Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has said the general election, especially the governorship poll, will not be an ordinary electoral contest, but a fight between the people and ‘destiny destroyers’.
Speaking yesterday at the Uyo Township Stadium on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the state, Governor Emmanuel urged Akwa Ibom people to fight highly placed individuals, who wanted to mortgage the state’s destiny.
Although he was not explicit on who he referred to as ‘destiny destroyers’, the governor said Akwa Ibom was and would remain a Peoples
Democratic Party(PDP) state, which could not be subdued by the opposition.
He said no individual from the state could play God and get away with it, adding that the gathering of ‘lions and bears’ against the political destiny of the state would be put to naught in next year’s elections.
“Today, Akwa Ibom people have come together and the fight before us is Akwa Ibom destiny. We are taking our destinies in our hands. We
will fight for our destiny. All destiny hijackers, we tell them Holy Ghost fire!
“All destiny destroyers, we tell them Holy Ghost fire! In Akwa Ibom today we have development coming to Mbo, Ibiono to everywhere. There is nothing like Oro, nothing like Ibibio, nothing like Annang; development cuts across everywhere.
“If you go to Ibaka road, people were dancing. A major economic road was abandoned over the years because of ethnic bigotry. Today what are we saying? Forward ever, backward never. If they like, let the lions and bears come together. Can they eat up our destiny?
“The same God of yesterday is the same God today and is the same God of tomorrow. Never again can the destiny of Akwa Ibom be taken over by one man who has risen up to pretend that he is God. Did Goliath succeed?
“We shall conquer the beast. No man will sell our destiny; no man will mortgage our destiny; no man will undermine our destiny. On our destiny we stand; our destiny is built on a solid rock and so shall it stand,” Emmanuel said.
He listed the renovation and upgrading of general hospitals in Ituk Mbang, Etinan and Ikono as well as attraction of industries such as a toothpick factory, a metering assembly plant, fertiliser blending plant and syringe factory, among others, as some of his administration’s achievements.
Senate President Bukola Saraki said PDP would reclaim power from All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal and state levels.
He said: “In 2019, the forces of darkness and oppression will be repelled across the 36 states.”
In attendance were Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Senator Dino Melaye, among others.