Governor Emmanuel knocks Asiwaju Tinubu over comment at APC presidential campaign rally in Uyo

By Akaiso Eyo, Uyo

The governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel has fired back at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for calling him a small boy that lived in his backyard in Lagos, describing it as the height of insult, not only on his person as a sitting Governor but to the entirety of Akwa Ibom people.

Tinubu made the remark at the APC presidential campaign rally held at the Godswill Obot Akpabio international stadium, Uyo yesterday, while the party’s supporters who are a majority of Akwa Ibom state citizens cheered on.

Udom who raised the issue at the swearing-in of the newly appointed permanent secretaries in Akwa Ibom state civil service at the Banquet hall, Uyo yesterday, said he was not ready to join in the issue with Tinubu but reminded him of the fact that nobody has the power to make himself a leader but only God.

“I don’t know what I have done to deserve such insult from Asiwaju. If I want to open a can of worms on him it might not end here. After all, when he came back from NADECO exile, I know how much he got from Zenith Bank where I worked,” Udom said.

“The stadium used for the rally; I gave the approval. The airport they used is maintained by me, the deep seaport he was talking about I have done the best I could and I have not been able to get a simple approval for my letter from the federal government.” 

The same government that has been in power for about eight years without constructing a 1km road in Akwa Ibom state is talking of giving the state a gargantuan project like a deep seaport in a jiffy. I don’t know what else he had wanted me to do,” he continued.

Udom advised the presidential candidate of APC to tell Akwa Ibom state people what he will do for them if elected and stop beating about the bush.

However, he asserted that the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has never condescended that low throughout his campaign rally. 

Prior to the aforesaid, the governor who administered oaths of office on the new permanent secretaries, charged them to see their appointment as an opportunity to contribute towards moving the state forward.

As Udom congratulated the newly appointed secretaries, he mandated them to put to use their wealth of knowledge for better civil service and urged them to raise the bar of leadership to justify their elevation.

Added to what he had done that day, the governor also inaugurated chairmen and members of boards and a transition committee that will midwife a smooth transition to the incoming administration come May 29, 2023.

Out of the new permanent secretaries sworn in, two were lawyers from the State ministry of justice, Barristers Mfon Inuaessiet Edemekong and Iquo Okon Abia.

Commenting on their appointment, the director of the ministry, Barr. Friday Itim expressed happiness for their appointment describing them as square pegs in a square hole.

“We are proud and happy with this appointment. The two ladies promoted to permanent secretaries are intelligent and hard-working. This is one appointment that is done on merit. We thank Udom Emmanuel for this appointment and look forward to all hands being on deck to move Akwa Ibom state to a higher height.”

He also advised the new secretaries and other appointees to join hands and put in their best to reciprocate the governor’s excellence to make Akwa Ibom state the reference point in civil service administration in Nigeria.