Governor Udom Emmanuel flagged-off his governorship campaign, flaunting his achievements on the saddle in three and a half years, saying he was not elected a governor to complete “monuments and projects” that are of no economic benefit to the state, but to initiate and complete economically viable projects.

This came as the state coordinator of the Buhari Campaign Group and former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Ignatius Edet, led others back to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), citing imposition of candidates and marginalization of his people for his action.

The governor, who was flanked by his counterpart from Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, and other stalwarts of PDP in the state, taunted the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged lacklustre performance at the federal level.

He said South-South geo-political zone was primarily a PDP stronghold and boasted that only the PDP has the economic blueprint to take the country out of the woods, adding that his predecessor, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s administration was littered with what he described as monuments.

He restated his commitment to the completion of his five-point agenda, noting that his achievements in power, education, health, youth and women empowerment, security, poverty alleviation and industrialization have remained unrivalled.

Emmanuel also accused the APC of sowing military uniforms in order to rig the elections in the state.

He said, “I did not come to complete monuments. I came to complete projects. I offer myself to complete what we have started for the youth. There are elements of integrity, love and sincerity contained in all sections of our manifesto and our commitment to industrialization, youth and women empowerment, education and robust health system remain irrevocable.”

Dickson who doubles as chairman, South-South Governors Forum, while thumping for Emmanuel said: “The people of Akwa Ibom, let me tell you this: You have a good product; you have a good man in the person of Governor Emmanuel. As someone who has done second term election, I can tell you there is nothing you are seeing yet, there is nothing happening here that is new. Second term elections are when your friends will suddenly become your opponents.”

The state PDP chairman, Mr Paul Ekpo, who expressed pride in having Emmanuel as the governor of the state, promised that the State Working Committee would redouble its efforts to ensure the victory of the candidates of the party at all levels.

The director-general of Divine Mandate, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, in his welcome remark, lambasted the APC over alleged poor leadership and described the governor as the best thing to have happened to the state.

Carry go. dont waste time on that 'idiotic' scheme