2023: Eket Senatorial District Traders Assure Umo Eno of bloc votes.

Akaiso Akaiso, Uyo.

Market traders of the twelve local governments of Eket Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom state under the auspices of Eket Senatorial District Traders association, have assured the PDP gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming general elections, Pastor Umo Eno of hundred percent support.

The chairman of the association, Pastor Asukwo Ben who spoke on behalf of his members at the formal reception of Governor Udom Emmanuel and endorsement of the PDP gubernatorial hopeful by traders across the state, said the decision to throw their weight behind Pastor Umo Eno is based on their conviction that, as one of their own, Umo Eno will improve on what governor Udom Emmanuel has done and still doing for the traders.

Expressing appreciation to the governor for taking traders as strategic partners in progress in his administration, a thing no other governor before him had done, Pastor Asuquo averred “the endorsement of Pastor Umo Eno is to support and ensure that the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel succeeds to the letter”.

Pastor Asuquo who expressed the appreciation alongside other chairmen of Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively, said Udom Emmanuel has come to digitalize Akwa Ibom state traders, adding that unlike afore traders now make use of laptops to do their businesses.

The reception and endorsement rally which witnessed jubilation and outpouring of encomiums on governor Udom Emmanuel and great expectations from the incoming governor, Pastor Umo Eno by the traders, also featured speeches from other stakeholders.

To open the floodgate was the chairman board of trustees of Akwa Ibom traders welfare network, Moses Sambo who informed and lauded the governor for fulfilling his promise to tar internal roads in Itam market which work is ongoing.

Corroborating the previous speakers by saying that come May 29, 2023, traders will make sure Umo Eno is sworn in as the next chief executive officer of Akwa Ibom state.

However, since welfare remains a sinequanon to union of any kind, Sambo in the spirit of a typical Oliver Twist could not end his goodwill speech without appealing to the governor once again for  grant to women traders.

In a similar development, the president of Market Women Frontline Organization, Mrs Affiong Enammi Bassey assured the governor and his successor that the organization is warming up to empty the basket of ninety thousand votes of its membership strength in favour of Pastor Umo Eno and other PDP flag bearers in the forthcoming elections.

But, like the saying goes, a general who envisages victory from his army must provide enough weapons to its battalions.

In this case, Mrs Bassey is appealing to His excellency, governor Udom Emmanuel to give the organization a grant for the women to expand their line of businesses. In the same spirit, she appealed for a bus for the group to attend political meetings.

“I want to thank the governor for the soft loans he had given traders  before and the one he has promised to give again. Some market women are so poor that no matter how small the loan is they wouldn’t be able to repay back.

It is against this backdrop that I am pleading for these people to be given loan no matter how small,” she added.