47Former governor of Akwa Ibom State Mr Udom Emmanuel has reeled out his scorecard in response to his alleged non-performance while in office by the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
Akpabio has alleged that he singlehandedly made Udom the governor of Akwa Ibom state but he failed to execute projects in Akpabio’s local government area saying such attitude showed ingratitude by the former governor.
But Udom while responding to such allegations through Eket Senatorial District Media Forum on Tuesday recalled a number of projects he executed across the 31 local government areas of the state including the Essien Udim council area where Akpabio comes from just to exonerate himself from such allegations.
In a statement by the forum titled ” Former Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Achievements In Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Where Senator Godswill Akpabio Got It Wrong” signed by Director of Public And Strategic Communication of the forum Joseph Ekong and made available to Journalists in Uyo on Tuesday, stated that such allegations of non-performance would have been ignored but has to be responded since it was confirmed that the Senate President made such remarks on the hallow chambers of the National Assembly.
The statement reads in parts” As patriots from Akwa Ibom State, we had sworn not to join issues with our son who is Senate President on issues like this, and we fervently pray that he dares not push us to the point where we will have to bring documents that will tell his story better to the whole world.
“To start with, the allegation by the Senate President was an unguarded and illogical response to an honest contribution that Senator Ekong Sampson had made for the inclusion of Akwa Ibom in a bill which sought to establish new federal medical centres in the country.
“The Senate president’s response to this was that Udom Emmanuel his successor in office, left no imprint in his Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and even in Eket Senatorial District. What a sad commentary. “
The Association further said that “under the uncommon transformation era of Akpabio as Governor, Eket Senatorial District never knew roads infrastructure beyond the ground-breaking stage, irrespective of being the contributor of 40% of revenue into the coffers of the federation account, the only road access roads to the senatorial district, Uyo – Etinan – Eket Road, did not move beyond the groundbreaking stage.
“The only bridge in the entire Eket Senatorial District, 1.15km Afi Uko Ntighe Bridge in Mbo was abandoned at 10 per cent piling stage. It was a story of uncommon neglect and abandonment. Our people only saw your uncommon transformation on television and billboards.”
The forum said they have observed with dismay, news stories, alluding to a comment by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio alleging their Udom Emmanuel did nothing tangible in our senatorial district and in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in his eight-year tenure as Governor of the State.
“While we will not bother to refresh the Senate President’s memory with all the achievements recorded in Eket senatorial district during Mr Emmanuel’s tenure as Governor lest we could be seen to be judges in our own case; we will rather dwell more on Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and the misinformation that the country’s Number one lawmaker chose to peddle.
“This approach is most expedient since Senator Akpabio himself knows that until he left office in 2015, Eket Senatorial District never knew road infrastructure beyond the ground-breaking stage, irrespective of being the contributor of 40% of revenue into the coffers of the federation account; and the major access road to the senatorial district, Uyo – Etinan – Eket Road, did not move beyond the groundbreaking stage.
“The only bridge the uncommon senate President undertook in the entire Eket Senatorial District, 1.15km Afi Uko Ntighe Bridge in Mbo (Etebi – Enwang bridge)was abandoned at 10 per cent piling stage. It was a story of uncommon neglect and abandonment.
“Our people only saw Akpabio’s uncommon transformation on television and billboards. The hallmark of this was the embarrassing reception he had in Oron when he went on a valedictory visit in 2015.
“On that day stones, sachet water and other unconventional missiles rented the air, forcing him to hastily dash back to Uyo for safety.
“No one could blame the Oron people when after 8 years, their only access road to the other parts of the State had been cut off by erosion.
“Nine years after he left office, the Senate president may need to visit Eket senatorial district again to see that the story had since changed for the better with dual expressways, more than ten new bridges, industries and other infrastructure. “
The forum therefore listed achievements of Udom Emmanuel in various sectors of the state economy such as security, Healthcare, Tourism, Infrastructural revolution, and electricity supply as well as projects in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district where Akpabio comes from.
“It appears that Senator Akpabio’s own definition of uncommon transformation was restricted to the roads he constructed in two local government areas, his birthplace Essien Udim and the adjoining Ikot Ekpene local government area with nothing visible in the remaining nine local government areas of the Senatorial district.
“That however did not stop Mr Emmanuel from awarding a contract for the Ikpe Annang – Obo Annang Market road and rehabilitating the Ikpe Annang General Hospital in Essien Udim local government area. On the contrary, can Akpabio point out one single meter of the road he graded, let alone construct in Onna, Eastern Obolo, Udung Uko, Urueffong Oruko, Mkpat Enin, Ibeno, Esit Eket local government areas of Eket senatorial district for all of his eight years of ‘uncommon transformation?,” the forum asked….READ FULL ARTICLE
