From Bassey Anthony, Uyo
AKWA Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has extended a hand of friendship to his political opponents on Christmas, saying the essence of the season should put to rest all bickering. Emmanuel, in a Christmas broadcast, appealed for peace, love and unity, saying the progress and development of the state must supersede political interest.
He said: “And so, my compatriots, as we celebrate Christmas, the season of peace, love and goodwill, I ask you again to continue to embrace the peace, unity and development which we have pursued and promoted in the last four and half years.
“I urge you to invest more, by your thoughts, deeds and actions, on those things that unify us around our common purpose of living in a prosperous and peaceful state and to forswear indulging in divisive tendencies.” The governor noted that politics should not erode the good and enduring legacies the founding fathers of the state bequeathed to every indigene.
“Let me thank our fathers and mothers in faith for their steadfast support and prayers; our youths and women for insisting on securing the future for themselves and their children; our elder statesmen for staying steadfast to the ideals of unity and development that they had worked hard to instil in our collective fabric and consciousness; our professionals for insisting on moving our state forward under my humble leadership.
I am deeply and eternally grateful. “Let me again extend my hand of fellowship to my brothers and sisters on the opposite side of the political divide to join me in building this piece of God’s real estate.”
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He called for cooperation from indigenes for his administration, irrespective of political biases. Udom said it will be counterproductive to work against his government.
“There are no redeeming values in antagonising the leadership of the state or working to negate the gains we have collectively achieved, or financing the publication of unsanitised materials on the development and vision we have provided simply because you disagree with the leader or the party that controls the state.
“The interest of Akwa Abasi Ibom State is deeper and profoundly more significant than our personal interests. When we de-market our state and the leadership, when we intentionally manufacture non-existent situations aimed at portraying our state in less than attractive manner, we should remember we are putting in jeopardy the future of our children whom we should all work to secure.
“Political parties represent vehicles to seek power; we should not allow the flaming passions of partisanship affect the cord of our unity and brotherhood. My doors are open to engage my brothers and sisters on the other side. Come, let us build our land.
“We have everything to become great and prosperous. We have wonderful and hospitable people, creative, daring, innovative and Godfearing, all that is needed is for us to rally around a leader who will galvanise these wonderful impulses and get us to see the possibilities that lay out there, and that leadership, I must say without sounding boastful, is what I have worked hard to provide during my first term, and will continue to provide in my second term based on our completion agenda predicated on eight critical areas of need – industrialisation, aviation development, rural and riverine area development, small and medium scale enterprises, infrastructure, security, human capacity development and agriculture.”
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