Falsehood against Governor Udom Emmanuel: The Truth

Falsehood, over the years, has partly defined electoral contests across boundaries. More so, political interests ahead 2023 general elections may have provoked certain politicians in Akwa Ibom All Progressives Congress, APC to resort to falsehood.  In the past few months, falsehood has taken firm root in the camp of opposition ahead 2023. key players in Akwa Ibom‘s opposition have deployed a mechanism of blackmail against Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Despite the governor’s clear and clean financial track records, oppositions have consistently oiled paid stories to be published as a way of putting him in a bad light.

Sketches of investigations reveal that  former governor Godswill Akpabio and other APC stalwarts including those eying Hill Top Mansion office in the State may have been the masquerades behind the consistent spewing of unconfirmed and malicious contents against the governor despite his financial intelligence and transparency.

Only recently, falsehood and indeed, a poorly written but obviously sponsored story surfaced in Point Blank Newspaper against the person of governor Udom Emmanuel on the subject of financial recklessness.

In the convoluted story which ranges from sublime to the ridiculous, the paper accused Governor Udom Emmanuel of superintending over fraud with specific reference to years 2016 and 2018.

According to the story, it was alleged that the governor spent over N8.851 billion in 2016 alone. Though this cannot be substantiated, it is however believed that what ignites this level of hatred against the governor is the level of unmatched developments he has brought to Akwa Ibom State.

Though the public has been alerted, through several media channels  to ignore the propaganda of lies aimed at Governor Udom, Reverend Richard Peters, Special Assistant on media to the Governor, in a  platform, NGRWailers Community, presents the matters as it is. His statement against the falsehood is presented below unedited.

REVEREND PETERS’ RESPONSE

“This is a sponsored post from some aggrieved APC bigots. My name is Rev Richard Peters, SA on media to Governor Udom Emmanuel. I can tell you authoritatively that the description on this post doesn’t suit the person of my boss.

Names have meanings and tell much about the bearer. An exploration of the Bible and other historical books proves beyond doubt that the circumstances surrounding a person’s birth, parental expectations and frustrations, future ambitions and hopes, the time of birth, actions and inactions of the parents, plus other variables influence the names people bear.

In the political setting, names are also given to people based on what they do. Leaders who are not transparent in handling public funds are named looters, corrupt leaders, wasters, and so on. There are others who bear names like transparency, integrity, prudence, accountability and good managers, because of their pattern of leadership.

Gov. Udom Emmanuel happens to belong to the latter class because of his high taste for transparency and accountability which is chiefly influenced by parental upbringing, religious background and  years of experience in the banking sector.

Throughout his years in the financial institution,  his gradual elevation to the highest echelon in the sector through hard work and prudent management of finance, he has never been linked to any sharp or fraudulent practices. Instead, his name has often been mentioned in connection with innovative ideas, intelligence, creativity, prudence, integrity and progress. That informed why his choice as Governor in 2015 was overwhelmingly received by lovers of progress and development across board.

GOVERNOR EMMANUEL’S FINANCIAL SKILLS

When he assumed office at a time that the country was submerged in recession, Gov. Udom Emmanuel through his wealth of experience in financial matters steadily led us above recession, dragging meaningful projects to the state. At a time when other leaders were lamenting for lack of funds, Governor Emmanuel was able to manage our lean resources to do what those that had surplus could not do. The Governor is a gift God has blessed Akwa Ibom with.

Even as a governor, he is not leading exorbitant lifestyle, but has ignored the pressure to flaunt flamboyant lifestyle consistent with some African leaders, changing cars every 6 months, buying properties everywhere, throwing parties every weekend, and many of such. It might surprise you to know that the governor is still maintaining till today the vehicle he acquired when he assumed office in 2015. How many Governors, past and present could have done this? This is the height of financial discipline.

It is regrettable to acknowledge the fact that there are people whose desire is to see the governor fail, but he is succeeding on all fronts. Since they have realized that their prophecy of doom has been averted by the governor’s focused leadership style and superlative performance, the aggrieved elements now resort to blackmail, blasphemy and politics of calumny, raising spurious allegations and unsubstantiated arguments coded in maleficence.

Having acknowledged the fact that there are damning consequences (litigations) that may trail their social media bigots for their false claims, they now attempt to utilize other sundry media like websites and others that are not easily traceable, to sell their blackmail.

FRUSTRATED OPPOSITION

These frustrated politicians who are displaying tantrums because of their 2023 ambitions, are already scratching all avenues to maintain a lifeline that will give them political relevance.

They are eager to do anything, pay people heavily to blackmail the present administration and engage in emergency and calculated act of benevolence.

However, their tactics are well known, and no effort to denigrate the present administration will yield fruit, as the Governor’s excellent performance in financial transparency test is already speaking volume and strategically positioning the state on world economic map, as more investors are relocating to Akwa Ibom.

The Governor will never be deterred by the activities of these individuals as his attention at the moment is not on election, but in the elevation of Akwa Ibom State to heights unimagined in industrialization, security, agriculture, rural development and aviation.”