A socio-political movement, Akwa Ibom democratic forum (ADF) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his firm disposition in conducting forensic audit in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC despite pressure and criticism from different quater to stop the ongoing process.
They also applauded him for assigning Senator Godswill Akpabio not just to the ministry of Niger Delta but to NDDC expressing hope that he would bring development to the region.
The Director General of the group Rt. Hon. (Obongemem) Ekperikpe Ekpo stated this in his address during the inauguration of the expanded state executive committee of the organization at sheergrace arena, uyo akwa Ibom State on Monday
Hon. Ekpo said the Forensic Audit would soon come to an end adding that it would bring a new beginning in the affairs of the region.
He noted, “Mr. President never yielded to pressure from fifth columnists who employed serial shenanigans to blackmail the minister as a prelude to truncating the Forensic Audit. That Mr. President saw beyond this foggy subterfuge, attests to his understanding of the dialectics of power and how to navigate it in favour of public interest”.
The Director General who expressed deep gratitude to the President for his show of love to Nigerdelta people highlighted that ADF has come with a message that a new beginning is afoot.
His words,“It is a clarion call to all lovers of good governance, dependable leadership and quality service delivery, to join cause with ADF and commence a public advocacy that would bring governance to the people, by meeting their aspirations”.
Throwing more light ADF pact with Senator Godswill Akpabio as their Grand leader, Ekpo said their quest for a model and exemplar in dependable leadership led them to Akpabio whose visible deliverables of good and dependable leadership inundate the Akwa Ibom landscape as evidence of performance wrought between 2007-2015 as Akwa ibom Governor.
According to him, “Senator Akpabio’s simplicity, candour, commitment, compassion and the ever-unbridled quest to make a difference, identify him as a perfect example of a dependable leader.
“And because we understand the principle and philosophy behind the power of example, we adopted him as our Grand Leader to serve as a compass to others that God has given, and would give opportunity to serve.
“We must as a moral code adopt Akpabio’s creed which insists that anytime God gives one opportunity, one should leave the place better than one met it. This is what drives our Grand Leader and it is what drives great leaders. As people who believe in him, this creed should drive us”.
The Director General further emphasized, “As an organization, we are exceedingly proud of our Grand Leader which is the reason we have decided to queue behind him. As Akwa Ibom people, we are proud of him for giving us not only a foothold at the centre, but for also being a proud son of Niger Delta with courage and grit to seek peace for the region at trying moments even at great peril”.
He used the occasion to congratulate those who have made the list of the inauguration from the State Exco, to the Local Government Area Coordinators, to Elders’ Advisory Council to Board of Trustees stressing they were all chosen on merit.
“Your responsibility is to justify that choice, through diligent and committed service”. He intoned.
