The Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Media and Publicity Sub-committee of the Udom/Moses 2015 campaign organisation in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, has described the recently concluded campaign rallies across the state as, not only “massively successful and tremendous” but also “humongous and overwhelming.”

Briefing the press in Uyo, the chairman, recalled that the process that led to the commencement of rallies “was set in motion on January 13, 2015 with the constitution of the Udom/Moses 2015 Campaign Council, with a former Military Governor of the state, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, as the Director General by the State Chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo, in the presence of His Excellency, Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON).”

The Udom/Moses 2015 governorship campaigns was flagged-off “with a humongous rally at Uyo Township Stadium on January 16, 2015, where Mr. Udom Emmanuel assured his teeming supporters that he would turn the state into an economic hub” through an aggressive industrialisation and agricultural revolution programmes, if elected into office.

“Addressing a mammoth crowd at the stadium, he said that his vision for the state was to consolidate the gains brought about by Governor Godswill Akpabio’s infrastructural renaissance and to open up the state to the world through industrialisation and job grown,” Mr. Umanah stated.

The sub-committee chairman noted that 41 PDP candidates for the general elections were presented with symbolic flags by the State Chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo, who charged them to “bring back victory to the party.”

“On Sunday, January 18, 2015, Mr. Udom Emmanuel led members of the Campaign Council to a thanksgiving and dedication, at Qua Iboe Church, Nigeria (Q.I.C.N) on Ikot Ekpene Road in Uyo, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, said at the service that he did not come to the church to campaign, but to lead his team to gain Divine blessings in view of the assignments before him,” he stressed.

Continuing, he said, “Drawing inspirations from Psalm 37:5, which says, ‘Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass’. The governorship candidate admonished everyone to always seek the consent of God in their affairs.”

Mr. Umanah recalled, “Udom, at every turn, has thanked the people for their massive show of support to his aspiration, and extended an olive branch to other aspirants in the governorship race to come back home and join in the task of building the state.”

“Different notable chieftains and party elders have consistently described Udom as a product of thorough research and divinity with proven intellectual capacity to take Akwa Ibom State to the next level, and pledged their total support to ensure that he is elected the next governor of our state,” he stated.

“On Friday, January 30, 2015, the State hosted President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his re-election team, led by the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and the Director-General of his campaign team, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, at the Akwa Ibom State International Stadium, Uyo, where, among other things, the President promised to upgrade the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, to a degree awarding institution and to also complete the Ibaka Deep Seaport project in Mbo local government area, amidst cheers and solidarity from Akwa Ibom people,” the sub-committee chairman stressed.

Mr. Umanah noted that the grand finale of the local government area aallies at Onna, had been described as the “Mother of all Rallies” because of the overwhelming crowd that stormed the Onna stadium at Abat, its headquarters.

“The people of Onna proclaimed that they have no other governorship candidate than Udom Emmanuel, and appreciated the leadership of the PDP in the state under Chief Godswill Akpabio and the state caucus of the party “on their decision to zone the governorship seat to Eket Senatorial District, and excitedly promised that Udom, their son, will not disappoint the state.

“The State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio (CON), who has remained a great teacher and leader in the state, has repeatedly pointed out that his decision to support Udom Emmanuel as the next governor of Akwa Ibom, was borne out of his desire to leave the sustenance of the legacies brought about by his government, in capable hands.

“The same can also be said of the various socio-cultural groups and political organisations that have been drumming supports for the PDP governorship candidate and the party at large. The women, led by the Grand Commander of Women in Akwa Ibom, Her Excellency, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, supported by the State Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe and the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, as well as the incoming First Lady, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel, have been stalwart in their support, alongside the youths in the state.

“We commend the wife of our amiable governor, and Grand Commander of the Women, Ekaette, on her enormous task and single handedly going round the state on an enlightenment and sensitisation of women, especially those in the rural communities.

“For over two weeks running, Mrs. Akpabio, accompanied by the wife of the governorship hopeful, Martha, is moving from one community to the other on meet-the-women tour, to fully acquaint the women of their rights and privileges to vote for the PDP candidates, from President Goodluck Jonathan, incoming Governor Udom Emmanuel, to the National and State Assembly candidates, and not to be intimidated by the antics of detractors in the name of opposition,” the media and publicity sub-committee chairman explained.

The chairman stressed, “It could be seen then that Udom/Moses 2015 Campaign Council has maintained an issue-based campaigns that clearly highlights his vision to take the state to the next level, and had eschewed all forms of chicanery or character assassination and we will love to use this opportunity to advise other political parties to embrace peace and avoid actions capable of igniting ethnic or political tensions in the state.”

The sub-committee warned against the incident of January 23, 2015 at Oron, where few thugs were allegedly hired to trail and throw stones at the convoy of His Excellency, the Governor and the governorship candidate, during their campaign visit to the area, describing it as “totally unacceptable, regrettable and unbecoming of the Oron people.”

“The massive support and solidarity with the PDP in the state, can be seen in the recent spate of endorsements and solidarity carnivals by different sections of Akwa Ibom society, which included the traders in major markets in the state, transport union and affiliate groups, under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Transporters who openly adopted Mr. Udom Emmanuel and the party as their preferred choice during the fast-approaching general elections in the country.” he stressed.

The committee used the opportunity to “once again appreciate the people of the state, for insisting that the March 28 and April 11 polls, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan will return as President, Chief Godswill Akpabio as Senator for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as Governor of the state, alongside all the PDP candidates at the elections.”

Umanah, told the press, “As you all know, Akwa Ibom is totally a PDP State and the notion that an opposition party that is controlled by a cabal intends on feasting on our commonwealth and reducing us to the flotsam and the jetsam of the Nigerian society in our state, is an exercise in futility.”

“It is a tall dream, a tall dream that accentuates puerility in essence, and God Almighty in His infinite mercies has lifted us from such levels in the past eight years. Our people are too wise and deep to be taken for granted,” the campaign committee concluded.

•Photo shows Udom Emmanuel.

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