Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has declared a three-day fasting for people in the state to pray for peace and good governance.

Emmanuel gave the directive Sunday during a thanksgiving and re-dedication of the new administration on the theme, ‘I will be with you, as I was with Moses (Joshua 1:5)’, remarked: “Let us love one another and let us share God’s goodness with each other irrespective of ethnic group or religion or political. We must remain worthy of God’s love, for as God releases his love to us, we must also release the same to all of humanity,” he said.

On the purpose of the thanksgiving service, Emmanuel remarked: “The good people of Akwa Ibom entered into a covenant with my humble self and graciously invested in my mortal hands the responsibilities of the office of the Governor of our dear state.

“Fully cognizant of the enormous responsibilities of the said office and the high expectations of the good people of our dear state, we are gathered today to surrender the instruments of leadership of this state to the Almighty God. Our help in ages past hope for years to come, we beseech God to sharpen our vision and imbibe us with the vision to steer the ship of the state to safe harbours. Today, I have come to lay the responsibilities of that office at God's feet and submit myself to him to use in accomplishing His will for this blessed land named after Him.

“There is no disputing the fact that our God has been faithful to us. We the people who lived in darkness have seen the marvellous light of His love and mercies. Our state has become a showpiece of grace in terms of development and progress. We certainly know that he who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it.”

The governor also assured the people of the state that he would serve and be ready to work for the good people of the state, and that he would run the state with the fear of God, pointing out that

“On that day, God will ask to account for every action and policy he took while in government, which will be guided by the tenets of Christianity, transparency and righteousness,” he said.

He stated that as an expression of faith, successive administrations in the state had always organised thanksgiving services and solemn assemblies to remind the state which exists between God and land, stressing that the immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Godswill Akpabio, wove the attitude of thanksgiving into the fabric of governance and bequeathed to the people of the state as one if its legacies.

Udom assured the people of the state that the socio-economic models, which they conceived and encapsulated in their campaign promises would remain their focus, stressing that they would pursue its realisation with every fibre of their being and justify the confidence reposed in them by the people.

The governor thanked the immediate past governor, whom, he described as a leader, teacher and his mentor for his labour of love for the state and support for the divine mandate, his wife, Unoma for her sacrifices and commitment for the cause of the people and the people of the state for their prayers and support.

The state Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Arc. Bishop Cletus Bassey, congratulated Governor Emmanuel on his success in the last elections, and commended the previous administration for partnering the church, hoping the present administration would do same.

In his homily, Rev. (Dr.) Uma Ukpai observed that if God is with someone, no man can defeat him and that anybody who has no problem, cannot have a testimony, praying that since the state needs a winning leader who will take the people of the state from pains to progress, God should be with the present administration.

Ukpai said unstoppable unction and creativity has located the new administration, and called on the new Governor to love, obey and serve God so that he would be dangerous for the enemies to handle.

The governor, who enjoined him not to allow any poor person to be oppressed in his government, to tackle poverty, to forgive all those who wronged him, to make sure he starts his day with God, called on the media to write good things about the governor, to learn to respect him and to be disciplined in their profession.

•Photo shows Emmanuel

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