Akwa Ibom @26: Akpabio calls for Peaceful Co-existence

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has called on the people of the state, to ensure that the peaceful co-existence and future of the state is not mortgaged for parochial interest while shopping for his successor come 2015.

Akpabio who made the call in a state broadcast to mark the state’s 26th anniversary, stated that the interest of the state must be placed above personal ambitions even as patriotic feelings must supersede sectional interests in the game.

According to him, “As the build up to electing the man or woman, who will carry the collective mandate of our state after my tenure begins, I share in your anxiety; but I urge us to place the interest of our state above personal ambitions.

“We must go to God in prayer and ensure that we do not compromise our collective gains, and we do not mortgage our peaceful co-existence and future on the altar of parochial interests, patriotic feelings must supersede sectional interests.

“We must ask ourselves honest questions and provide honest answers. We must remember that what is morally wrong cannot be politically right.

We must play politics of inclusion in state of politics of exclusion,” he said.

The governor advocated genuine love among the people, to actualise the dreams of the founding fathers of the state, who exemplified unity and brotherhood, citing the famous Ibibio State Collage in Ikot Ekpene which is an Annang enclave.

“This was the dream of our forefathers when they started the Ibibio State Collage in Ikot Ekpene, and provided us with an example of unity and brotherhood, which has become the key fabric in our garment of unity and brotherhood,” Akpabio maintained.

Akpabio reasoned that the moral obligation before the Akwa Ibom people currently is to demonstrate the unity exemplified with love, sacrifice and brotherhood.

He, however, paid tribute to the founding fathers and past governors, especially those who believed in Akwa Ibom dream, pursued it until it was realised on September 23, 1987.

He stated that as a tribute to their faith in the last six years, the state has witnessed an uncommon transformation of the state along the lines of their values and principles, just as recalled that Akwa Ibom State was created along with Katsina State on September 23, 1987, by General Ibrahim Babangida, the then Military head of state.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *