Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial elections in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel has called for a peaceful transition of government stating that politics of succession should not divide people.
Accordingly, Governor Emmanuel has called on Akwa Ibom people to reject any aspirant who fails to embrace peace once elections season sets in.
The governor stated these on Friday, at the inauguration of the National Executive Committee and Grand Unveiling of Maintain Peace Movement (MPM) at the Nest of Champions, Uyo.
The governor, who described MPM as a non-partisan, non- religious movement emphasized on the need to sustain peace which has attracted investors and developments into the state, adding that the essence of politicking is to bring development and progress to the people.
“Without peace there can’t be development, the presence of peace is the absence of conflict, the presence of conflict is the absence of peace, politics will never divide us, political parties will never divide us, we will never be divided because of religion.
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“I stand in the gap as the leader in the state to declare peace in the 31 Local Government Areas in the State.
“Today, I don’t want to talk about development it is not a day for score card, it is to make a pronouncement of peace in the land that as we move into the year 2022, the political situation will gather momentum, anybody who is not preaching peace don’t open your door for him.
“We are standing here today to launch MPM so that in our move towards transition there shall be peace and God will give us peace”, he stated.
The state’s Chief Executive explained that the recent agreement signed by Ibom Air and Airbus for the purchase of additional 10 aircrafts into the state is targeted at opening the three major gateways that will drive development, maintaining that when the private sector is encouraged, there will be job creation and employment in the state.
“Let me explain this, there are three major gateways to development, air, land and water and the state is pursuing the three at the same time, and the only way people can come to develop our state is when they have access to our state.
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“Without access nobody can come, without access there can’t be development, government alone cannot provide that employment you want, but government can provide an enabling environment for investors to invest”, he explained.
The Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor and chairman on the occasion, Mr Moses Ekpo, in his speech, described the gathering as non-discriminatory, as every peace loving person was welcomed.
In his tribute to Governor Emmanuel as the progenitor of the peace movement, Mr Moses Ekpo said the peace enjoyed in the state in the past six years was unprecedented and evident that the leader of the state is an embodiment of peace.
He urged the newly inaugurated executives of the MPM to ensure a peaceful transition in the governance of the state while praying that whoever emerges as the successor of the incumbent governor will be a man of peace with the interest of the state at heart.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman/National Coordinator, Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), Barr Emmanuel Enoidem, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for giving him opportunity to serve, describing him as a builder who has united the party giving all a sense of belonging.
Enoidem enjoined members of the party to take advantage of the ongoing PDP membership registration exercise and register with a proof of party membership card which will serve as an asset to them at the polls.
The newly inaugurated national executives of MPM include Barr Emmanuel Enoidem as chairman, Hon Aniekan Bassey as Deputy National Chairman, Prince Enobong Uwah as Secretary, Sir Monday Uko as coordinator and 32 others.
