‘Akwa Ibom PDP is a model of party politics in Nigeria’.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has recommended the leadership style of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to the national level, describing it as a model of party politics in Nigeria in view of the peaceful coexistence, tranquility and coherence the party has enjoyed and exhibited in the state in the last few years.
Governor Udom Emmanuel, who stated this at the 2020 state PDP Congress held at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, last Thursday, noted that Only God can make such feat possible in Akwa Ibom PDP.
While lauding the disposition of the party, Governor Emmanuel, who is the leader of Akwa Ibom PDP, expressed delight with Obong Paul Ekpo-led out-going executive for the maturity and transparency they displayed throughout their tenure.
The governor posited that he was particularly impressed and marveled at the fact that throughout Obong Ekpo-led administration, the party has been without issues even as he never had cause to settle dispute among the executive members, commending them for operating as one indivisible family.
He described the outgoing chairman of Akwa Ibom PDP as God-sent, adding that Obong Ekpo’s leadership prowess is borne out good followership.
He expressed satisfaction that, true to his promise, Obong Ekpo has handed the umbrella intact, fresh and strong to his successor, Obong Udo Ekpenyong, hoping that Akwa Ibom PDP will come out fresher and stronger.
While charging Obong Udo Ekpenyong-led executive to emulate Obong Ekpo’s feat, when inaugurated on Monday, 3rd August, 2020, Governor Emmanuel maintained that those entrusted with leadership positions must prove themselves faithful and loyal with a view to ensuring that Akwa Ibom remains a PDP state.
“Akwa Ibom is PDP and PDP is Akwa Ibom. Akwa Ibom PDP, Nigeria loves you.
“This is a model of democracy in Nigeria. This is a model of party politics in Nigeria.
“I really want to thank the outgoing chairman of this party, Obong Paul Ekpo. Wherever you see good followership and good leadership, it is not by accident, it means they must have done something right consistently over time.
“Whenever things come the way they came in our state over the past eight years, God will always send a man. God sent us people, not just Paul Ekpo, but the entire state executive of our party who had piloted the affairs of this party for these past years. So I really want to thank the Paul Ekpo-led Committee of this party and I believe we have a lot to learn,” the governor noted.
He was full of appreciations to party faithful, stakeholders and elders for continuing to stand by and put faith in the party, despite challenges, urging them to sustain the tempo, starting from the forthcoming local government elections.
In a remark, the outgoing state PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, attributed the success of his executive to God, noting that the fusion of loyalty, persuasion and discipline has been the bedrock and the secret of the party’s achievements in the last eight years.
“Eight years after, I look back with pride and proclaim, indeed, that: ‘There was a party’. We used persuasion to create harmony and peaceful coexistence within, while we wielded the rod against those who sought to divide us through the employment of selfish schemes.
“Our burden in the management of the party was how to be both friendly and firm. Friendly to invite and keep people but firm to instill discipline,” Obong Ekpo insisted.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected state party chairman, Obong Udo Ekpenyong, who succeeds Obong Paul Ekpo after polling 3,840 votes at the congress, thanked PDP faithful and stakeholders for the trust reposed in him, pledging “to give our party a human face” through political inclusiveness and transparency.
