Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has urged the people to embrace love, unity and the spirit of togetherness in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and as they await the dawn of a new year.
Udom in a broadcast on Christmas Day said the essence of the celebration should be to strengthen the abiding cord of peace and goodwill among the people to ensure the prosperity of the state.
Describing 2019 as a milestone year given the general election that took place in which he emerged victorious, he said his vision has been that of unity and development of the state as opposed to that of destruction and violence.
He urged the people to continue to embrace the peace, unity and development being pursued by the state government saying they should invest more, by their thoughts, deeds and actions on those things that would unify them around the common purpose of living in a prosperous and peaceful state and to guard against indulging in divisive tendencies.
“We came to you and told you to make a choice between these two competing visions and you rose in unison, and chose to go with the vision of peace, security, unity and development and unanimously and overwhelmingly re-elected me.
Read also: Udom signs 2020 appropriation bill
“Let me again thank you most sincerely and profoundly for hearkening to my prayers by elected to stand for the truth, you elected to stand for peace, unity, development and the appropriation of our commonwealth for the overall benefit of us all,” he said.
“Elections and the litigation processes are over; it is now time for governance and I promise you again, that I will continue to work twice as hard to ensure that the legacy I will leave you by the time we are done in 2023, will remain a shining example of a leader who came prepared to seize the moment and change the course and direction of our people, “he said.
He used the broadcast to extend his hands of fellowship to “my brothers and sisters on the opposite side of the political divide to come join me in building this piece of God’s real estate.”
“The interest of Akwa Abasi Ibom State is deeper and profoundly more significant than our personal interests.
“When we de-market our state and the leadership, when we intentionally manufacture non-existent situations aimed at portraying our state in less than attractive manner, we should remember that we are putting in jeopardy the future of our children whom we should all work to secure.”
“We have everything to become great and prosperous. We have a wonderful and hospitable people, creative, daring, innovative and God-fearing, all that is needed is for us to rally around a leader who will galvanise these wonderful impulses and get us to see the possibilities that lay out there,” he said.
He expressed delight that Ibom Air and the flour mill project which he had promised have since begun operations in the state and pledged to do more in the coming years.
