The Paramount Ruler of Obot-Akara, Akwa Ibom State, Akuku Uwa Umo Adiaka, has announced that the only way his people can reciprocate the benevolence of governor Udom Emmanuel to them was to support the governor’s succession plan.
He said though his people (Obot Akara) did not know the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Umo Eno much, they would rely on the goodwill of the governor to vote for him during the election.
Fielding questions from journalists in his palace on Friday, the Royal father said since governor Emmanuel was able to connect the local government to other local governments and states by building the collapsed bridges and roads, his people have no option than to support the governor’s succession plan.
He recalled how previous governments failed to address their plights and how lots of lives were lost in the river as a result of the collapsed bridges until the present administration intervened saying, that was enough reason for them to support the governor.
He enumerated the projects to include the completed Nto Edino-Ekwerazu road with two bridges, ongoing Nto Ide-Ikot Amba-Ikot ossom road linking ikot umo Essien-ikot inemme-Aba road, the 4.2km Abak Ifia – Ikpe Mbak Eyop- Ikot Abia Osom- Nko Road project, 6.36km Nko- Ikot Abia Osom-Ikpe Mbak Eyop road and several others.
According to him, “Governor Udom has done a lot of things but we will particularly commend him for Ekwerazu road and bridges. Successive governments had promised to fix that road, but failed to do so. We can’t count the number of lives lost at that bridge.
“ You may not understand what those roads, especially the Nto Edino bridge means for us. We had suffered, we had lost so many lives. Even if that was all the project the Governor did, we would have still been happy with him, but he has gone ahead to build another bridge at Ikot Amba.
“Next, I will thank him for Ikot amba-ikot-osom bridge. That river has taken many kids and adults.The river connects nto edino and Ikot Abia clan. Myself, the entire Ikpe mbak eyop and Obot Akara people as a whole will vote Umo Eno. This for us will be like a transfer of love for the bridge and other numerous projects the Governor has provided for us in Obot Akara”.
Earlier, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Mr. Essien Ndueso lauded the people of Obot-Akara for their steadfastness and loyalty to the Udom Emmanuel administration, and reassured of the readiness of the government to complete all ongoing projàlà
