Respect yourselves, Gov Emmanuel warns Sen. Akpabio, A’Ibom citizens

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has warned the citizens of the state including its former governor and presently Senate Majority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, to respect themselves and be mindful of their utterances to allow peace continue to reign in the state.

The governor stated this in apparent response to a recent statement credited to Akpabio that he would only support the governor for a second term in 2019 if the seeming current marginalization of his senatorial district was addressed because the era of ‘carry-go’ politics was over.

Emmanuel said “I want to believe that every single individual will respect himself or herself so that peace can reign in Akwa Ibom State and that is the last warning I will give.”
Akpabio, who governed the state from 2007 to 2015 and believed to have solely picked Emmanuel as his replacement, allegedly gave the above condition at a recent annual get together organized by the Deputy Governor Moses Ekpo, for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district PDP stakeholders.

But Governor Emmanuel addressing newsmen on arrival at Ibom International Airport on Thursday, cautioned that he would not compromise the current peace and security enjoyed in the state for anybody no matter the person’s status.

Further noting that politicians are likely going to start changing the narrative to score cheap political points as 2019 general elections approaches, Emmanuel said he would not take lightly comments that can cause public hostility.

He said, “This year is going to be a little bit busier in terms of politics and once you enter into the political terrain of this nature, many things will come up.

“But let me also use this platform to warn any Akwa Ibom person that, with the sacrifice we have made to maintain peace in the state, we won’t allow anybody to breach that peace. You can see that people have made a lot of sacrifices in the last three years to maintain peace in the state.”

He further said that Nigeria at present is trying to ensure that a new political culture prevails, advising that the core values of politicians should guide them in their public statements. Emmanuel added that he was shocked at “an emerging political theory” that would want excellence sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity.

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He said, “Let me also say here that it is just a new political theory where a post graduate student will score 100 per cent and you say it is a mock examination and then, is a failure. So if you scored 100 per cent and under the new dispensation of a political theory, it is a failure, it means we have to go back to the drawing board and know what the pass mark is.

“If 100 per cent under the new political theory is a failure, then it holds much to be desired. I want to believe that every single individual will respect himself or herself so that peace can reign in Akwa Ibom State and that is the last warning I will give.”

 

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