governor in the state, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga told the party that in 2011, he presented an uncommon transformer to the party in the person of Chief Godswill Akpabio who has not disappoint but has made the party and Akwa Ibom proud. And that he has come again with a more refined transformer who will do more than the former in the person of Mr Udom Emmanuel.

He mentioned a situation where the highest buyers of Nigerian crude oil (USA) have failed to buy a single barrel in the last months which have seriously affected the country economy if not for the intervention of China. He said that the state need a man like Udom Emmanuel who has all it takes to break into the world and attract funds and investors to the state to diversify the economy, and reduce over dependence on oil.

The former governor described himself as a true symbol of continuity that has been in the very beginning of the creation of Akwa Ibom, and has promise the party in 2011 that he will stay and sustain the present administration which he has done, also promised to give the party a credible successor whom he has found in Udom Emmanuel. He described the SSG as a man in the mould of Dr Clement Isong who pioneered the creation of industries in AkwaIbom, and all those who worked with Isong are in Udom’s team to bear witness of the second coming of an industrialist.

The Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe made a significant observation that among all the aspirants who will be consulting the party for 2015 governorship, none of them will come with a serving deputy governor apart from Udom Emmanuel, and that shows respect for the best.

Lady Ebe who said she has observed the SSG since he came on board, submitted that Udom is the only aspirant that merit her support, and he will make the state proud. She said that nothing will be impossible for him to attract to the state with his humble spirit in government coupled with his integrity and intelligent. And Akwa Ibom people should be happy to have a man like Udom Emmanuel coming to serve the state.

Senators Anietie Okon and Emmanuel Ibok Essien wondered the parameter that some people are making claims on the party when those that belong to the hierarchy of the party like the National Executive Committee NEC, National Caucus, and the Board of Trustee of the party BoT are part of the team consulting for Udom.

They stated clearly why their support for the SSG is complete, sacrosanct, and irreversible because of the prominent role he has played in the development of Akwa Ibom specifically by supporting Arik financially which made possible for the state to host the first inaugural flight that landed on Ibom International airport, and other developments in the state he has supported. According to them, “today, the state government is so proud and bold to tell investors to fly direct to Akwa Ibom.

Having put the infrastructure in place, it is the desire of Governor Akpabio to handover to a renowned banker in the class of Dr Clement Isong who pioneered the establishment of most of the industries in this state which are now moribund. All those people who worked to actualize the vision of Isong are part of Udom’s team to bear witness of the second coming. Udom Emmanuel has respect for the people which will bring wealth and progress”.

Chief Micheal Afangideh and Elder Ben Udobia extolled the good leadership qualities embedded in Udom Emmanuel and his capacity to attract assistance from World Bank and Central Bank of Nigeria CBN. They reasoned that if it was to be for sale, Akwa Ibom would not have afforded the price to buy Udom, and called on Akwa Ibom people to be grateful to God.

Responding, the state chairman of PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo said that the party have noted the stretch that says “beat this if you can” and the keyword which is “respect”. He said that the party have noted the stretch and the qualities of party Elders in the team which has satisfied the party. He maintained that Udom Emmanuel’s team has of men and women who wishAkwaIbom well and the party is satisfied with the array of people accompanying Udom Emmanuel. “For those who are advocating for the dissolution of the party in the state running around Abuja with petitions and refused to respect the party, the party will disgrace them because they believe election will be won by blackmail and lies”.

He specifically made reference to the day the party received the restoration team comprises of men who hated and rose against the party coming to bow for the party which shows the supremacy of the party, and they think the party will give them the governorship ticket. He could not hesitate to inform everybody that Udom Emmanuel is a man who has always been contributing to the wellbeing and sustainability of the party even when he was not in government. He maintained that even the hall that the party will be receiving all aspirants for 2015 was donated by the SSG, adding that people should respect Udom, and stop wasting their money in Abuja because the party will not recommend anybody thatdisrespects the party.