The last has not been heard of the war of words between Akwa Ibom PDP and APC over the NBS unemployment rating of the state.
In the latest development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the position of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Governor Udom Emmanuel as “hisses from a banished party.”
The All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, August 24, 2020 in a press statement in reaction to the governor’s comment on Senator Ita Enang, had described Governor Udom as a “replica of an unchained mad man”
But in a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party in a press statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Borono Bassey also described the APC as “the party which our people had successfully banished from our land through the potent tool of successive electoral defeats”
On Senator Ita Enang who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, PDP says he “lack the locus standi to talk about good governance and accountable leadership” stressing that as a senator representing Uyo Senatorial District at the Senate (2011-2015), Ita Enang has been receiving billions of naira as fund for constituency project with nothing to show for throughout his tenure in the red chambers.
The release further described Senator Enang’s remarks as disparaging on the governor adding that it is the height of shamelessness and hypocrisy.
Bassey however noted that the governor has erected strong pillars for job creation in diverse sectors of the Akwa Ibom State economy.
The release reads in parts:
“The stopgap APC Publicity Secretary in that sloppy release, tried to earn his keep in his effort to comfort and convince Senator Ita Enang that the Governors remark about him was of no moment.
“In his futile attempt to cover the sterling strides made by Governor Udom Emmanuel in the management of the COVID-19 Pandemic with their evil bushel, he described the achievements and accolades-worthy management of the Governor as an after-thought.
“Shocking as APC’s thoughts on the impressive management of the Pandemic by the Governor might be, we however understand that for a party like the APC that only visits the state during Gubernatorial Elections, it is herculean for them to keep up with the goings-on in Akwa Ibom.
“All they rely on as channels of information must definitely be the subjective reports from their spies marauding as media aides to a non-existent office holders.
“It is on record that on June 8, 2020, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, – parastatal under the APCs Federal Government, had, after an assessment visit to the isolation centre built by Governor Udom Emmanuel, described it as the best.
“Now, the only sensible deduction that could be made from this is that a facility built as an afterthought could not have earned such an enviable commendation. But then, logic and rational thinking and the APC in Akwa Ibom State are strange bed fellows and have absolutely nothing in common.
“As a party and for the sake of humanity, we have herein taken up the task of rebooting the fried brains of members of the APC. It is also appropriate to remind them that Governor Udoms visionary strides in government has been attracting commendations from its inception.
“Recall that during his first term in office, the Vice President of Nigeria, a Professor, and member of the APC, Prof Yemi Osinbajo had referred to Governor Udom Emmanuel as a very Clever Governor when he saw the vision behind the Governors effort in attracting the Jubilee Syringe Factory to Akwa Ibom.
“We strongly doubt if the Vice President has praised any of the members of the banished APC in Akwa Ibom in that manner or infact any APC Governor in any of the other states of the federation in that language. Of course, the Vice President knows that no one in that klatches of confused and retrogressive-minded people deserve such an honourable description.
“On Senator Ita Enang, every Akwa Ibom person knows that Ita Enang does not have the locus standi to talk about Good governance and accountable leadership. For a man who received billions of Naira as funds for constituency projects but had nothing to show for it, it is the height of shamelessness and hypocrisy for Ita Enang to make disparaging remarks on the same Governor who has erected strong pillars for job creation in diverse sectors of the Akwa Ibom State economy.
“The Governor was right about Ita Enang. If anything, the Governor was only stating the collective mindset of Akwa Ibom people about Senator Ita Enang. For a man who claimed that the Calabar-Itu road was almost completed but now has to use a road diversion constructed by the Akwa Ibom state Government to his village; honour is an alien trait to such a person.
“Maybe the Senator should commission someone to do an independent vox pop on how Akwa Ibom people feel about him and what he represents, so as to understand that Governor Udom Emmanuel was only reechoing the popular opinion about him.
“One would have thought that the APC Publicity Secretary would in the spirit of the new entrepreneurial renaissance that is sweeping across the state, strive to start a small scale business to keep himself busy and desist from this endless attempt of vain resuscitation of the APC.
“So far, his efforts have been futile. It will remain that way. After all, the immediate Past State Chairman of the APC had delivered a damning verdict about the party when he said that the party has failed his members – arguably the only truth ever told by an associate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.
“For the umpteenth time, we wish to remind the APC that His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel is not available for more politicking; his entire focus is now on providing quality leadership for Akwa Ibom people with tangible proofs in the sustainable development of the state.
“Every Akwa Ibom citizen had since joined this forward-thinking train. Let those who mean nothing good for Akwa Ibom State continue in their propaganda mills.”
