Obong Akan Udofia, APC governorship candidate, Akwa Ibom State.
By Abasifreke Effiong, Uyo.
A former member of the House of Assembly in Akwa Ibom state, Obong Kufreabasi Etuk, has said that the All Progressives Congress, will win the 2023 governorship election in the state with the pedigree of its candidate, Obong Akan Udofia.
Addressing supporters of the APC in Uyo at the 53rd birthday celebration of Udofia, Etuk said Akan Udofia is the governorship candidate of the APC in the State.
“Obong Akanimo Udofia is the candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State. People can say what they like, but you see the Akwa Ibom State government house, we are taking over in 2023. The problem that we have is that Akan Udofia is so popular such that the government in power is so much intimidated and the only thing they can do is to shout.”
“We have told our people not to join issues with persons and institutions who are arguing back and forth over the party’s nomination. We must not attack them, but we must show them that we are going to win them.”
“I can tell us that Akwa Ibom State will be governed by APC in 2023. I am telling members and supporters of the APC that this time around, we must work and win. We will not allow what happened in 2015 and 2019 to happen again. Don’t come to Uyo to say I will do this and that for Obong Akan Udofia, go and work in your unit. There is no structure or unit in Uyo, everyone must go to their units. We have made a decision, no elder will be allowed to go to Obong Akanimo Udofia’s house to declare that he is going to support him, if you want to support him, go to your village and unit, and declare it there. If all of us own our units, no one will rig us out.”
Friends of Obong Akan Udofia cutting his 53rd birthday cake, on Saturday 18th June, 2022.
Etuk, who is at the forefront of mobilising support for Akan Udofia and the APC in the State said Udofia will create wealth and unlock the numerous potentials of the State especially its mineral resources.
He said Udofia has shown sufficient commitment to creating wealth and empowering people in the state long before his entrance into the 2023 governorship race.
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The former lawmaker said through Udofia’s magnanimity, he was able to employ 150 Akwa Ibom people in 2004 to work offshore.
“I have known Obong Akan Udofia for over 30 years. The prosperity message you are hearing today didn’t start today, that has been his character. I am introducing a man that can never change, he cannot change because he has seen all. That is why I can stand here to tell you that Obong Akanimo Udofia is the best man to follow.”
“When my contract with Shell finished, I went to him one day and told him to get a job for me. He made a phone call that got me an offshore job with a French company. Through that job, I employed over 150 people in Akwa Ibom State. With Obong Akan Udofia as Governor, Akwa Ibom state would be sure of large-scale employment opportunities beyond the civil service, our people will have better opportunities in the oil and gas sector. Some of our youths need opportunities to work elsewhere other than scrambling over themselves seeking to become councillors.”
“With our mineral resources, there are so many areas we can create wealth and one person who can unlock that sector, create wealth and lead Akwa Ibom into having access to the opportunities and potentials in solid mineral sector is Obong Akanimo Udofia.”
“I am here at the forefront of this project because I believe in Akan Udofia”.
Etuk said friends of Obong Akan Udofia decided to use the occasion of his birthday to support select start-ups and micro scale businesses in the state, saying that the gesture was to support the wealth creation and prosperity agenda of Obong Udofia.
18 micro-scale business owners were given grant, while 20 others received startup packs which included set of sewing machines and salon equipment.
Obong Kufreabasi Etuk, pictured with the starter packs donated to beneficiaries in celebration of Akan Udofia’s 53rd birthday.
Speaking on behalf of Obong Udofia, his younger brother and Managing Director/CEO of Desicon Engineering Limited, Mr. Ubong Udofia, described Akan Udofia as the best that can ever happen to Akwa Ibom State, owing to his peaceful disposition and desire to impact positively on people lives.
He thanked friends and supporters of Obong Akan Udofia for coming together to celebrate his brother’s 53rd birthday and using the occasion to give business support to people.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Nkoyo Nyong Otoyo who hails from Udung Uko Local Government Area said the sewing machine she received came at a time she was struggling with the bad one in her shop.
She reasoned that if Etuk and others could empower people they had not met before as a mark of celebrating Udofia’s birthday, there were strong convictions that the government of Udofia would provide more empowerment programmes for the prosperity of the people across all strata of the society.
“People should support Akan Udofia. Imagine what he has done today. He has not become the governor yet, but he is doing all these. It means if he gets there, he will really bring the real prosperity that we want”, she said.
