Members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State have counted the early exceptional gains recorded by Pastor Umo Eno’s administration as captured in the ARISE Agenda within his nine months as governor of the state.
The Tribune reports that in a deliberate effort geared towards strengthening the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, elders, stakeholders, and members of the party held their routine state-wide quarterly ward meetings across all the wards in the state at the weekend.
The quarterly ward meeting follows the directive of the party leadership in the state for a state-wide ward meeting to be held once every quarter to keep the party alive, especially at the grassroots.
The first quarter, which was held on Saturday, March 30, 2024, deliberated on issues of party affairs at the grassroots, seeking more ways to further deepen the roots of PDP in all electoral wards in the state, with Leaders and Government appointees taking time to brief the people on the policies, interventions, programmes and early gains of the PDP administration in the State as superintended by Governor Umo Eno
At the ward meeting held at Ibiakpan-Obotim Ward 2, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Governor Umo Eno, who attended the meeting, explained that the purpose of the ward meetings was to afford the party leadership the opportunity to receive the mass of decampees who have been thronging back to the party lately and to reinforce the party’s support base, asserting that Akwa Ibom is proudly PDP as the people have been better off under successive governments in the state led by the party.
In his words, “It’s been a good outing. We intend to continue to build up the party, to continue to work for our state, and to continue to support our president at the centre.
“We have finished elections, and people want to come back. I believe they have seen that the government is responsible, has the capacity, is convinced, and is coming back of their own volition without being pushed. As a good father and a responsible party, we have to open our doors and everyone together because Akwa Ibom is a PDP state, and from time to time it has always been. So we need to build up our membership and continue to show capacity and strength in developing our state.”
He stated that the ARISE Agenda is on course, and soon enough, full implementation of his blueprint will be seen, which he pointed out is directed at uplifting the people and meeting the needs and aspirations of Akwa Ibomites.
The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong, while enumerating the gains of the current administration, thanked his people for staying true to the party and urged them to do more at repositioning the area to draw massive benefits from the ARISE Agenda.
At the Northern Ukanafun Ward 4 venue of the Ward Meeting, the State Chairman of the PDP, Rt Hon. (Elder) Aniekan Akpan, thanked his people and the entire Ukanafun for their support of the party, charging them to consolidate the party’s dominance to gain a more democratic dividend.
The Akwa Ibom State PDP helmsman, who described Governor Umo Eno as a leader sent by God to the Akwa Ibom people at a critical time like this, was full of praise for the governor for already demonstrating a results-oriented commitment to actualizing the well-laid-out ARISE agenda for the benefit of the people.
The State Chairman, who was flanked by his wife, Deaconess Unyime Akpan, particularly, lauded the Governor for his various initiatives, including but not limited to the appointment of over 368 personal assistants from the respective wards of the state, the one-project-per-local government, rural roads, prompt payment of pension and gratuity to retirees, and intervention in the food price hike through the bulk purchase initiative, amongst others.
In a well-attended ward meeting at Awa Ward 1, ONNA Local Government Area, the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Mr Udom Emmanuel, charged the faithful of the party to remain steadfast to the ideals of the PDP as the PDP remains the most credible platform for the emergence of leaders and pursuit of broad-based nationwide development ends.
At the crowded venue of the meeting for the PDP Ward 7 in Uyo, Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, while addressing the highly elated faithful of the party, appreciated their steadfastness in choosing the PDP while also thanking them for their massive support for Pastor Umo Eno’s administration.
Prince Uwah said, “For us in Ward 7 and the entire Uyo Local Government, our direction has always been PDP. Today I stand here to assure you that Pastor Umo Eno has already gained the applause of Akwa Ibom people across party lines for the bountiful dividends of Democracy his administration has already brought to the people of Uyo and Akwa Ibomites. Let us therefore increase the bandwidth of our support for this administration.”
In Uruan, Senator representing Uyo Senatorial District and former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Senator Aniekan Bassey, attended the ward meeting at his home ward, Southern Uruan Ward 2, where he rallied support for the ARISE agenda of the present administration of Governor Umo Eno and also urged the people of Uruan to get ready to take advantage of the many benefits that the PDP administration in the state has begun to birth in the state.
Addressing the party in Southern Iman Ward 1 and 2, the member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom and Nsit Ubium in the National Assembly, Hon. (Obong) Paul Ekpo, re-echoed the position of the party members, which made a case for continued engagement at the ward level, adding that the support that led to the party’s victory at the polls should continue for the governor to succeed.
At the Ibiono Ibom Western Ward 5, the Member Representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom at the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Ime Okon, charged attendees at the meeting to keep faith with the PDP as current realities have shown that it is the only party that is permanently committed to catering to the welfare of citizens.
Similarly, in Ibiono Ibom Western Ward 5, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, who joined the party faithful in the ward, also commended them for their steadfastness and unwavering stance to stay in the party, tasking the party faithful to support the vision of Governor Umo Eno, which he said is meant to benefit the people.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, joined the party faithful in Uyo Ward 8 to share thoughts on internal affairs and the resolution to support the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno.
In Ubium North Ward 3, the political leader of Uyo Senatorial District, Senator Effiong Bob, who assured party faithful in the ward of greater days for the PDP in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria, sued for greater commitment to the growth of the party.
In Asutan Ward 3, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Nsikan Linus Nkan, said the reward for supporting the PDP at the last general elections will continue to come to the ward under the watch of Gov. Umo Eno.
At Ikpa Ibom Ward 3, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, the Transition Committee Chairman of Mkpat Enin, Hon. Mercy Bassey, thanked party members for their support of the party and Governor Umo Eno, urging them to key into the Governor’s ARISE Agenda.
In their separate remarks, the Ward Chairman, Mr Ndueso Udo Usen, and Ward Leader, Hon. Mfon Nkanteen, reassured the party faithful that the PDP-led state government was committed to initiating more programmes that would benefit them.
Separate remarks by leaders and members of the party show that the state-wide ward meeting, which has as its important highlight the defection of members of other political parties to the PDP, was largely successful, even as members applauded the PDP’s now-entrenched tradition of having frequent meetings for close engagements at the grassroots level.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM TheWitness
