By Nurat Uthman
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has hailed the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed his mandate as the duly elected Governor of the State, reaffirming his commitment to implementing the A.R.I.S.E Agenda of his administration.
Eno who spoke Thursday evening while addressing a gathering of elated citizens, supporters and stakeholders at the Government House Chapel in Uyo, shortly after the Supreme Court verdict called for a dispassionate synergy with all Akwa Ibom people to build the State.
He saluted the ingenuity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio for showing fatherhood to all and encouraging the independence of the Judiciary by placing national and state interests above divisive permutations.
He commended the Judiciary for maintaining its place as the last hope of the common man and giving credence to Nigeria’s democracy.
His words: “We would like to thank all Akwa Ibom people for the overwhelming support since they gave us that mandate on March 18, 2023, particularly the people in the rural communities. I have to thank the church for their consistent prayers for this mandate.
” I thank you the Press too for the works you have done. Our joy knows no bound. I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I thank the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and I thank my political father and boss, Deacon Udom Emmanuel for his support, his counsels in all of these.
” He encouraged me to remain calm and focused. So I thank him. It is a happy day for all of us and I believe that, again, we will refocus our attention on the work that Akwa Ibom people have sent us to do and serve them with integrity, sincerity.
“And we pray that God will help us in the remaining years of this administration, especially now that this distraction has gone out of our way. This judgement only makes us to be reignited that we can go on and do the things we have to do,”
The governor appealed to the Plaintiffs to heed his call for all Akwa Ibom people to come together to build a new state, stressing that he holds no grudge towards any of them (Plaintiffs) who, according to him, had to explore every opportunity for fair hearing and judgement.
“I would like to call on all our brothers to come together. I believe that I have shown in many ways than one that we can work together. Now that they have exercised their rights to fair hearing, I call on everyone to please come back and let’s work together.
“We have one Akwa Ibom. Whatever lofty programmes they had, we can sit together and look at it, provided it will bring benefit and prosperity to our people. This is my call, I hold no grudge or malice against anyone and I am prepared to work with our brothers and sisters across party lines. We have only one Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria.”, He appealed
On her part, the First Lady, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Umo Eno, expressed gratitude to God for protecting His will and the mandate of Akwa Ibom people through all the stages of litigations.
The first Lady beckoned noted that the Supreme Court judgement marks the end of all politicking, thereby making way for all efforts to be concentrated in governance.
