2023: Only PDP can sustain prevailing peace in Akwa Ibom- Gov Emmanuel
…Pledges to mobilise Akwaibomites for peaceful succession, consolidation of development, industrialisation
By Dan Etokidem, Uyo
Only the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can nurture, sustain and consolidate on the prevailing peace in Akwa Ibom State which is the only catalyst for development, progress and prosperity, Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel has declared.
The Governor stated this on Friday during the inauguration of the National Executive Committee of Maintain Peace Movement, MPM, Akwa Ibom’s foremost grassroot mobilisation organisation aimed at galvanising, rallying and mobilising Akwa Ibom residents and citizens both at home and in the diaspora to embrace, nurture and consolidate on the prevailing peace in the State and sustaining it beyond 2023.
Enoidem who leaves office on December 9th, 2021 as the PDP National Legal Adviser was sworn in alongside other MPM National Executive members at an elaborate ceremony attended by Akwaibomites from the 31 Local Government Areas of the state in Uyo.
According to Governor Emmanuel, no development can take place without peace as peace remains the bedrock for any societal progress, a feat he noted has been achieved in Akwa Ibom in the last six years.
He noted that Nigeria has a lot to learn from Akwa Ibom’s model of valuing and maintaining peace as a panacea for democracy to grow and flourish so as to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people, calling on the citizens to not only embrace peace but reject any aspirant who do not preach the message of peace as the State and country inches closer to another general election.
On the recent contract for the purchase of ten new Airbus which took place in Dubai, he noted that the planes are not for the Governor to fly around with but for investors who will fly in to live and invest in the State so as to stimulate employment opportunities, create jobs and generate wealth for the people, as no government can do it alone without partnership and collaboration with the outside world.
According to Governor Emmanuel, his administration is developing simultaneously the three components of economic development which is land, air and sea, restating his determination to ensure all three sectors are well positioned for the industrial revolution that will trigger prosperity for the State and her people.
In his acceptance speech shortly after he took the oath of office, MPM National Coordinator, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem pledged to rally and mobilise Akwa Ibom people both at home and in the diaspora to embrace Governor Emmanuel’s succession agenda that is anchored on sustaining the peace the State has witnessed in recent years.
“Your Excellency, on the 15th of August 2021, you summoned us and gave us a task to form an association that you named personally as “Maintain Peace Movement” and from that moment we took the message of peace to every nook and cranny of Akwa Ibom State, beginning from Ini and Ikono Local Government Areas on the 21st of August 2021″.
“Today Your Excellency, we have gone round all the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State. We have gone round all the 358 wards of Akwa Ibom State, preaching the message of peace. Your Excellency, I want to assure you that the outing here on this arena today is a vindication of the quality of acceptance, the degree of acceptance of the message of peace as preached by the Maintain Peace Movement in the last three months”, he declared.
Barr Enoidem told the Governor that everywhere the MPM went, Akwaibomites in the PDP family are poised and determined to stand with him to protect the Completion Agenda.
Hear him, “Our people are prepared to stand with you and protect your succession plan. Everywhere in Akwa Ibom State, your people have agreed that it is the Governor that will have the say on who should represent him after he has left office as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State. That message is well taken. And that message is a message that is drawn from the Bible. Even in the Bible days, every King in the Bible was interested on who becomes the next King after him. So today it can never be different in Akwa Ibom State”.
“That tradition is enshrined in Akwa Ibom State. So today we stand as members of PDP, leaders by the special grace of God at your instance and managers of the Maintain Peace Movement to inform you that the people of Akwa Ibom State from the PDP extraction who are gathered on this arena today are with you by day and by night. Your Excellency, we have the assurance of the members of the PDP both from the Ward to Local Government, Chapters and the State to assure you that in your succession plan you shall not be alone”, he stated.
He noted with delight that MPM have informed Akwa Ibom people of what the Governor have done in the last six years, a feat he observed was not an act of accident.
“It was an event that was orchestrated by God through your emergence in May 2015 and therefore your achievements have been monumental. We would not stand here today to name what you have done in Akwa Ibom State but we know that today you have linked Akwa Ibom State to the aviation industry as number one state not just in Nigeria but in the entire West Africa through the establishment and launching of Ibom Air”, he declared.
He stated that just few days ago, Governor Emmanuel in Dubai to sign an agreement to bring forth ten new Airbuses, an achievement he said was unprecedented in the aviation industry not just in Nigeria but in West Africa.
“Your Excellency, when you came in 2015, you promised Akwa Ibom State to industrialize the State and that you will move the State from a civil service state to an industrially driven State. Today you have built a solid foundation in that direction. Today we stand as your Apostles, as your subjects and as your people to pledge before you that we members of the Maintain Peace Movement are prepared to work with you to ensure that PDP retains Akwa Ibom State in 2023. We assure you that we will make sure that your successor will be your choice and may God guide you directly and properly in the mighty name of Jesus”, he submitted.
