- By Richard Peters
Akwa Ibom State under His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel has continued to be rated high in almost all sectors.
A state once christened as Civil Service State is gradually becoming an industrialized one, courtesy of the superior performances of Gov. Emmanuel. As it stands now, Akwa Ibom is second to Lagos in terms of Direct Foreign Investment, because of the peace and tranquility we are enjoying in the state.
A state which was seen by foreigners at a point as a death trap is now a safe haven. Statistics show that day by day, investors are reaching out to the governor for opportunities to invest in the state. This has however culminated into the establishment of several industries by the present administration, including the recent procurement of three aircrafts, Ibom Air in an arrangement that will create 400 additional jobs.
All these are possible because a man who sees possibility in difficulties, friendship in adversity and peace in a stormy land is at the helm of affairs. Gov. Emmanuel is a perfect definition of class and leadership. Even when some people are scared of being in the opposition party, Gov. Emmanuel has achieved so much, by focusing on possibilities and opportunities rather than focusing on the status of the state as a state in the opposition party.
The achievements of Gov. Emmanuel in less than four years of his administration has proven to me that leadership is not about the party one belongs to, but the individual capacity, exposure and willingness to make a change. It is about the ideas that a person have at his disposal, and the passion to drive those ideas to better the lives of the people.
Even when other states could not pay workers’ salaries, Akwa Ibom State was paying promptly. Even when other state governors were complaining of recession, Akwa Ibom State under Gov. Emmanuel was swimming in affluence. In fact, it was during this time that more projects were commissioned, foods were available and jobs created. It is not magic, it is capacity.
This is why we need to re-elect Gov. Emmanuel for second term. Forget about the narrative that Akwa Ibom cannot thrive as an opposition state. If I may ask, where were we when over 15 industries were built and in operation at the moment? Where were we when three aircrafts were procured to launch the state into Aviation business, and consolidate on the already established industries in the state? We were still in the PDP, and we achieved more than APC states. I am bold to say that Udom Emmanuel will do more in his second term.
Lagos and Edo were opposition states before now and they survived, how much more a state run by the best hand in resource management, a prudent administrator and highly- sought after banker of no mean repute. A man who had climbed to the zenith of his career in Zenith Bank, overseeing many branches in West Africa, can “cheaply” and “sweatlessly” run this state even without enough resources. He is an expert in multiplying lean resources.
I call on all Akwa Ibom people at home and in the diaspora, to vote Gov. Emmanuel and all PDP candidates come March 9, 2019.
I commend your commitment and devotion to the cause of the PDP in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections. It has convinced the world that Akwa Ibom is PDP.
Irrespective of the fact that President Buhari has been crookedly re-elected, Akwa Ibom still stands for the PDP, even as the state has performed better than the APC-led government at the Federal level.
We need to do more and ensure that the Divine Mandate is actualized. This is the assignment that we owe posterity, and together we will make it. Only God!
My name is Richard Peters, a Good Governance Advocate from Uyo.
