I will not run a Surrogate Leadership after Office-Governor Emmanuel
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, has said he will not interfere in governmental affairs after his tenure ends on May 29, 2023.
He stated this yesterday when the leadership of a foremost Akwa Ibom-based sociopolitical group, Ibom Patriots, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Uyo.
Emmanuel reiterated that he would not run a surrogate leadership after office, adding that he would not confer on himself the powers of a godfather after he leaves office.
The governor, a group patron, described Ibom Patriots as a group of dignified men and women and appreciated them for their solidarity visit.
He stressed that Akwa Ibom is named after God and loved by him. Emmanuel charged Akwa Ibomites to handle state matters with such consciousness.
According to him, “The era of godfatherism in politics is gone in Akwa Ibom. It is the government of the people for the people and by the people. God is interested in the people, and God is about the people. We are going into an era when power has changed hand into the hand of the Holy Spirit so that no man can boast that I did this or I did that. I will never arrogate to myself that kind of power. You’ll never hear me even one day say to even a Councilor, I made you a Councilor.
“All power belongs to God. It is God who makes people what they are, not a man, so we must not arrogate such powers to ourselves”.
While recollecting the crisis, he has experienced while in office, the Governor noted that he was confident that God had chosen him to lead the state in the season for a reason.
He noted that he has done his best in serving the state within his tenure and expressed optimism that anyone who succeeds him will build on what he has done and even surpass his record when he emerges.
“Before I came, who knew that we will go through what we went through in that period of recession. It’s only God who knew what was going to be ahead and made me be here. Today, even if Akwa Ibom people do not appreciate it, I think the whole world can beat their chest and say this guy has not done badly. I know the sacrifices we made, I know what it took, and I know how much we did to be where we are today. I also believe the person coming will do much better than I have done”, the Governor said.
Affirming that Umo Eno has the required humility for the service of the state, Governor Emmanuel said: “nobody can serve 7.2 million people if you are not humble at heart. If you are a proud person, you cannot serve the people because at some points, there will be a need to play the fool, and it takes a humble person to play the fool so that peace might reign.”
On his part, the Chancellor of Ibom Patriots and leader of the delegation, Obong Inuaeyen, noted that the group is backing Governor Emmanuel, not just for the office, but as a Grand Patron of the group and expressed confidence in the Umo Eno ongoing project, which they said is in the best interest of the state.
The leadership of Ibom Patriots also declared their support for Pastor Umo Eno as the preferred aspirant in the 2023 gubernatorial elections.
