WHY WE SUPPORT AKPABIO FOR SECOND TERM

What are your impressions about Akwa Ibom State politics as we approach 2011 elections?

We have more development than it used to be in the past. There are positive changes. The government of the day is focused.

So which areas would you say the state has excelled?

Free and compulsory education. I don't know whether to prioritise or not, but for me, free and compulsory education at primary and secondary levels is very innovative in this part of the country. And there is massive road constructions everywhere. There is peace, because after providing all this things and there is no peace, you won't enjoy it.

There are other areas the effect of them would come in the future. Things like the airport, the proposed deep seaport and industrial village. When you open up the place and provide education, other things would follow.

Beyond the achievements you enumerated, do you think they are enough to compel people to vote for him for a second term, given the complexity of the state politics?

I am surprised that people can ignore what is quite obvious and venture into something that a dispassionate observer will see as waste of efforts and resources.

Apart from a few stage managed individuals for their selfish purposes, there is nothing to compare with the Akpabio administration. That is why there is massive support that he should go for a second term. Some of us agree to that. If we did not see what he has been doing, we would really not support him for a second term.

What is politics? It is to work for the good of the people. If you are seeing somebody do something that has never been done in the distant past, it is neat to join those who are clamouring for him.

Now, let's look at the zones-Oron, Uyo, Ikot Ekpene. Oron people are saying that they are marginalized. As a royal father, what do you say to that?

There are three senatorial districts. The Uyo senatorial district has had its turn producing ex-governor Victor Attah doing two terms. It became the turn of Ikot -Ekpene senatorial district. Even without doing so well, many people will say let Ikot-Ekpene do two terms as well. But, this particular one, I am not looking at turn by turn, but it is the turn of Ikot-Ekpene and they should do the second term; especially as this is an achiever.

Nobody can deny that. After that, it would be the turn of Eket senatorial district. In Eket senatorial district, you have many groups. You have the Eket nation, the Oron nation and Ikot Uboro. When it comes to the turn of Eket senatorial district, we will talk about it. But you can't begin to fiddle with these things.