Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has appealed to the Federal Government to support the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport and Oil Palm Refinery in the state.
Speaking at a state banquet organised in honour of the president of the 10th Senate, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, at the Government House Banquet Hall, Uyo, he urged the Senate President to help facilitate the projects for the good of the state and the country at large.
He noted that it is a privilege and a blessing for the state to have a Senate President under his leadership as State Governor and urged him to bring the dividends of democracy back home.
He said, “Your Excellency, I had some requests while we were in my office, and I want to please make them public; they’re just three. The first thing I want to request is that you help facilitate a partnership with the Federal Government on the Ibom Deep Seaport.
“The second request is that we want to partner with the federal government to develop our oil palm plantation and to have an industrial oil mill in this state. This is the kind of thing that will bring employment and benefit our people. Finally, Your Excellency, we would like to pay a thank-you visit to Mr. President across party lines. We would like to thank him for standing by you and supporting you.
“Your Excellency, we thank you and we want to assure you that we will continue to collaborate with you to bring development to our state and our country at large,” he said.
Governor Eno appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the support given to Akwa Ibom to emerge as Senate President and assured the President of continuous support to enable him to succeed.
“We want to thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We want to thank him for standing by you and supporting the vision of your colleagues that, today, Akwa Ibom is the number three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That’s the joy we have, and that is the pride we carry, and we will continue to assure you that we will partner with you and the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the Governor added.
The governor, who had earlier received the Senate President in his office on a courtesy visit, appreciated him for his visionary leadership as governor of the state and urged him to do even more as the number three citizen of the country.
Pastor Eno, who was elated by the visit, said, “Your Excellency, it is very clear in Psalm 133:1, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! For me as a person, I believe that God brought me here by grace to bring about reconciliation. There is this saying that “Together we stand, and divided we fall.
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“Tonight, that portion of scripture has come true. To have you here again as a man who laid the foundation and built this edifice many years ago, come back to visit us formally in Akwa Ibom State. I know you have been to Akwa Ibom State many times, but this is the first official visit of the distinguished senate president to the seat of government in Akwa Ibom State.
“We do not take it for granted. We want to thank God for lifting you as a beacon of light for our state. We want to thank your colleagues who found you worthy of being made the leader of the Senate and the Senate President,” he said.
He appreciated all his predecessors for laying a good foundation for the state, saying, “We have a very proud genealogy, and every one of you that went ahead of us has done such a fantastic job that our role is just to keep maintaining it as you have noticed and attempt to add a few more things by the grace of God.”
The Governor appreciated other Senators for the support shown to their president, especially for accompanying him on the courtesy visit as well as the gala night, and urged them to keep up the team spirit.
Earlier in his remarks, the Senate President, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, appreciated Governor Umo Eno for his spirit of peace and unity and described him as an apostle of peace.
He specifically appreciated the Governor for the honour done him by the warm reception and for always identifying with him and others, irrespective of political party differences.
Senator Akpabio, who is a former governor of the state, commended the governor for his achievements so far and urged him to continue in his good works and strive to do more.
