Idongesit Ashameri, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Barr Uwemedimo Nwoko has dismissed the assertion that there is a crack between Sen Godswill Akpabio and Gov Udom Emmanuel as the 2019 general elections approaches.
The Attorney General said Emmanuel and Akpabio's relationship are as cordial as ever and that when Akpabio meant that all was not well in the politics of Akwa Ibom state, it was basically for political office holders from Ikot Ekpene senatorial district to sit up and work to satisfy the people to get them favourably disposed to the administration and the PDP.
Speaking with correspondents in Uyo Nwoko, who equally served the immediate past administration of Godswill Akpabio in same capacity, noted that although the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road, being a major gateway into the state truly worries the immediate past governor, the present administration has however done so much to ensure the completion of the project.
Reacting to the recent 'all is not well' declaration by Senator Akpabio, Nwoko said the immediate past governor, who may not have been recently briefed on efforts so far on the part of the present administration to complete the road and see to the take off of the Sharaton by Four Point hotel, was not making such declaration for himself, but simply anticipating the minds of the people of the area.
Such declaration, according to him was very likely the Senator's way of alerting his party the PDP to sit up and be better positioned as the state has no other option than the PDP come 2019.
Nwoko said at the recent breakfast meeting which the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district later had with the governor, the efforts the state government was making to get the hotel in Ikot Ekpene functional or to complete the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road which Akpabio had complained about was, thoroughly explained by the governor to the satisfaction of stakeholders from the Ikot Ekpene.
"Every good coach who wants to win the next match must tell his team not to underrate the opponent. That was why the former Deputy Governor, Engr Chris Ekpenyong after listening to the governor's explanation declared that the people were satisfied with the governor's explanation".
"When the senator said 'all is not well', he was telling the Ikot Ekpene senatorial people to work hard; that they should not go to sleep or be complacent. Having a governor here doesn't mean that you should go and sleep when you know that the governor is the strongest point they have as they do not have the support from the national.
"As far as Akpabio is concerned, Akwa Ibom has no alternative platform. We will play one party. That decision has been taken and there is not wavering about it; no second thought about which party we are going to play. We are playing PDP and as far as we are playing PDP, PDP will not even have a second aspirant beside Gov.Udom Emmanuel".
"The PDP at the national level banks on the PDP in Akwa Ibom state as one of the strongest pillars that are going to back up the party as we are marching up to the federal level". He said
Asked if there was a communication gap between the governor and Senator Akpabio which could have prevented the former governor from being abreast with efforts so far made by the administration, he said;
"There is actually no communication gap, the senator is no more in government within the state, he is no more in the exco, he does not sit down at our exco meeting to hear the efforts that are put in place and nobody in government including the governor owes him that daily responsibility of briefing, unless the opportunity presents itself. As of yesterday, the opportunity presented itself for such briefing and the Senator was able to know that the state government has met with the Marriott Group, and that the Marriott group has even indicated interest to open the Hotel and has given conditions".
"When the governor briefed the senatorial district on the efforts made and the projections, everybody was absolutely satisfied. The problem is not the Senator, when the senator speaks, he is anticipating the thoughts of the people, and he does not want PDP to fail".
"We are very very satisfied with the performance of the governor and even the issue of Uyo- Ikot Ekpene road, you needed to have heard the explanation of the governor. The governor since June last has been on the neck of the Commissioner for Special Duties, he gave him a December dateline that he wanted to use the hotel in Ikot Ekpene for the functions of Christmas, and there was no exco meeting we held that he would not put the commissioner on the spot to explain or give him a confirmation that the hotel would be used in December, but then you can propose, you can project, but the very best effort of the commissioner wasn't enough to enable to use of the hotel". He said
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