The governor of Akwa Ibom Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel says the state deserves a competent leader who would consolidate on the peace, industrialisation and other legacies put in place by his administration as his successor in 2023.
Governor Emmanuel stated this in Uyo on Saturday in his broadcast, tagged, “God is doing a new thing in Akwa Ibom State” to mark marking his sixth anniversary as governor.
He said the state has gone too far to be moved backwards by bad leadership, praying that the state would no longer be plunged into an era where the common patrimony was frittered on frivolities and shared among privileged members of a cabal.
He urged the people not to wish for a successor who would stifle the peace currently enjoyed in the state or return the people to the period when kidnapping, violence and fear were the order of the day
The governor added that the people do not deserve to move back to the era where a leader would exalt himself above God and bring out the worst in the lives of the youths instead of challenging them to exploit their potentials.
Part of the text read, “as I speak about our scorecard, let me again use this moment to make a few remarks about an issue that seems to have driven everyone in this state to a near frenzy.
“Let me now ask you my dear Akwaibomites: Do you want a successor who will cancel out all the great strides in industrialization we have started? The peace we currently enjoy and return us to the years when violence and kidnapping reigned and sowed fear in the hearts and minds of the people?
“Do you want a leader whose approach to testing his popularity would be to drive in a long convoy to “Ibom Plaza” and throw money at the hapless people, watching them scramble for the money and the people would say that’s “Ano owo Mkpo”! Is that the kind of a successor you want? Is that the kind of empowerment our people deserve?”
“Someone who will bring out the worst in our youths rather than challenge them to seize the future and unleash their potentials? Do you want a successor who will relegate God to the background and assume an all-knowing power? Or do you desire a successor with a known e-mail address that the International business community recognises?
“Do you want a leader who will fritter away our commonwealth in search of cheap popularity or one who would utilize the resources and continue investing in projects with enduring value?
“Do you want a successor who would see Government as a cabal where our commonwealth would be shared among a privileged few or do you desire a leader who would continue to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of our people, a successor who understands the economic dynamics that shape our globalized space and would utilize those skills to advance our well-being?”
He said the answers Akwa Ibom people would provide to the questions he asked would determine the type of a successor they deserve in 2023.
He noted that his administration should be rated 85% successful in completing his eight points agenda despite the challenges faced in the course of governance which included two major recessions, a dip in oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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