For a technocrat turned ‘professional politician,’ it appears that there is no stopping the beat from all indications as all the parameters of what an administration could be adjudged of living up to expectations have been satisfied by Governor Udom Emmanuel after spending three years and three months in the saddle. This informed the call on him to have a second shot as the state’s helmsman come 2019 by critical stakeholders who have publicly declared his second term bid as a welcome development, having weighed his achievements with all the indices that make Akwa Ibom, a state of the people.
No doubt, Emmanuel’s Five-Point Agenda enunciated in his inauguration speech, have been accomplished to the consternation of doubting Thomases, who never knew that the man has all it takes to bring about a positive turnaround of the state in spite of recession and paucity of fund that have almost brought governance, in virtually all the states of the federation to their knees.
Emmanuel’s agenda that centred on the five-prong stand include wealth creation, job creation, poverty alleviation, political and economic inclusiveness and infrastructural consolidation, unarguably, has earned his administration a plus that both the old and young, the cleric, professionals, women and others’ call for another term of four years because his score card has proved sceptics wrong as all the sectors of government have head-turning tangible achievements that could be seen and felt by all.
Findings have shown that there is hardly any sector that has not recorded achievements. Lending credence to the saying that when hunger is removed from poverty, then the rest is minute, has made the governor, under 22 months ensure food sufficiency in the state, especially by reintroducing the second planting season for enhanced food production, as well as refurbishing and upgrading of 310metric tonnes cassava processing factories in the three senatorial districts, while improved oil palm and cocoa seedlings were freely distributed to farmers. It is to the credit of the governor that 300 hectares of land were cultivated for cassava in collaboration with FADAMA 111. In addition, a special cocoa maintenance scheme was established purposely for training farmers and the teeming unemployed youths.
One sector that will be eternally grateful to this man called Udom is the education sector, which has received prompt attention right from the onset of his administration, as he has ensured that qualitative education in the state was made free and compulsory for both primary and secondary schools. Making this a success story was the massive renovation and construction of 208 across the state. The construction and renovation works were extended to Principal quarters at government colleges.
The dictum that teachers’ reward is in heaven appears not to hold water any longer as demonstrated by Emmanuel, who sent 30 teachers to India for training in ICT, as well as reinvigorating the training of inspectors, education officers and principals. A plus for this administration is the development of Ibibio Language curriculum, scholarships, grants and laptops were given to students of Medicine and Law in various tertiary institutions, among other laudable policies that have changed the rhetoric in the education sector.
A pointer to the fact that Emmanuel wants the best for Akwa Ibomites is the giant stride he has taken in the provision of people-friendly infrastructure in terms of massive dualisation of roads, construction of road networks in and around the three senatorial districts that make the state. Prompt intervention in preventing the hazards that accompany flooding were checked. The administration has never joked with commerce, as it has assisted and developed MSMEs through training. In making the state an envy of others, the administration has bought back and reactivated some government-owned ailing industries, specifically Peacock Paints Limited at Etinan as well as established Coconut Plantation and Refinery at Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo Council.
To the credit of Emmanuel’s administration in the area of health is the training of health workers on Basic Life Support Training , awareness campaigns on non communicable diseases, training of 48 House Officers that has occasioned the provisional accreditation of General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, General Hospital, Eket, General Hospital Oron that had hitherto made the state to score 100 percent in qualifying Examinations for General Nurses and Midwives,while not forgetting the payment of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure(CONMESS).
The malaise that is a common feature in the health sector in all the states is the dilapidated facilities that have not spared even the structures. Changing the state of the health institutions from mere consulting centres made Emmanuel to give a new lease of life to the Administrative /Paediatrics /Male Medical blocks at St Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo even as a new 86-bed ante-natal/post-natal ward, nurses’ station, nursery, and recovery section Gyneacology / Maternity Block were put place in honour of Reverend Sister Dr Ann Ward pioneer Irish gynaeocologist for her selfless service to humanity.
As integral as women and children are to the success of any administration, Emmanuel, since he took the oath of office, has ensured that the Women Affairs and Social Welfare Ministry is living up to its billing. Capacity-building workshops on women’s rights and widows continue to hold so as to sensitise the womenfolk on their rights. Sensitisation against child abuse, child trafficking, abandonment and baby factory have been organised on many occasions.
As long as governance is not all about civil service alone, the interest of the commerce-oriented Akwa Ibomites has been taken care of, as market sheds at Ikot Esenam, Obot Akara were constructed, while lock up shops were renovated at Urua Offiong Etor Udo and provison of a Civic Centre at Ikot Udo Mbang.
Since Emmanuel took over the reins of governance in 2015, there has been no stopping him as demonstrated by Akwa Ibomites in solidarity rallies on his second term bid.
Across the opinion moulders, religious leaders, artisans, professionals and women, the consensus is that Emmanuel deserves another term in office as they all said in unison that there exist no vacancy in the Government House. The endorsement has been in the public domain before he marked his third year in office. Making the first call on May 7, 2018 in an advertorial sponsored by the state government tagged Education in just 36 months… no doubt would have sent a positive signal to the surge in the number of those calling on the governor to go for a second term.
To drive home the point and that the callers meant every word, a rally was held on July 17 at Ikot Ekpene senatorial district in support of Governor Emmanuel. The well-attended rally had Chief Chris Ekpeyong, the state’s former deputy governor as chairman, who called on the governor to seek another term; stressing, ‘Our resolve to endorse Emmanuel draws its strength from his performance for acquitting himself creditably in service delivery and bringing development to the district.’’
The rally inspired by the administration’s score-card as of May 29 prompted Christian leaders in the state to rally support for Governor Emmanuel as these men who are not given to frivolities in their hundreds, converged on the state capital, Uyo for a meeting purposely to address why Emmanuel deserve a second term.
The August meeting convened by Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Sunday Mbang (CON) who incidentally was once President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), had over 2000 men of God better described as Spiritual Fathers of Faith, drawn from all over the state.
The meeting came up with an eight-point communiqué that aside praying for peace in Nigeria and Akwa Ibom as the country prepares for the 2019 general elections, resolved to mobilise church members to pray, register for PVC and vote en masse for Emmanuel. The communiqué signed by Mbang and Dr Ndueso Ekwerre, the state’s CAN chairman, said it was fair that Emmanuel be allowed to spend eight years in office taking a cue from his predecessors from Uyo and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts for the sake of justice, equity and fairness. According to them ‘’The church must not adopt the sit and watch approach to the political situation in the state, but must be involved at all levels to engender good and godly governance in the affairs of Akwa Ibom State.’’
They reiterated their earlier resolve of March 15, 2018 that ‘The Christian Fathers and Heads of Churches in Akwa Ibom State strongly resolved to stand on the March 15th, 2018 endorsement of His Excellency, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State for the second term in office come 2019, during the Dominion Mandate Conference.’’
To further drive home their stand, the leaders equivocally declared’ ‘’All Christians in Akwa Ibom have covenated themselves to ensure that Mr Emmanuel is voted to complete his second term of eight years in office just as Obong Attah and Chief Godswill Akpabio were supported to complete two terms in office.’’
However, the leaders cautioned Christians against selling their votes. Their words: ‘‘No Christian in the state should in any way collect any financial or material inducement from any politician to vote contrary to the position of the church in Akwa Ibom State.’’
Taking a cue from the Church leaders was another cleric, Archbishop Cletus Bassey of Destiny Missions International who reiterated the need for every Christian in Akwa Ibom to vote for Mr Emmanuel, premising his submission on the governor’s intimidating score card while also counselling the electorate not to succumb to intimidation or threats as the Church leaders were ready to mobilise support for the governor.
The array of support mobilisation was not a preserve of the cleric; a mega like rally that could pass for a carnival was held by women clad in different colourful attires as they danced and sang round the streets of Uyo singing the praises of Governor Emmanuel. The women, in their thousands drawn from the three senatorial districts flooded Uyo to drum support for the man they believed in to carry on as they declared that the seat at the Government House was not vacant while re-affirming their support for the governor.
The women’s groups had the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Glory Edet as their leader,who said the rally was held to show the governor that they were solidly behind him in his re-election bid.
‘’We have come to reassure you that in 2019, you are the only candidate for governorship election in this state. As you are aware, we have already decided that we will vote for you to be our governor for another four years. And women are the majority in this state,’ the commissioner stated.
Lending her voice to the clarion call, Mrs Patience Ukpa, who spoke on behalf of the women of Eket senatorial district, corroborated the commissioner’s position, saying that all Akwa Ibom women would not support any other party apart from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
and then