Akwa Ibom guber election: ONNA delegates, stakeholders pledge block support for Sen. Akpan

One of the frontline gubernatorial aspirants in Akwa Ibom State, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan a.k.a OBA has debunked insinuations making the rounds that his aspiration has resulted in a frosty relationship with Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Putting the records straight while addressing delegates and stakeholders in ONNA local government, the governor’s council area, the two-term Senator said he is still working cordially with the governor as the chairman, of Akwa Ibom State Caucus of the National Assembly.

Presenting his manifesto to the delegates, OBA said his programmes include some projects which the incumbent governor might not complete, owing to the shortness of time and resources, noting that, “government is a continuum”.

He recalled his contributions, sacrifices, and loyalty to both the governor as well as the party in the State and appealed in turn to the delegates for their support at the primaries.

“It is your mandate and you can give it to anybody. But I believe I am the best of the aspirants that will best represent your interest”, he said.

Citing education as one of his key projects, OBA promised to reintroduce payment of bursary to Akwa Ibom students in tertiary institutions, adding, “I’ve done it before and I know I can do it again and even more as governor”.

He designated 2023 as the year of jubilee, assuring that, as a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, he knows how to supply gas to the entire ONNA in two months.

Earlier, the Chapter Chairman, Barr. Ubong Adiakpan described OBA as a name that rings a bell across the state, adding that, the senator is greatly loved even outside the state and thanked him for being a true democrat by coming to consult Onna.

Adiakpan noted that while they have only heard of other aspirants on Facebook, OBA was the first to visit them for proper consultation.

“You have been a positive impact to Akwa Ibom State. As a politician, we know those who have worked for the state”, he added.

He commended OBA for keying into the ecclesiastical rendition that only God gives power, hence the name: “Akwa Ubok Abasi”.

The chapter chairman, while agreeing that God gives power, noted that God will use the delegates to produce the next governor and encouraged OBA to interact freely with the delegates.

Sir Emem Akpabio, the chairman of the Campaign Council of the aspirant reminded delegates and stakeholders of the area that Akwa Ibom as a five-star state deserves a five-star governor in the mold of the incumbent and the immediate past governors.

“Obong Attah was a five-star governor; Godswill Akpabio was a five-star governor and the incumbent, Governor Udom Emmanuel is a five-star governor. Senator Bassey Albert will be a five-star governor “, he added.

He appealed to the conscience of the Onna people to support OBA because he stood by them firmly when it mattered most in 2014 and 2019 to make their son a governor.

The Vice-Chairman of the Campaign Council, Mkpisong Ephraim Inyangeyen, said it is scriptural that one should reap what one sows as such OBA who went into the trenches with them to make the incumbent a governor should be rewarded in alignment with the gentleman understanding that after Udom, he will be the next governor.

And corroborating, the former Chief of Staff speaking as a witness said he was one of the very few individuals who were privileged to be at the scene where it was agreed that OBA should succeed Udom Emmanuel.

He implored the people of Onna to stand by Senator Akpan, assuring that they will never regret but would rather enjoy the new government.

Whether in international email, competence, connections, or contacts, Inyangeyen assured everyone that OBA was highly qualified to be the next governor.

Chief Raphael Ekoh, Chief Godwin Sunday Oton, and some of the stakeholders, after lamenting the infrastructural deficit in the area promised OBA that ONNA will not disappoint him adding that they were privy to some of the negotiations that led to the emergence of their son, Udom Emmanuel as governor. They pledged to reciprocate his kind gesture by supporting him at the primaries.

Dr. Joshua Ndioko, a former executive chairman of ONNA said they have a conscience and will never allow it to betray them.

He told OBA that there was hunger in ONNA, just like in every part of the state.

Ndioko assured the Senator of their full support in his governorship bid, even if he hadn’t come to ONNA for consultation.