By Emmanuel Uffot
For the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, family and supporters in Akwa Ibom State, Monday October 17, 2022 marked the beginning of another political journey towards the party retaining power in the state with the Inauguration of the State PDP Campaign Council by Governor Udom Emmanuel.
While inaugurating the enlarged Campaign Council which, the governor noted, is populated by the who is who in PDP in the state, he admonished those nominated into the Campaign Council to see it as a privilege and a call to duty to ensure that they go out and deliver victory for PDP across board.
While advising them to ensure that the Campaign is issue based, he also advised those that are not included In the list to join hands towards achieving the primary goal of retaining PDP in power in the state.
” As I inaugurate the Campaign Council of PDP in the state, I urged everybody to go home and work for the victory of the party and I must emphasised the need for issue- based Campaign which has been my character since I entered politics. Refrain from name calling and dwell on what you can do to move the state forward”.
On the PDP candidate, the Governor reiterated his choice of Umo Eno as being the will of God, and stated emphatically that he can assure the people of Akwa Ibom that Pastor Eno, as incoming Governor will do better than him. ” I want to assure you that the in- coming governor (Umo Eno) would be 100 times better than me. I am sure of what I am saying,” he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Campaign Council and State PDP Chairman Elder Aniekan Akpan appreciated the Governor for his zeal and sacrifice in combining both state and national politics and ensuring that the state is not neglected.
He said with the Inauguration of the Campaign Council, the team is ready to bring back victory to PDP in Akwa Ibom State.
The Chairman added that by PDP returning the president, the Governor, 3 senators, 10 House of Representatives members and 26 House of Assembly members in 2023 General Elections, Akwa Ibomites would also be voting for dividends of democracy for themselves with PDP in power in the National and state.
Also speaking, the Dirrctor General of the Campaign Council, Ambassador Assam Assam( SAN), former Ambassador of Nigeria to Russia said since the dawn of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, the only party that wins election in Akwa Ibom is PDP.
He said the sterling achievements of the Governor has given the Campaign Council and all PDP members the bragging right to go out and convince people the need for the party to continue to run the state.
Assam stated that the Inauguration of the campaign council of PDP in Akwa Ibom State was a call to duty to continue what Alhaji Atiku Abubakar described as “a state Nigeria would want to be like “.
Similarly, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, International Coordinator of Maintain Peace Movement, the political platform driving the aspiration of the PDP governorship candidate, who is also a Senatorial candidate for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict acknowledged the robust leadership of the governor since 2015. He said the campaign council which is the highest in the history of the state , was a demonstration of the character of the governor on the need to accommodate all the political big wigs and mobilizers in all the 386 wards in the state. He stressed that the governor did this in realisation that in the new electoral process, emphasis will be in the polling units in 2023. Enoidem further stressed that with the calibre of people in the campaign council which cuts across all strata, units, professions and groups, the governor has already midwived his succession machinery. Senator Effiong Bob, thepolitical leader of Uyo Senatorial District,in his message said for the mere fact that those that populate the campaign council were those that have worked for, and won elections in the past, it was reassuring that all the candidates specifically Pastor Umo Eno will win the coming election.
Responding, the PDP Gubernatorial candidate expressed gratitude to the Governor for standing his ground to believe in him inspite of the pockets of opposition, stressing that he will not disapoint him, the party and the people when he becomes Governor.
Eno emphasised that apart from always seeking the fatherly counsel of the governor, he will run an inclusive government and ensure that that he maintains the legacy projects left by the Governor so that the people will continue to derive the benefits of those projects.
His words: ” Your Excellency, I must thank you for the grace of God upon your life that has brought me this far and I will never be able to thank you enough. But one thing I want to say is that by the grace of God, we will not let you down. We will continue from where you will stop. We will always seek your counsel. We will run a government of inclusion and we will ensure that none of your legacy projects will suffer. We will add value to it and make sure that the people of Akwa Ibom State continue to derive the full value chain of those legacy projects, from Ibom Air, the Deep Seaport, the quality roads that you have built to all the factories. We will ensure that we continue to expand the scope and the horizon of the thoughts that you have had for Akwa Ibom State”.
Pastor Eno also used the occasion to highlight his 5- point agenda tagged ‘The ARISE Agenda’ which will be his blueprint of governance.” We will ensure that we take on our ARISE Agenda that will help agriculture, that will help rural development, that will bring about continuous security, infrastructural development maintenance and development and educational development. You have shown us the way and we can see that the way is very clear. This flight that you have taken into the skies already, we will continue to pilot it to greater heights “.
Pastor Eno also thanked the PDP, support groups and all those who have identified with his Governorship ambition and promised to work with them.
Pastor Umo Eno’s 5- point ARISE Agenda according to him is anchored on a vision statement of ” A vibrant inclusive, diversified and highly industrialised economy with life- long opportunities that engender improves social welfare conditions and a more broadly shared prosperity “.
Similarly, his mission statement for Akwa Ibom people both within and in diaspora and others resident in the state to eke a living is ” The sustainable and efficient use of highly developed human and material resources within the framework of SMART solutions as well as innovative digital and green technologies in all sectors of the economy to create value and wealth. While also improving the quality of life of the people in a clean, safe and secured environment “.
Chris Abasieyo, spokesperson of the PDP campaign council has applauded the Governor who is the Grand Patron of the campaign council for the successful Inauguration. He said this has energised the campaign machine to set sail for the canvass of votes for in the 2023 elections.
He said the campaign machine was reviving its engine, set for action which will start soon with the flag off of the campaign. Abasieyo who is also the Honourable Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Relations and Information Management reiterated the determination of the PDP to heed the governor’s advice to embark on issue based campaigns and urged other political parties and their candidates to follow suit.
Pastor Stella Imoh, who pilots a prominent Umo Eno support group, the National Value Intact/ Dynamic Mothers Initiative, is equally pleased with successful Inauguration of the PDP campaign council in the state, stressing that with the Inauguration, the coast is now clear for their principal Umo Eno to go about preaching to people the good things he has for them when he becomes the next governor.
On her part, she says her pet twin support group has already drawn an official time table for local government areas sensitisation tour to canvass votes for Pastor Umo Eno. The tour according to her schedule, will begin on Wednesday October 19, 2023 with Ini, her home local government area being the first point of call.
The state PDP Campaign Council has Governor Udom Emmanuel as Grand Patron, his wife Dr Martha Udom Emmanuel – Grand Matron, Elder Aniekan Akpan- Chairman, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN, Director General, Prince Godwin Ntukudeh, deputy Director General, Prince Enobong Uwah, Secretary General, the Governorship candidate Pastor Umo Eno and his running mate Senator Akon Eyakenyi.
Also listed as the deputy chairmen representing the three Senatorial DIstricts in the campaign council are, Hon Pat Ifon, House of Representatives member representing Eket Federal Constituency ( Eket), Senator Effiong Bob (Uyo) and Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien ( Ikot Ekpene).
Similarly, the three Senatorial candidates of PDP are also included in the council. They are Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem ( Ikot Ekpene), Hon Ekong Sampson (Eket) and Hon Aniekan Bassey ( Uyo).
The council also parades some Elder statesmen in its Elders Council. They include Senator Chris Ekpeyong, former deputy governor and sitting Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict, Chief Ndueso Essien, political leader of Eket and former Minister of Lands, Senator Aloysius Etuk, former Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict, Chief W.A.Afangide, Engr Patrick Ekpotu and Ambassador Etim Okpoyo, both former Deputy Governors of the state.
The council is made up of 34 directorates headed by directors. These are Planning, Finance, Treasury, Monitoring & Evaluation, NGOs & Diplomatic Affairs, Security, Public Affairs, Strategic Communications, Media Branding, Venues, Contacts, Voter Education/ Orientation, Youth Affairs, Women Affairs, Transportation/ Logistics and Legal Affairs.
Others are , Welfare/ Entertainment, Special Duties, Protocol, Student Affairs, Research/ Documentation, Intelligence, General Services, Local Government Affairs, Support Groups, Inter-Party Affairs, Medical Seevices, Ecumenical Affairs, Labour Relations, Entertainment ( Music), Trades/ Markets, Diaspora and Agric/ Farmers.
Some of the directors heading the 34 directorates include, Hon Onofiok Luke, former Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and currently House of Representatives member representing Etinan Federal Constituency who is the Director of Planning. Hon Frank Archibong, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs heads Finance, Dr Linus Nkan- Treasury, Captain Iniobong Ekong rtd, Commissioner for Lands- Security, Comrade Ini Ememobong, Commissioner for Information and Strategy- Public Affairs, Charles Udo, Commissioner for Environment- Media Branding, Engr Uwem Okoko- Venue and Mr Anietie Usen, a veteran journalist and retired director of Public Affairs in NDDC is the director of Strategic Communications Directorate while Nkeneke Efo, also a journalist and former Press Secretary to the deputy governor is the deputy director in the Strategic Communications Directorate. Again, while a legal luminary, Barrister Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN) heads the directorate of Legal Affairs, Mr Monday Uko, Dr Ini Adiakpan, Hon Uno Etim Uno, Hon Oman Esin and Professor Augustine Umoh, all Commissioners heads the directorates of Mobilisation, Women Affairs, Transportation/ Logistics, Entertainment (Music) and Medical Services.
For effective mobilisation , the 31 local government areas all have nominated coordinators. The campaign council also have as members all heads of Support Groups, leadership of youths groups, women groups, forum of councillors, all political views appointees, leadership of vice, Chairmen Forum, ward chairmen Forum, students, traders associations and farmers associations.
