The transformative impacts of the industrialization efforts of Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel have continued to attract positive reviews, the latest, coming from the former Vice President of Nigeria and the Waziri of Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Abubakar spoke at the Government House in Uyo after he privately met with Governor Emmanuel and other crucial stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The meeting which was preceded by an early luncheon lasted for about an hour at the Governor’s Lodge.
Abubakar said, “Some of the things that have endeared me to Governor Emmanuel is his industrialisation drive, infrastructural provision, and the development of other key sectors of the state’s economy, especially the laudable achievements recorded in the social sector like healthcare and education.”
He also mentioned that other crucial aspects of human development have not been left untouched by the Governor, adding that he was impressed by the remarkable impacts witnessed in critical sectors of the state.
Speaking, Governor Emmanuel described the former vice president as a detribalized Nigerian, whose generosity and magnanimity have been felt by a lot of Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.
Emmanuel also commended the Waziri of Adamawa for acknowledging the achievements of his administration thus far, adding that despite the tough economic challenges facing the country, he remained focused on bequeathing an industrialised state at the end his tenure.
“In the midst of hardship, we have tried to get things done and I can assure my people that they have not seen anything yet, because, I am going much deeper to get something much bigger for the state. Emmanuel said.
The Governor decried the low presence of the federal government in the state, emphasising that the 36 states were the only pillars presently sustaining the country.
“Take away the states, the centre had not been holding for a long time now and the entire structure that Nigeria is currently standing on as at today are the 36 states.”
Buttressing his claims, Emmanuel said: “As a Governor, you don’t have control over a single police officer, but the centre would tell you to take charge of the security situation in your state, and the question I am asking is, with what? But be that as it may, we still try to make sure that we discharge our responsibilities towards the people.”
He also expressed his disappointment on what he described as the marginalisation of Akwa Ibom, despite the huge gas deposits in the state, which according to him “stands at about 36.1 percent”.
Governor Emmanuel, “Every single dual road that you have seen in the state today is done by the state government, and we do not even have a depot to store our downstream petroleum products “.
“I am developing one of the smartest airports in this continent, and a simple appreciation I could have gotten from the federal government would have been to give us a fuel jet A1 dump as an oil and gas producing state, but we have not been given.”
The state chief executive officer, therefore, called on the Buhari-led federal government to support the state in the area of infrastructural development through policy statements, especially in the oil and gas sector, which he said would further transform the Niger Delta region,
On the entourage of the former vice president were: former governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, Senator Aliyu Ningi, Senator Dino Malaye, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, and several other dignitaries.