By Aliyu DANLADI
Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom on Friday, declared his intention to seek re-election, saying his current performance would return him to the Government House.
Emmanuel made the declaration in Uyo and said his industrialisation efforts in the state were part of his major achievements since his inauguration in 2015.
His achievements, according to him, include the conglomeration of industrial clusters, which houses toothpick, pencil, syringe, electric metres and coconut factories as well as Peacock Paint, fertilizer firms and many kilometres of roads.
“No man is God. I submit myself for consideration to continue with the good work that I have done and I seek your support for my candidature as governor for second term,” he said.
The governor urged the people to support his aspiration for second term for the sustenance of the tempo of good governance he had introduced in the state.
He said his predecessor left behind some uncompleted projects, including the Sheraton by Four Points Hotel at Ikot Ekpene and the Uyo – Ikot Ekpene road project.
He said his administration had been working hard to ensure the completion of the projects and others begun by the former administration.
“Who said they had completed the Sheraton by Four Points Hotel?
“It is only today that we are negotiating with Starwood Group for the retaining of the name, which some people surreptitiously put up on a building,” he said.
In a remark, the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Onofiok Luke, charged members and supporters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to work towards the party’s victory at the polls in 2019.
Chairman of Emmanuel’s Re-election Committee and former military administrator of the state, Mr Idongesit Nkanga, also appeal to the people to support the governor for a second term.
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers in his solidarity message, assured Gov. Emmanuel that he would be returned based on track record of his quality works in the state in the last three years.
He urged the people not to allow external influence to alter “the political arrangement ably directed by the PDP since 1999 in Akwa Ibom’’.
