Governor Godswill Akpabio has in thespirit of New Year granted amnesty to 14 prisoners from Akwa Ibom serving various sentences in different prisons across the country.
Six prisoners- Ndifreke Isong Ekanem, Samuel Ekanem, Patrick Okon Ekene, Oduok Daniel Jimmy, Charles Kingsley Isong and Eyakeno Imoh Imoh serving in Port Harcourt Prisons had their sentences converted from death to life imprisonment.
Those serving life imprisonment- Ofonime John Udoh, Mbong Billy Udobong, Akpan Phillips Akpan, Uweh Iniabasi Okon, Emmanuel Ebong Inyang, Udo Etim Isonguyo, Bassey George and Edem Bassey Etim in Uyo, Calabar and Ikot Ekpene Prisons- were set free.
Unhappy with the living conditions of the prison, the governor donated N10 million for medical attention of the prison inmates, and directed the state Comptroller of Nigerian Prisons Service to liaise with the Commissioner for Special Duties in a bid to intervene in some areas begging for attention in Uyo Prison.
The state Comptroller of Nigerian Prisons Service, Dr. (Mrs) Regina Akpan thanked the governor for various donations to them and for reforming prisons service in the state through new edifices.
Mrs. Akpan whose address was read by DCP, Rev. Ben-Rabbi Freeman in-charge of Uyo Prison hinted that the prison boasts of 52 females, four babies and two expectant mothers in addition to 834 inmates awaiting trial, appealing to the governor to intervene in provision of some facilities and renovation of the prison.
Meanwhile, the state Chief Executive has said that the forthcoming 2015 elections will not divide the country stating that the elections would rather engender unity, love, togetherness and brotherhood among Nigerians.
Chief Akpabio, who stated this Friday during a one-day inter-denominational thanksgiving on the theme: “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” at Ibom Hall grounds, Uyo, remarked, “I believe the next elections would unify Nigeria; it will bring about brotherhood among Nigerians; it would be about love and togetherness.
“We can never allow religion and elections to divide the country. This country would remain in peace after the elections. So, I call on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan to move the country forward. I also call on the media to give out positive news to the public and endeavor to appreciate the transformation agenda of President Jonathan”, he said.
He said the politicians understand the country’s unity in diversity that is reason the PDP Presidential candidate, a Christian has picked a Muslim as a Vice Presidential candidate while the APC Presidential candidate, a Muslim has picked a Christian as his Vice.
The Governor, however, blamed the opposition for using their mass media to rubbish the achievements of President Jonathan who has performed creditably in the provision of good roads, electricity supply, rail lines and revamping of agriculture in the country, calling on Nigerians to re-elect the President for a second term in office.
Akpabio called on Akwa Ibom people to always imbibe the spirit of togetherness, remarking, “I believe that when we come together, we can cross any river and scale any mountain. A united Akwa Ibom is a force no one can contain. So let us unite, but let me remind all Akwa Ibom people that to whom much is given, much is expected. God has given us much and He also expects much from us. In this election year, we must prove ourselves worthy of God’s abundant mercies. We must live up to the expectations of our Heavenly Father, humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways.
“We come here today to rededicate our State and ourselves to God. We come to thank Him for His mercies and tender kindness last year, and to ask for the more mercies and kindness this year. We come in obedience of our Heavenly Father’s injunction “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
“Akwa Ibom State is a lot different now from how it was when we assumed office. The State has become a positive political puzzle in our national equation. Those who have tried to understand how we achieved what we achieved have largely failed because no man can decode what God has done.
“The pundits and scholars have tried to analyze the uncommon transformation of our state, but they failed. They have been like the blind men of Indostan. These blind men went to observe the elephant and satisfy their minds. The one who touched the trunk said the elephant was just like a tree. The one who touched the tusk said it was just like spear. The one who touched the body said it was just like a wall. Just as the blind men could not touch all of the elephant to fully experience it, so is it difficult to fully understand the uncommon transformation of our state.
“No one can behold the full range of the uncommon transformation. No one can correctly analyze our efforts because they are too all encompassing. You can count the number of seeds in an orange, but you cannot count the number of oranges in a seed. We have planted seeds of development everywhere in our dear State”, he asserted.
The Governor observed “But we know someone who knows everything that we have done. He has been at the root of our successes and He has been the driver of all our efforts. He is the one who runs our affairs because except the Lord protects the city, the watchman watches in vain. I can share with you the secret of our success as an administration. It is found in the scripture that whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This administration was born of God. We have truly overcome our world. We have become the cynosure of all eyes in our country. We have received commendation locally and internationally.
“The Lord has given us a garment of praise in the place of mourning, a shining crown in the place of ashes, glory in the place of despair. God has used us in amazing ways to give hope to the hopeless, shelter to the destitute and a future to the orphans. He has used us to restructure, remodel and redesign our land. But let me remind all Akwa Ibom people that to whom much is given, much is expected. God has given us much and He also expects much from us. In this election year we must prove ourselves worthy of God’s abundant mercies. We must live up to the expectations of our Heavenly Father, humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways.
“So, we have come to thank God with a gladsome mind for He is good and His mercies endure forever. We have come to ask for His protection and for His intervention in this critical year of our history. We have come to hand-over the year to Him. We have come to ask God to let His will be done one more time in this blessed land of promise”, Akpabio added.
The state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Cletus Bassey said Governor Akpabio has laid a foundation of prayers and led people in the state to God and thanked him for the great things he has done and his large heart toward the church and the entire people of the state.
He also thanked him for transforming the state through numerous infrastructures, giving a positive direction to education in the state and also thanked the wife of the governor, Mrs Unoma Akpabio for being the success story behind the Governor through her submission towards her husband.
In his homily, Archbishop Emmanuel Udofia emphasized the need for Akwa Ibom people to thank God especially for Governor Akpabio and the various infrastructures he has provided for the state in his seven and half years reign.
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