Governors of the South-South geopolitical zone elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have assured their Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Udom Emmanuel of their support in his re-election bid.

The Governor òf Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, who is also Chairman of the South South Governors Forum gave the assurance at the flag-off of the Governor Udom’s campaign for a second term in office in Uyo on Wednesday.

A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted him as having said that all the governors would have been present in Uyo for the crucial event but for the fact that some of them were also involved in campaigns in their respective states.

He said that the South South Governors were all backing the re-election bid of Udom because of his record of performance as a good product from the People’s Democratic Party.

The Governor advised the people of Akwa Ibom to be resolute in the bid to ensure continuity and consolidation of productive governance in the state through Udom’s re-election.

He stressed that as a governor who battled and overcame the Federal might in his re-election bid in Bayelsa in 2015, he was aware that second term elections were fraught with betrayals which shouldn’t discourage the people.

The Governor said that those who rely on Federal might as their strongest credential to win election would fail in Akwa Ibom.

He said further that Federal might would fail in Akwa Ibom just as the people of Bayelsa stood their ground and defeated it in his re-election which was not different from a war in 2015.

He said: “On behalf of the people of Bayelsa, and the South South Governors’ Forum, I bring greetings and warm felicitations. All of us decided that we were going to be here to show gratitude to Akwa Ibom people for supporting a good man.

A number of the governors are campaigning in their respective states; that is why I am here to represent them and convey their gratitude to Akwa Ibom.

“You have a good product, a good man in Gov Udom Emmanuel. As someone who has gone through a second term elections, there is nothing strange that you have seen.

“It is during second term elections that you see friends becoming enemies; this is when you see the people you have helped turning their back on you. But you must realise the fact that second time elections are an opportunity for consolation.

“I went through a tough battle and because of your support, we had the opportunity of consolidating good governance, and that is what you need in Akwa Ibom.

“Bayelsa won election against the Federal might, if we could do it in Bayelsa, you too can do it in Akwa Ibom.

“With this massive crowd that I have seen and the unprecedented support there, I will go back and tell them that Akwa Ibom is sure.”

In his remarks, Udom challenged his opponents to rely on their supposed popularity if they were sure of it rather than the recourse to violence, the procurement of guns and writing fake petitions.

He assured the people of the readiness of the PDP to continue with the tradition of painstaking execution of developmental projects in the state.

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