Governor Udom Emmanuel has assured all aspirants in the just concluded local government primaries of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), whom he described as important stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project, of his commitment to continue to run all-inclusive governance in the state.
Speaking through his Special Adviser in the Bureau of Political, Legislative Affairs and Water Resources, Barrister Ekong Sampson, the Governor, while addressing cross-section of former Chairmanship and Councillorship aspirants in Uyo on Monday, said the mandate of his government is strengthened and delivered through the concept of policy driving politics and not politics driving policy.
He expressed appreciation to the aspirants for their patriotic inclination to work for the PDP and continue to support the Udom Emmanuel’s administration in spite of the outcome of the party’s primaries, stressing that they were eloquent testimony to their belief in the larger Akwa Ibom project.
In his words: “I really appreciate your patriotic inclination to work for the PDP in spite of the outcome of the party’s primaries as it affected you. You have continued to work for the party and support Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration in the state. Let me say that your patriotic inclination bears eloquent testimony to your belief in the larger Akwa Ibom project and that the party only provided a platform for the aspirants to actualize their desires, that regardless of the outcome of the party’s primaries, you are committed PDP faithful, that you remained steadfast in your support for Governor Udom Emmanuel. That it is the state that matters and not the outcome of the primaries that affected you as a collective. Let me assure you all that Governor Udom Emmanuel will continue to pursue an all-inclusive agenda because everybody is important in this party. The Governor is committed to identifying with the broadest strand that sustains PDP. Accordingly, your contributions before, during and after the recent primaries are well noted. Governor Udom Emmanuel will meet with the aspirants soon so that he can continue the conversation. This is necessary because we have to continue to deepen the political conversation and explore the perspective of unity for PDP and for Akwa Ibom State.”
“Let me use this opportunity to appeal to Akwa Ibom people that the era of negative thinking has gone and should be buried. We cannot drive our state in an atmosphere of negative thinking. When the Government is doing well, as it is doing well now, we should salute and encourage the government rather than always throwing up negative tantrum, misrepresenting even the best of government intentions. So, I think we have to redirect our mindsets and get our people to appropriately represent the best that government stands for. Like I always articulate in my Bureau that we have to use policy to drive politics not use politics to drive policy. What you have done today is to demonstrate loyalty, capacity, patriotism, that you believe in the pan-Akwa Ibom spirit, that you believe in Governor Udom Emmanuel, and that beyond the undercurrents of party primaries, you share strongly in the larger Akwa Ibom ideals. I really thank you.”
“Quite importantly, PDP has been returned to the people and one way this was shown in Akwa Ibom was through the zoning matrix that was adopted to drive the Chairmanship and Councillorship primaries. Zoning provides a safety belt against injustice. It provides a safety belt to carry along the various strands in our society and in Governor Udom Emmanuel; you saw an ingenious approach to zoning and power sharing which help to bring peace. I want assure you that Governor Udom Emmanuel will continue to propagate those ideals that will unity us as a people.”
He also used the opportunity to clear the air on the misrepresentation of his stand regarding the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during the just concluded Security Summit in Uyo.
According to him, “A few days ago, our Governor called for collaboration between the Akwa Ibom State Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). His opinion was misrepresented by some sections of the media. What the Governor said, and I was a witness, was that there has to be need for collaboration and there is nothing wrong for our Governor to call for collaboration. I think when we work as a team it is easier for us to get the best for our people. Our Governor’s stand should not have been misrepresented. A call for collaboration should be encouraged because how better can you drive development without collaboration. So, such is the position of our Governor, that all hands have to be on desk and the right procedure be adopted to drive governance. Unfortunately, that stand to some, meant something else. But to those of us who witnessed the Governor said and to discerning minds, it was a clear call for collaboration which indeed, should be encouraged in the larger interest of Akwa Ibom people and in the interest of good governance.”
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation and Chairmanship aspirant of Mkpat Enin, Mr. Cyril Umoren, thanked the Governor for entrenching zoning in the state, stressing that “Without the zoning that the Governor entrenched in the system it would have been devastating and massive clash of interest.”
“We thank the Governor for ensuring that internal working democracy was entrenched in Akwa Ibom State. A point in case is my Clan, the Chairmanship was zoned to my Clan and my Clan has produced the Chairmanship candidate and I am here to say a very big thank you. I was in the contest and I did not make it through but one person has to emerge. In my Local Government Area, Mkpat Enin, the primaries was peaceful and conclusive and the party has a candidate and all of us, the aspirants, have agreed to work with the candidate, the party and the Governor,” he maintained.
Mr. Umoren assured the Governor of their collective resolve to support and work for him, adding “We came here today to assure you that all our stands are conclusive. We are not paid nor push by anybody to do this, we came here to state our position that PDP Chairmanship and Councillorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State are for the Governor.”
“We have heard that people are clamouring for all manners of settlement and we did not come here for that. We came here to ask the Governor for increase opportunities and platform, beyond the primaries, to keep exercising our individual potentials in helping the party and the government to delivers on its campaign mandates. We know that the umbrella of our great party is large enough to accommodate all of us,” he said.
