The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Nsima Ekere says he will continue to support the economic development of the state despite the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment which affirmed the election of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Nsima Ekere, a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) who said he bears no grudge against nobody added that though he would return to his private life, he would continue to support programmes that would ensure the rapid development of the state.
In a statement made available to the media in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, he noted that Akwa Ibom State deserves more than what it is getting at the moment in terms of development and thanked his supporters for standing by him throughout the campaign.
“I bear no grudges whatsoever and for those, I may have hurt in the electioneering process, I apologize unreservedly.
“Akwa Ibom has come a long way since its creation, but we are still far away from the state of greatness which beckons on us. As an indigene of this great state, I pledge to continue to give myself diligently to everything that will impact the greater good of the greatest number of our people.
“Now that the election and the legal challenges are over, it is my prayer that the current administration in the state will focus on the urgent need to move the state forward so that our people and communities will experience a new and positive lease of life.
‘’When I joined the Governorship race and ran on the plank of The New Vision for our Collective Prosperity, I believed that the State and our people deserved much better than they were getting. Our five Pillars of Change were designed to deliver economic prosperity, infrastructural and rural development, 21st-century education, health and social protection, improved security and overall reforms of our governance system.
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‘’Indeed, the campaign has never been about me but about the impact that a focused, innovative and committed leadership can make in our dear Akwa Ibom State and in the lives of our peaceful, hardworking and resourceful people.’’
Nsima Ekerecommended President Muhammadu Buhari for granting financial autonomy to the local government, a position he said he canvassed for which he noted will help to bring rapid development to the grassroots if operated properly and transparently.
Besides, he thanked the party for providing a platform for him to fly its flag at the election even as he lauded the party faithful and supporters for their support, commitment, and confidence reposed in him, adding that that ‘’party has moved closer to becoming a major electoral force in Akwa Ibom State.’’
