By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom have expressed confidence that politicians planning to unleash violence in the state in next year’s elections would be disgraced by God and the collective will of the people.
He has also said that despite blackmails by the opposition on his industrial drive his administration has attracted 15 verifiable industries to the state in the last three and half years.
Emmanuel who said this during his Christmas broadcast to the people of the state in Uyo yesterday maintained that his administration has also been able to restore peace to the state once bedeviled by violence and political related kidnappings.
“As we celebrate Christmas, the birth of the Prince of Peace, my prayer is that may those who wish to unleash terror on our people, may those who have made elaborate plans to allow our State become a theatre of violence as in Warsaw saw war be put to shame by the collective will of our people who have all embraced peace that we have enjoyed in this State the past three and half years and are only interested in rising to the faith of their greatness and those of their children.
Politics will come and politics will go, but Akwa Abasi Ibom State will remain non-negotiable and sacrosanct. May we have a peaceful and violence-free electioneering campaign and elections come 2019 and may the might and the will of the people supersede every other “might”.
The governor explained that the 15 industries were among the many which the state government had made efforts through PPP to boost the state economy but which were frustrated by fiscal constraints on the part of the investors.
“We have attracted close to 15 verifiable industries to this State. If you go to the Coconut Refinery, you will see a gigantic project that should bring joy and pride to us all as Akwaibomites, yet the other side say it doesn’t exist, which leaves me wondering why a few mischief makers should take delight in lying to cover up their lack of plans to move our people forward?
” The Flour Mill will soon be commissioned, yet the opposition say it doesn’t exist, do they think you don’t have eyes to see good things that are happening in our State? The Syringes Manufacturing Company occupies a sprawling space and is producing syringes that are being used in hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities, yet the opposition say they don’t exist; do they think we are all so gullible?
“The Metering Solutions can hardly keep up the demands for meters nationwide, yet the opposition say they do not exist. Do they think we don’t have eyes to see the good things that are happening in our State?
” Two weeks ago, we commissioned our Rice Processing Mill in Ini yet the opposition say the mill does not exist, do they think our people are so gullible? The AKEES Mini Industrial Park is helping interpret our vision of encouraging small scale enterprises, yet the opposition say they don’t exist, same with Fertilizer Blending Plant and other industries.
“My dear Akwaibomites, when they tell you these politically motivated lies, tell them that you have seen what Udom Emmanuel has done in three and half years and that you are satisfied and you will go with the train of peace and security; of development and industrialisation. ” He said.
Emmanuel maintained that giant strides have been made in improving infrastructure in the education, agriculture, health, electricity with more than 1,700 kilometers of roads constructed in the last three years even ad Ibom Air would soon come on stream and the Deep Sea Port steadily moving to actualization adding that he would not be deterred by the antics of the opposition.
“Today, in spite of what the naysayers may say, in spite of the lies they tell you, in spite of the propaganda they weave, in spite of the blackmail they manufacture, we can thump our chest and proclaim loudly, without any slightest tinge of boastfulness that we have done well for you our dear people.
“We are not here sorely to protect our selfish interest while sacrificing the collective good; we are not arming people and sewing fake army and police uniforms to unleash terror on our innocent children just to win elections, we are here, because we genuinely care about you, your children’s future, the place of our State in the socio-political calculus of our Nation.
“We are here, because we believe the resources God has so generously endowed our people with, should be used to develop Akwa Ibom State and empower our people to rise further to the faith of their greatness.
“A few years ago, we lived in the inglorious world as captured by Thomas Hobbes- a society where life was nasty, brutish and short, you are all living witnesses to those dark years when our people were kidnapped, murdered or brutally killed for holding different political opinions; you are all living witnesses to a sick and inglorious times when old men and women were not spared the horrors of politically motivated killings.
“Three and half years as your Governor, no one has been kidnapped for political reasons, no one has been assassinated for holding a different political view point; no one has been harassed for speaking his or her mind. I have been insulted, called all manner of names but I have taken it all in the chin, knowing full well that our people who enjoy the peace and security in this State are with us. Do you, my dear Akwa Ibomites want to go back to the days of horror, of killings and of kidnappings?
“The same people who brought you those years of horror are back together and they have promised you and the entire world that they will unleash violence upon you in the fashion of Warsaw saw war. As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, may their plan to unleash violence on our peace-loving people never come to pass
“There is a saying in America that if it is not broken, then you don’t have to fix it. My fellow Akwaibomites, the chords of our development and unity, the tie that binds us as a family has not broken, it has been deepened under my administration, and therefore, we don’t need to fix or change our course of development.” The Governor said.
