…GROUP HAILS RULING

By NBF News

A socio-political group, Akwa Ibom Grassroot Mandate (AGM), has hailed the victory of Governor, Godswill Obot Akpabio at the April election, describing it as unquestionable.

The group, which held a thanksgiving service at the Christos International Worship Centre (CIWC) in Abuja, to celebrate the tribunal's verdict said the ruling represented the collective will of Akwa Ibom people.

Chairman of the AGM, Francis Ime Ekanem, while addressing the press, he averred that beside Governor Akpabio, there was no better candidate in the state that deserved such overwhelming support as given to the candidature of the governor.

He said that the support was predicated upon his laudable performances throughout the entire state, bringing the dividends of democracy to the people in his first four-year term.

'Within four years, Dr Godswill Akpabio has given credible and transparent leadership to Akwa Ibom people through free and compulsory education, free healthcare for children, pregnant women and the elderly, 205 new roads across the state, first ultra-modern e-library in West Africa, completed Ibom International Airport, ultra-modern government house, over 3000 rural projects across 329 wards, completed Ibom Power Plant.

'1,365 rural electrification projects,three new flyovers in Uyo, world-class Tropicana Business and Entertainment Complex and first gas processing plant, first in African underground pipe-jacking drainage project, and many more.

Ekanem, who said that this claims were verifiable asked that any past leader or persons in the state was free to challenge his submission on the achievements of Governor Akpabio, adding that no one had ever set such records in the history and development of the state.

By these performances, he said Governor Akpabio made it very easy and cheap for his group and others, to sell his candidature to Akwa Ibom people world over, which also explained the overwhelming acceptance and votes given to him at the poll.

'Our campaign throughout the nooks and crannies of the 31 LGAs in the state was not difficult. Even the enemies and opposition knew that Godswill will continue in 2011. The few challenges we has were not enough to stop the will of God from manifesting in the state,' Ekanem stated.

He further stated that there were no elections devoid of complaints anywhere in the world, said those that were crying foul would have adjudged the election in the state as been very credible, only if they were the winners.

He therefore advised them to take advantage of Governor Akpabio's magnanimity to join his crusade to make Akwa Ibom a modern and model state in the country.