Mr. Udom Emmanuel
Itoro Bassey
The Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners’ Forum has lauded the accomplishments of former Governor Udom Emmanuel, highlighting the positive transformations he brought to every sector of the state’s economy, given the resources available to him.
During a press conference held in Uyo on Sunday, January 26, the forum’s Director of Strategic Communication, Hon. Victor Etim, vehemently denounced recent allegations against Mr. Emmanuel.
Etim described the claims as a smear campaign and a coordinated effort of media blackmail orchestrated by “an unscrupulous individual, Fejiro Oliver”, and his associates.
“As responsible media professionals who have been active in the state since 1999, and studied political developments over the years, we can say without any ambiguity that Fejiro Oliver and his Network Against Corruption and Trafficking are sponsored”
In his press statement titled “Akwa Ibom Leaders Are Not Thieves; They Are Responsible and Accountable,” Hon. Etim denounced the corruption allegations as a calculated and malicious media trial aimed at damaging former Governor Udom Emmanuel’s reputation and tarnishing his character.
He stated that it was an affront to the collective sensibility of the Akwa Ibom people for outsiders to criticise and undermine their leaders, especially when those leaders have made significant contributions to the state’s development, as Mr. Udom Emmanuel did.
“Let it be noted that Mr. Udom Emmanuel performed better than some former governors of Akwa Ibom State given the available resources at his disposal. The records of his achievements are there for everyone to see. The misconception that Mr Emmanuel promised 31 industries in Akwa Ibom state is a blatant lie. We challenge them to present evidence that he did.
“31 industries in Akwa Ibom were promised by then Governor , Chief Godswill Akpabio and was captured in the state budget. Sadly, till the end of that administration there was no single industry anywhere in Akwa Ibom.
“Then governor Emmanuel did promise to provide an enabling environment to attract industries to the state which he did, and before he left office in 2023, some industries were in operation in Akwa Ibom State.
“The ongoing Sterling Petrochemicals located at Eastern Obolo, the BUA refinery in Esit Eket, the Ibom Air, the Ibom industrial park at Itam, the syringe manufacturing factory, the Flour Mill industry, the fertilizer blending plant, and many other industrial concerns are some of the industries attracted by then governor Emmanuel”.
While the forum highlighted that Mr. Emmanuel was the only governor to guarantee that all 31 local governments in the state had at least five kilometers of roads, it deemed it insulting for someone from outside Akwa Ibom to question what Governor Emmanuel accomplished during his eight years in office.
“Till date, no governor in Akwa Ibom has achieved what governor Emmanuel did in the health sector by completing the Ibom Specialist Hospital and made it operational, complete 13 brand new general hospitals with state of the art facilities across the 10 federal constituencies in the state.
“He completed the over 21 kilometer Uyo Ikot Ekpene dual carriage road that was abandoned at 20 per cent, built and equipped a brand new International Terminal at Victor Attah International Airport, purchased brand new aircrafts into the Ibom Air fleets, and complete 21 story towers at banking layout.
“He constructed the longest flyover in Akwa Ibom State, built 2 standard sports stadium in Eket and Uyo, built a brand new state of the art traditional ruler council Secretariat, built the official residence of the State Chief Judge, and many other infrastructure development projects.
“All these and more were achieved under an administration that suffered two major economic recession and Covid-19. A time where some states could not pay worker’s salary, but governor Emmanuel never owed workers salary”.
The group urged all well-meaning Akwa Ibom residents to disregard the ongoing media trial and malicious smear campaign against Mr. Emmanuel and his family, asserting that these efforts are sponsored attempts to tarnish his reputation.
They also called on anti-corruption agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged petition against Mr. Emmanuel and to make their findings public when feasible.
“Mr Emmanuel’s tenure in office as governor marked a departure from the past being the only governor of Akwa Ibom State who religiously published the full audited accounts and annual financial statements of the state for the eight years that he held sway. Is that not transparency and accountability? they added.
