The traditional ruler of the Obot Akara local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Okuku Umo, has said that members of his community will reciprocate the goodwill of Governor Udom Emmanuel by voting for the People’s Democratic Party candidate for governor in the 2023 elections.
He said that although his people (Obot Akara) did not know much about the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Umo Eno, they would count on the governor’s good will to vote for him during the elections.
The royal father spoke at his palace on Friday while answering questions from reporters.
He praised Governor Emmanuel for his rural transformation programs, which he said have facilitated trade and generated economic development among rural people, adding that his people will continue to be grateful to the PDP-led administration in the state.
Projects include the Nto Edino-Ekwerazu highway completed with two bridges, the ongoing Nto Ide-Ikot Amba-Ikot Osom highway linking the Ikot Umo Essien-Ikot Inemme-Aba highway, the 4.2 km Abak Ifia – Ikpe highway Mbak Eyop-Ikot Abia Osom-Nko Road Project, 6.36 km Nko-Ikot Abia Osom-Ikpe Mbak Eyop Road and various others.
The monarch said: “Governor Emmanuel has done many things, but we will particularly congratulate him on the Ekwerazu road and bridges. Successive governments had promised to fix that road, but they did not. We cannot count the number of lives lost on that bridge.
“We will not stop thanking the governor who has given us that bridge and the highway. This is a project I won’t stop saying ‘God bless’ about.
“By helping to connect Obot-Akara with other parts of the state, myself and all the people of Ikpe mbak Eyop and Obot Akara will vote for Umo Eno.
“This for us will be like a transfer of love for the bridge and numerous other projects that the governor has provided us in Obot Akara.
“You may not understand what those roads mean to us, especially the Nto Edino bridge. We have lost so many lives. Even if that was all the project the governor did, we would have been happy with it. But he went ahead to build another bridge at Ikot Amba and he is making other roads here. We pray every day for the governor that God bless him.”