By Yahaya Umar
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has further made good his denial of working against President Bola Tinubu, not to be re-election should the President seek a second term by endorsing Tinubu for another four-year term saying that the people of the state “will stand by him to complete eight years”, in office.
AljazirahNigeria reports that Eno, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governor gave the assurance in Uyo, the State capital yesterday in his remarks at the flagging off of the Akwa Ibom – Cross River states section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, yesterday.
Giving rationale for the endorsement
In his speech at ceremony, yesterday, he said Akwa Ibom “is one state where you find political parties whether APC or PDP always come together when it has to do with progress, projects and infrastructure”.
Furthermore, “For us in Akwa Ibom, a party is just a platform to contest elections. Party will never change who you are, who you are willing to be.
“And so, we do not allow parties to create problems among us. We work together, live together. We are from the same ancestral roots. Party is just where you choose to be”, he said.
“Let me end by assuring our people-loving president, who will complete eight years because we are going to stand by him. And this is the truth. He cannot start this work and abandon it. Somebody else may not finish it”, the Governor stated.
Eno’s, endorsement further fuel speculations that he is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, amid the crisis in PDP but he is still keeping mute on the speculations.
It would be recalled that Eno, recently, announced the current Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Akon Eyakenyi, as running mate for his re-election in 2027.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu, yesterday, commissioned work to begin on the 65km Akwa Ibom section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Speaking during the ceremony at Nsit Atai, Tinubu reiterated the importance of the project, saying that it would bring economic development to Akwa Ibom.
Represented by the Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno, Tinubu said that when completed, the road would foster national unity and integration.
The president said that the project was one of the key components of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I want to say that great leaders think big, and shy away from playing politics with projects that have enduring values.
“If you want to build the economy, build roads. Road infrastructure is a key catalyst for the growth and development of any nation.
“It creates ease of movement of goods of services. It stimulates interstate movement, and improves the quality of lives of the people.
“This is my vision for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Now we are in 3A and B respectively which links Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
“The economic benefits it will bring to the people of these two states are enormous”, Tinubu said.
In his speech, Eno commended Tinubu for including Akwa Ibom as one of the benefiting states of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Eno who described Tinubu as a detribalised leader, said that his administration would support the successful completion of the project.
“I thank Mr President for this project that is bound to expand our economic horizon, and open our state up for easy movement of goods and services.
“I thank you for thinking well for those of us in the coastal areas of this country, this road will enable us to move our goods and services to the urban centres”, Eno said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, urged Akwa Ibom people to support the contractor, Hitech Construction Limited to implement the project according to schedule.
He expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to pay compensation at the completion of enumeration.
“This project is not just a road construction, it is an investment. Your peaceful disposition is needed for effective implementation
“With the support of the affected communities, the benefits of this road project will be enormous”, he said.
