Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has prayed that God would not bring anyone who lacks the competence, and discipline to steer the ship of the State and continue in its developmental stride to succeed him in 2023.
Emmanuel who said the prayer in his speech presented on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of his inauguration, Saturday at the government House, Uyo, entitled “God is doing a new thing in Akwa Ibom State”, said the state has gone too far ahead to retreat backward.
He maintained that the State would not return to the type of leadership that is big on noise and small in the execution of the big picture items, and urged the citizens not to desire a successor who will not have the capacity and the discipline to build a peaceful state.
He asked among other questions if the citizens would prefer a successor who will bring out the worst in the youths rather than challenge them to seize the future and unleash their potentials, to a successor with a known e-mail address that the International business community recognises.
His words, ” 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 current peace we enjoy to return us to the years when violence and kidnapping reigned and sowed fear in the hearts and minds of people?
“Do you want a leader who will fritter away our commonwealth in search of cheap popularity, or a successor who would utilize the resources and continue investing in projects with enduring value? Do you desire a leader who would continue to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of our people, who understands the economic dynamics that shape our globalized space and would utilize those skills to advance our well-being?
“..if you are desiring a successor who will bring out the worst in our youths as opposed to galvanizing their energies and challenging them to be the best they can be, if you are desiring a leader who would not efficiently utilize the resources of this State on projects that have redeeming value then, I am sorry to disappoint you, God will not give us such a successor.
“So as you are engaging in prognostications, creating camps of loyalty and getting consumed by who you think my successor would be, always bear these thoughts in your mind.
”God is doing great things in our State and that invisible Hands will continue to steer the ship of this State and will not bring anyone who will negate our gains”
While reeling out his achievements so far in all the sectors he said, “Today, despite the challenges we have faced in the course of governance, two major recessions, a dip in oil prices and a pandemic of historic proportions, I make bold to say that across sectors and all layers of the developmental paradigm, we have done exceedingly well.
”God has been faithful and to Him alone we give thanks. When the perennial cynics and social media blackmailers tell you we have not done any infrastructure, tell them that God is indeed doing great things in Akwa Ibom State.
“I specially thanked security agencies for being great and dependable partners in his administration’s determined efforts to make this State an oasis of peace and development.
“I hereby reiterate my unflinching commitment to utilizing the remaining two years of my God-given mandate to solidify the foundation of a new Akwa Ibom , politically, industrially and socio-economically, with our unwavering faith in God to actualize what He began in 2015, and His promise to continually do a new thing in our dear State.
“Finally, let me appeal to our leaders to continue to let peace and love shape and distil their hearts. Let us live as brothers and sisters and not to allow politics divide us. Akwa Ibom State is all we have and we must do all we can to deepen and cement the bonds of our unity and brotherhood”
