An aspirant for the 2027 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State, Senator John James AkpanUdoedehe, says the high level of poverty, unemployment and inequality ravaging the state motivated him to join the governorship race.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Thursday, Udoedehe who is running under the platform of African Democratic Congress, ADC, regretted that despite the humongous allocations to the present government, the problems continue to weigh the state down.
He said he is mentally and physically prepared to lift the people by not just creating wealth and employment but bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots, which according to him is very prominent in the state.
“What gives me strength and motivation to do what I’m doing is when I see the level of poverty, inequality unemployment in the state; I know I needed to do something. Any government that fails to answer these questions of poverty, inequality and unemployment has not started. The level of poverty in Akwa ibom is high, you see a man of 35 years having grey hair all over due to hardship.
‘’Check the budget of Akwa Ibom for the past two years weather it is speaking, weather the budget has a voice, not a matter of building blocks. The money Godswill Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel received all together for 16 years is not up to what governor Umo Eno has received for three years yet poverty is still walking in the streets of Akwa Ibom,” he said.
On the capacity of the ADC to win elections in Akwa Ibom, Udoedehe, who was a former national secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, said he brought APC to the state which has now become the ruling party, noting that with full grassroots sensitization and mobilization, the party shall succeed.
Addressing the allegation of being a chronic governorship aspirant, Udoedehe said he only appeared on ballot twice, saying he would not be deterred as he has high hopes of winning in 2027.
He cited the victories of governors Alex Otti of Abia State and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, who failed multiple times before scaling through in their last attempts.
The guber aspirant also dismissed as baseless and false the insinuations that he was coming out to collect money from the government and chicken out mid-way, while leaving his teaming supporters stranded.
He said he had gone a long way and had been unjustly incarcerated because of his ambition, noting that it would be unwise for him to engage in such act.
‘’I am not coming to contest election because I want to collect money from anyone, I am contented with what I’m blessed with. This is mere blackmail and propaganda. I want Akwa Ibom people to leave joint stock hatred. I have not stolen the Commonwealth of the people.
‘’I have faced many ugly situations because of my people including imprisonment through emergency laws just to implicate me because of fighting for my people. People who are saying such things are sycophants and blackmailers who are busy endorsing Senator Akpabio even when they are not from Akpabio’s senatorial district.
‘’No matter the sentiments, I want Akwa Ibom people to try me in office as their governor. My conviction is that once Akwa Ibom people are enlightened properly, they would take decision in my favour in the 2027 election,” the aspirant said.
— DailyPost
