2019: WHY UDOM EMMANUEL WILL WIN 

Emmanuel Nicholas


In Akwa Ibom State the much awaited March 3rd governorship polls will be decided by many dynamics.


These dynamics will be productivity based and most importantly it will revolve around where mandate lies; the people.


 Facts on ground makes it very clear even to anyone with eye defect that certainly the elections will be won by Governor Udom Emmanuel and lost by Obong Nsima Ekere. This prediction has been acknowledged widely even by political pundits. Below are few facts to buttress these points:


PDP, A RELIGION IN AKWA IBOM STATE

 

There is no gain saying that Akwa Ibom State is a stronghold of the PDP and clearly, it will remain so for the foreseeable future. Since the return of democracy on 29th, May 1999, today in the State, PDP has 31 Chairmen of Council, 329 councilors , 22 House of Assembly members out of 26, 8 Federal House of Representative members, 1 Senator, all the  Commissioners  and over 200 Aides of the Governor. Clearly, PDP lives in the very fabric of politics; the grassroots. 


Judging from the last election in 2015, the electorate in the State gave over 95% of its votes at every election to the PDP. 


In the March 28 Presidential polls 2015, the same feat was replicated as the PDP scored over 953, 304 to a miserly 57,000 for the APC Presidential candidate and eventual winner, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. 


PDP is so entrenched across the 329 wards, State constituencies, Federal and Senatorial districts of the state and  to be uprooted so easily by  so called federal might will momentarily put APC in speculative advantage and  the result of  the election will ultimately prove  it  to be a mere wishful thinking and fluke political masturbation. 


PEACE AND PROSPERITY 


One major factor that will make both indigenes  and none indigenes alike  in Akwa Ibom State to vote for Governor Udom Emmanuel is the peace enjoyed today within the State. Before May 29th 2015, there were cases of wanton armed robbery attacks , kidnappings, political and economic motivated assassinations, ethnic violence -promoted through political interest, cult wars among other unprecedented social vices.


Today, Governor Udom Emmanuel have proscribed all the cult groups, there are no more killings, no kidnappings, no cult war and  zero communal crises. 


Consequently, security agencies  in Nigeria now evaluate Akwa Ibom State as  the most peaceful State in Nigeria, with 0.5 crime rate. How thankful we are for the peaceful administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel.


It is a known norm that wherever you have peace and security, the accompaniment is prosperity, and today the State have witnessed drastic rise in foreign  investment. This is  why the National Bureau of Statistics rated Lagos as the first State, followed by  Akwa Ibom, Ogun as the most investors-friendly destinations in the country in 2017 / 2018 . The report also showed that while Akwa Ibom, which is a major tourism hub of the country, attracted $18.361m capital importation. The Bureau noted that the year’s record showed a 27.75 percent improvement over the country’s achievements of previous years. Akwa Ibom State is presently experiencing rapid economic transformation, much faster than the Nigerian average. The quality of life index has grown to more than 300% in only few years now.


UYO SENATORIAL DISTRICT: AGENDA 2023 

Another reason Udom Emmanuel will win is the strong morality and adherence to zoning in the State. Since zoning has come to stay, Uyo Senatorial District will not want to mortgage their turn in 2023. They will not want to gamble their turn by mere political mantra of one term. Who has ever kept such promise?


 So, choosing Nsima Ekere will mean another eight years of waiting instead of four years with Udom. Uyo Senatorial District has the highest voting strength, more than one million voters as indicated by indices from the last voter’s registration, higher than the two other Senatorial Districts put together. 


So whoever the people of Uyo Senatorial District will support, becomes  the winner of the poll in Akwa Ibom State, in this case the people of Uyo Senatorial District both in PDP and APC are in support of Governor Udom Emmanuel to ensure USD secure their  turn in 2023. 


ORO NATION POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION 

Oro nation will be no go Area for APC as successive Government have abandoned the area  both with development and political inclusion but Governor Udom Emmanuel is committed to ensure that the entire State benefit from the developments  promoted by his Government. He has put words to action.


Udung Uko Local Government Area for the first time since its creation have seen 14.7 kilometer road, linking the locality to both Oron and Urueoffong–Oruku Local Government Areas, the construction of the Secretariat road in Udung Uko is the maiden Government presence  in that riverine community . 


It is on record that Oron Local Government in the Immediate past Administration had nineteen roads awarded but sadly only witnessed the construction of only three in the eight years tenure of then Governor Akpabio. 


Conversely, Governor Udom Emmanuel in his first year constructed and commissioned six roads.  The roads are Bassey Lane, Bassey Street, Awana Esin, Efiat Lane, Efiat Street, Maryanne  and Post Office Street. And right now another five roads are currently under construction and at different stages of completion; these are Abastonite, Muritala, Old Oron Road, Beach Street and Udesi Street. 


Apart from the Oron town, Governor Udom Emmanuel is constructing a dual carriageway from Airport Road to Okopedi and from Okopedi  to East West Road in Oron town, while constructing  55.5  kilometer Ibaka Superhighway which starts from Ukpenekang  Junction and will terminates at East West Road in Oron too. The superhighway will connect Mbo, Udung Uko and Oron through a 12 Lanes carriageway with provision for rail lines . 


In Mbo, Governor Udom Emmanuel have intensified work on the completion  of Etebi-Ewang Bridge, the road section  have been completed, while  work on the  bridge have gone above 75 percent, the  Governor  had constructed and commissioned  access road to the tank farm in Mbo. 


In Okobo, apart from the dual carriageway, the State Government have awarded the construction of Atabong Road,   while a brand new General Hospital have been initiated  by Governor Emmanuel’s Government to further avail the locals access to qualitative healthcare. 


On economic inclusion, Governor Udom Emmanuel will soon commence work on the construction of Ibaka Deep SeaPort as an International seaport construction company and Seaport managers from China have won the bid to construct the deep seaport. 


On political inclusion, this is the first time Oro Nation have witnessed the massive amount of appointments of their Sons and daughters into Government, Oro nation is today blessed with the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, the first in the history of Oro nation, over 23 Board Appointment, 34 Aides to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and three Commissioners.

With infrastructural development, economic empowerment and political inclusion.



Understanding that Oro nation have a better deal understand Governor Udom Emmanuel come 2023 must have made a reputable son of Oro nation and a former gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Larry Esin to state that the scheme by some persons to replace Governor Udom Emmanuel  Obong Nsima Ekere in the forthcoming gubernatorial election is an insult on the people of Oron Nation.


Esin who said this on his verified Facebook page recently clearly maintained that the plan orchestrated by former governor Akpabio is not in the interest of Oron people and will be resisted.


He stated " To want to replace Udom Emmanuel with Nsima Ekere from Eket Senatorial district is an insult on the Oron Nation. The Oron people will not allow such insult. Any Oro son or daughter that supports Akpabio and Nsima is a betrayer of the Oro cause. Oro will support Udom Emmanuel."


Yes, Governor Udom Emmanuel will win Oro nation come March 2019 and Nsima Ekere does not stand any chance of having up to 20 percent of votes from Oro nation, as he has deceived the leaders of Oro nation with fake contract papers and he has not used his office as the MD of NDDC to develop Oro nation in any part nor appoint any son or daughter of the area as his Aide or consultant.   



IKOT SENATORIAL DISTRICT – ABAK FIVE AND MARGINALIZED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS     

In Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District as a whole, Nsima Ekere stands no chance. The Annang Nation as a whole will support their son In-law, really Abak five will be votes basket for Governor Udom Emmanuel, whose wife is from Oruk Anam and Deputy from Abak.


Obot Akara, Ini and Ikono Local Government Areas will be another basket full of votes for Governor Udom Emmanuel as their localities were once marginalized by all previous Government and Governor Udom Emmanuel have constructed Nto-Edino –Ekwarasu Road with two nos of Bridges and Ikot Ekpene–Obot Akara Road in Obot Akara  Local Government , linking the two Local Government through the hinterlands. Ini Local Government is one locality that never witnessed the presence of Government since the creation of Akwa Ibom State.


But Governor Udom Emmanuel who is out to ensure he spread development to all the nook and crannies of the State without any iota of political or economic motivated marginalization, he has constructed the Obotme –Aruchukwu Road which was cut into two by gully erosion and also constructed a brand new 115m dual bridge to replace the old one which had collapse long ago and made the road impassable.   

Apart from the Obotme Road, Governor Udom Emmanuel has also constructed the road leading to the rice Mill, and has also built for Ini Local Government the first functional  Rice Mill in Akwa Ibom State in his fulfillment of his vision to industrialize the State. 


IBIBIO RACE AND AKPABIO AFRONT 

Ibibio control about 23 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State out of the 31 Local Government Areas in the State, the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria sees the Candidature of Nsima Ekere, though an Ibibio son as confrontation by Godswill Obot Akpabio to ridicule them and cause division among the ethnic group, while installing himself as the leader of Akwa Ibom State politically.


The assessment was confirmed when both Chief Godswill Akpabio and Nsima Ekere snubbed the coronation of Oku Ibom Ibibio, the king of Ibibio land, an action many Ibibio Elders sees as an open affront and open slur on a well-respected tribe in Nigeria. To this end the entire Ibibio race have resolved to support Governor Udom Emmanuel in rejection of Sen Akpabio evil imposition, this conviction is also borne from the fact that so many times people have recorded Akpabio in his private Annang meetings that he wants to use Nsima Ekere and scatter the Ibibios, and teach them the harsh political lesson of the power of minority over majority.


INDUSTRALIZATION AND JOB CREATION 


This is another major aspect that will make Governor Udom Emmanuel emerge the winner is his Superior Performance and fulfillment of election promises in all sectors. In industrialization sub-sector, Governor Udom Emmanuel has shown truly that he has international exposure to attract foreign investment to the State. 


He has attracted fifteen industries so far, these are Jubilee Syringe, Meter Solution Manufacturing Company, Lion Plywood Limited, Kings flour Mill, St. Gabriel Coconut Refinery, Fertilizer Blending Plant , Tooth Pick and Pencil industries, Plastic factory, Rice Mill, Construction of 33 Cassava Micro-processing mills are all ongoing projects in the economic diversification agenda of the Governor. Lastly, the resuscitation of Peacock Paint Industry and refurbishing of Cassava Processing Factories located at Ikot Okudom, Eket Local Government Area; Nung Udoe, Ibesikpo/Asutan Local Government Area and Ikot Ekang in Abak LGA which was leased to private operators for the production of High Quality Garri, Odourless foofoo and Cassava flour are examples of revived factories which were once in a comatose state and made operational. 


HIS PERFORMANCE 


Governor Udom Emmanuel has performed better than any Government in Akwa Ibom State , in their first term. He has constructed over 1700km of roads  and 43 bridges , Uyo metropolis alone has benefited  massively ,as over 74 roads have been constructed . As at today there is almost no local Government Area without one road construction project.  


 In health sector, Governor Udom Emmanuel has revived the Etinan General Hospital, Ikot Okoro General Hospital, Ikono General Hospital, Ituk Mbang General Hospital and currently building brand new General Hospital in Onna and Okobo. The reconstruction of this hospitals does not end with buildings but he has reequiped the health institution with modern healthcare equipment and above all the Elderly, children under five and pregnant women are receiving free healthcare services.


In education , Governor Udom Emmanuel has constructed over 3500 class room blocks across the State ,reequipped  them with modern desks and new  laboratory apparatus  to the schools. His administration has also carried out payment of  WACE and NECO  fees to all  students in public secondary schools. This initiative has cost the State over 600 million naira yearly.


Governor Udom Emmanuel has attracted Air Force School , Police School , Navy School  and Military schools to Akwa Ibom State in the last three years.  In his mission to give prominent to girl Child education , Governor Udom has commissioned Modern Model Girls school in Abak to improve the Girl Child education .  He has assisted the Akwa Ibom State University to get full accreditation for 33 courses  ,while building Tv /Radio Studios , Administration block, Computer laboratory , and also construct all internal roads. 


On Agriculture , Governor Udom Emmanuel Government is the reason there is food sufficiency in the State , as garri now is 12 cups for two hundred naira against three cups for the same amount when he assumed office . The State Government has planted over 5000 acres of cassava , 10,000  hectares of cocoa , 56 acres of rice and today Akwa Ibom State has a rice mill and family rice is sold in the market .


In the State today, there is hatchery that produces over 200,000 chic every month. There are green houses for cultivation of vegetables  and mushrooms  and AKEES initiative   are planting vegetables farms all over the State . Our people no more depend solely on the northern State for Tomatoes ,Onions , garrotes, cucumber  and watermelon .


As regards Power sub-sector, most places in Akwa Ibom State now enjoy over 20 hours of power courtesy Governor Udom Emmanuel Government who has provided power sub-station at Airport, four lane in Uyo and Ekim in Mkpat Enin . His Government has connected to national grid over 400 communities, improve the generation of Ibom power plant to 167 megawatts  , while receiving license for additional 450 megawatts. 


 Governor Udom Emmanuel Success at the poll is very certain as the entire State is rooting for him, the State is made up of 99 percent Christians and the entire Christians in the State sees Udom as their candidate because of his Christ-like manners coupled with the fact that he is a man of peace.


So come 2nd of March 2019, the electorate will joyously return Governor Udom Emmanuel as their Governor till 2023.