By Edifon ABASI-OBOT
As the state-wide campaigns of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State climaxed with the Onna LGA bumper outing, the Chairman, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Ekong Sampson, has described Governor Udom Emmanuel as a marketable product, whose imprint across the State has made the job of campaign organisation much easier.
In his assessment LGAs tour, said that one interesting feature of the rallies was that wherever Governor Udom Emmanuel went, he had something to show and to say. This, he stressed, is the beauty of democracy which, he added, makes followership interesting.
Barrister Ekong Sampson, who is currently the Commissioner for Economic Development, Labour and Manpower Planning in the State and as well, the Divine Mandate Coordinator for Mkpat Enin LGA, made the assessment in a life radio programme “Akwa Ibom Calling”, on Comfort (95.1) FM, with the iconic Bush House host, Michael Bush, and Mighty George.
In his words, “that Governor Udom Emmanuel went around the State and could confidently show what he has done in the past few years of being at the saddle, and give clear pointers to what he will do when re-elected; the massive turnout of the people to express their belief in their governor’s legacy and clearly state their support for his re-election; the looks on their faces and the passion with which they spoke, made the campaigns very reassuring. One could see the beauty of democracy”, Barrister Sampson said.
Furthermore, “having a product that is marketable; one who would go to an LGA and points his finger to say I have done this and that, even in an economy that was on a tailspin, makes our work easier”, he added.
On his home Constituency, Ekong Sampson said there are clear pointers that Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency is PDP. He said the people of the area have gained extensively from the PDP government and still have a lot in the pipeline.
The Onomkpoinam Mkpat Enin revealed that in Mkpat Enin LGA where he comes from and in the neighbouring Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo LGAs, there are clear indicators that PDP is the party on ground and the people have confidence in the party. More so, the mainstream opinion which, according to him, is the defining barometer in measuring the strength of a political party in the area, favours the PDP, adding that there is no family in the area that does not have a PDP faithful.
Ekong Sampson described Governor Udom Emmanuel as an innovator and a leader for the modern age, reiterating that the present world belongs to the innovator. “You may speak all the grammar in the world but when people are hungry, you need to be innovative to make things work for them. That is what is lacking in Nigeria today”, Sampson added.
According to him, Nigerians have compared notes and have tasted the clear difference between PDP and the rest, ranging from the state of the economy, the level of insecurity, abridgement of basic freedoms, subversion of due process and other key concerns. From current indications therefore, there is a huge groundswell of opinions that Nigerians want the PDP back, Sampson added.
Barrister Sampson said the much talk about federal might is just a metaphor to raise the stakes. He said the beauty of democracy is that people can compare notes, where the circumstances so persuades, maintaining that there is a groundswell of opinions in the Nigerian polity that Nigeria is PDP and that it is the PDP that has what it takes to address the concerns in the country.
He said what the PDP demonstrated by handing over the government at the centre after the 2015 elections was a show of respect for basic rights and the people’s wish, adding that Nigeria needs a government that can fix the economy and respect the rights of the people.
The Divine Mandate chieftain said INEC and other stakeholders in the Nigerian polity must be cautious of the fact that Nigeria is part of a global community. “The world is watching Nigeria. How we conduct the forthcoming elections will determine what the world has for Nigeria. Nigeria deserves free, fair and credible elections and nothing less”, said Ekong Sampson.
