By Edifon ABASI-OBOT
As Akwa Ibom people celebrate their 31st years of existence a state, Special Adviser to the Governor on Political/Legislative Affairs and Water Resources, Barr. Ekong Sampson, has urged the people to protect democracy and use it to strengthen bonds of unity, rather than use it as a reason to get more divided.
The Special Adviser, who spoke with pressmen in the early hours of September 23, 2018, being 31st Anniversary of the State, said Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians at large, must get challenged, as a family and as a collective, by the fact that they must protect what they have and defend democracy. He lamented that what is seen playing out in Nigeria sometimes has become a source of worry, as democracy is supposed to unite Nigerians and not divide them.
Ekong Sampson however lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for maintaining his resolve to unite the people through democracy. He commended the leadership capacity of the State Governor and his commitment to peace, positing that when there is peace in the environment there will be development, as one can bring in investors under such atmosphere, asserting that Akwa Ibom State is respected in Nigeria as the most peaceful state.
Ekong Sampson said, if Akwa Ibom people could compare note and take stock they will affirm that, thirty-one years on, the State has taken the front burner in the scheme of things in Nigeria.
He said thirty-one years on, Akwa Ibom has shown uniqueness as a people, richly endowed, having rich history and great capacity for leadership. The challenge hence, he maintained, is for the people of the state to be challenged by the dreams that drove the Akwa Ibom founding fathers to work so hard to bring the COR State dream to the Akwa Ibom of today, thus come together and work as a family, to maximize their advantages and attain desired heights.
More so, having Governor Udom Emmanuel on the saddle, at such time, Barrister Sampson said, one can look back and say confidently that Akwa Ibom State is on firm ground. He said in Governor Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State has a leader who means well for his people and shares strongly in the passion that only the best is good for his people, who demonstrates capacity for leadership and believes that integrity is key to confidence building. “All these form an engaging matrix about the Akwa Ibom of our dream”, Sampson added.
In his words: “As a people we are unique, as a family we are strong. What we need to do is to emphasize the fabric that holds us together as a people. We should not turn ourselves into pessimists and blackmailers, rather we should show good faith, demonstrate hope and passion for our people”.
Speaking further, Sampson stressed the importance of Akwa Ibom people supporting the Udom Emmanuel-led state government and encouraging good governance and cautioned against the temptation of playing politics with the fate of Akwa Ibom State.
He described as encouraging, the huge groundswell of opinion that Governor Udom Emmanuel is doing well and should continue in office beyond 2019. This, he said, clearly aligns with the larger current of opinion even in the country; that in Akwa Ibom State we have a great leader: a leader who has brought peace into Akwa Ibom State and believes in peace as being critical to driving the wheels of governance and invests in the future of his people.
