As politicking towards 2019 gears up, Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Obong Paul Ekpo, has tasked members of the State House of Assembly to do present good scorecards to the people.
Obong Ekpo, who said this on Friday when Speaker Onofiok Luke led members of the House of Assembly on a solidarity visit to the party, thanked the assemblymen for maintaining an excellent relationship with the other arms of government to the envy of other states.
According to Obong Ekpo, “Let me sincerely appreciate members of the House of Assembly for the bonding and cordial relationship that exist between the legislature, the judiciary and the executive arms of government. I thank you for the excellent relationship, which is enviable by other states.”
“I want to say thank you for showing your people true representation and for giving them feedback and empowering them. As a party, we value that very sincerely,” he maintained.
While saying the performance of the Sixth Assembly has been superlative, he urged members to continue with the good work, adding that the party had never had cause to feel disappointed in any of its representatives from the state to the federal.
The Akwa Ibom PDP Chairman charged those seeking a second term in office to see the rigour that will occur as the normal razzmatazz associated with politicking knowing that the will of God will surely prevail at the end.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barrister Onofiok Luke, who said the meeting has nothing to do with the political year, appreciated the State Chairman of the party for the honour done them.
He commended Obong Ekpo for his leadership style, which according to him, has brought about inclusiveness, given the party direction and led it to the landslide victory during the last local government polls.
“We do not take it for granted that you have been able to hold the party to a laudable height; popularized our party structure, mobilized our men and women to support the plans and programmes of government. We commend you and the entire state executive of the party up to the ward level. We commend the entire supporters of the party for rising in unison whether in the social media and otherwise to support the plans and programmes of government,” he said.
“That is why as a House of Assembly, having seen the line that you have toed, we decided to be the gatekeeper to the Governor of the state and no amount of criticism can make us to run away from our stand. That stand is that we are an iron sealed Assembly. What do we iron sealed? We iron sealed development for the benefit of Akwa Ibom people. We iron sealed good roads. We iron sealed industrialization. We iron sealed the payment of salaries. And it is on this note that we have given approval to everything from the Governor.”
Regarding their scorecards, the Speaker said “We have come here to tell you that we have given our scorecards individually and collectively through our constituency projects to the people who elected us to make work easy for the party. We did these from our savings and donations from friends and well-wishers.”
Barrister Luke told the party that the love, peace and unity enjoyed in the House of Assembly have been as a result of his transparent leadership, one that takes the views and thinking of every member without any segregation.
He assured the party that the Sixth Assembly will remained a PDP House of Assembly, adding “We pledge our total support and loyalty to the Governor. We also pledge our total commitment and cooperation to the party under your leadership.”
The Speaker also used the opportunity to reiterate the House of Assembly’s endorsement of the Governor for a second term, saying “We want to use this opportunity to say that as a people you sent to the House of Assembly, we are happy with the performance of the leader of the party in the state, Governor Udom Emmanuel, and as such we are saying when the Governorship was in Uyo Senatorial District, it was on one man for eight years. Went it went to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, it rested on one man for eight years. Now that the Governorship is in Eket Senatorial District, we are saying that it must rest on one man for eight years. We are not saying this with emptiness but in the strength of his performance.”
“As a House of Assembly, we endorse the International worship centre project of Governor Udom Emmanuel because we know totally what it is going to bring to the state. Individually, members have said that they are going to make donations to that project,” he added.
Barrister Luke appealed to the State Chairman of the party to extend the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of the Sixth Assembly to the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee and National Executive Committee for their emergence.
Those who accompanied the Speaker were the House Leader, Sir Udo Kierian Akpan; Chief Whip, Emmanuel Ekpenyong; Deputy House Leader, Barrister Ime Okon; Otobong Jonathan (Ukanafun); Elder Friday Iwok (Abak); Aniekan Bassey (Uruan); Uduak Ududoh (Ikot Abasi); Mark Esset (Nsit Atai); Archibong Asuquo (Urue Offong Oruko); Nse Essien (ONNA); Aniekan Uko (Ibesikpo Asutan), and Usoro Akpanusoh (Esit Eket/Ibeno).
Others were Barrister Dennis Akpan (Etinan); Idongesit Ntekpere (Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara); Monday Eyo (Uyo); David Lawrence (Eket), and Idongesit Ituen (Itu).
2019: PDP MEETS AKHA, TASKS ASSEMBLYMEN TO PRESENT GOOD SCORECARD
