By Chioma Onuegbu,& Harris-Okon Emmanuel, Uyo
GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has announced that he would formally declare his intention to run for a second term as governor in 2019 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party on Friday.
Emmanuel announced this at the Onna sports Stadium, his hometown while addressing a rally organized in his honour by Eket senatorial district (Akwa Ibom South) yesterday.
He challenged those speaking ills of administration to challenge him openly in a debate, adding that he was prepared to spend his personal resources to hire International, National and Local media to present facts during the debate.
“I want to thank all of you for this endorsement. It means a whole lot for me. I want to say if you are in this arena today it means you have endorsed me for a second term. And because you have endorsed me I will declare to run on Friday.
“Let me tell Nigerians all those things they are saying is all lie, Akwa Ibom is PDP, South south Nigeria is PDP, there is no other party. I want to let Nigerians know and the world to know that in Akwa Ibom we are PDP. Make no mistake, I want this to be on record that I have heard so many things, but I don’t join issues with people.
“I have heard things, and I want to challenge anybody who thinks he has the truth to come out, I will use my personal money to hire CNN and other international media, AIT, Channels, NTA and AKBC, let’s present facts to Nigerians, when we finish you will know who is saying the truth and who is telling a lie.
“Let’s arrange a debate and see who will tell the truth and who will tell a lie. However the issue on ground is about Akwa Ibom, the project on ground is project Akwa Ibom. We are not into character assassination, we are not into falsehood, we are not into propaganda.
“When we came into office we promised that we will bring down the price of garri at least to 50percent. In Akwa Ibom two cups of garri was sold for N200, but twelve cups as at today. I stand here as a true son of Akwa Ibom state, and this administration believes in the unity of Akwa Ibom state. On Friday I will tell the whole world our score card”
Chairman on the occasion and a former deputy governor, Mr Etim Okpoyo who have been missing in political scenes since the return of democracy said he decided to come back to politics due to convincing evidences of performance by Udom Emmanuel administration, adding ,”If I were not convinced, I would not have been here”.
Also addressing the rally, former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, and DG Udom Emmanuel Divine Mandate campaign Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga urged the people not to be misled by the antics of opposition in the state, noting that unlike the PDP, crowds seen in any other party in the state is a scam.
“In 2014 and 2015 we came here and pleaded with the people of Onna to please allow us to take their son to govern Akwa Ibom state. We took him to the make and made a lot of profit, so today we have come back to the people of Onna and people of Eket senatorial district to say we have made so much profit and we want to keep him for another four years”, he noted.
Meanwhile no fewer than 10 chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, including the factional state Chairman, and a governorship aspirant PDP in 2007, Dr. Bob Udoma Ekarika has defected to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP with their supporters.
Bob Ekarika, they were back to the PDP to celebrate Udom Emmanuel’s already concluded victory in 2019.
“You cannot change the goal post in the middle of the game. Come rain come sunshine, Udom Emmanuel will be sworn in come may 29, 2019 because when the will of the people is galvanized for action, no stone or steel can stop it, be rest assured. I am coming from a very useless party and I will tell you more about them when we settle down”, he asserted.
Another defector Obong Anny Asikpo also from Ikot Ekpene senatorial district who recalled that Senator Godswill Akpabio in 2011 declared that 109 senators were not equivalent to one governor, assured that they (defectors) have also joined Akpabio to reject all 109 senators in place of one governor.
Also Sunny Udom DG of Umana Okon Umana Campaign Organization said, “APC is a party with majority of bad people, but I discovered that there are still many good people in the APC, so I decided to shake the party and bring out every good persons there back to the PDP”.
Also the Deputy Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Emmanuel Udoh, Anietie Etuk, David Benjamin, and Dr Emmanuel Francis Ikpe were among other defectors.
