END OF G-22 AS INEC DISPLAYS UDOM EMMANUEL, MOSES EKPO’S NAMES The existence of the Forum of Akwa Ibom PDP Governorship Aspirants popularly referred to as G-22 has come to a natural end as the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC yesterday displayed the final list of qualified candidates to contest the February governorship elections across the country. The list was pasted on the walls of the INEC headquarters in Abuja friday evening. Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and Obong Moses Ekpo made the list as the Akwa Ibom State Peoples Democratic Party governorship Candidate and running mate respectively for the upcoming general election on February 28th putting to rest all the rumours and speculations dominating online and local print media discuss in the state that the name of Udom Emmanuel had been substituted with a consensus candidate from the G22 meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan. The list released by INEC had the names of PDP governorship candidates in all the states except in Imo State. According to the INEC list, the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] does not have a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 exercise in Imo state. The deputy speaker of the house of representatives , Hon. Ihedioha had been embroiled in a tussle of the results of the PDP gubernatorial primaries with the other contestants – which included the former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim and another stakeholder in the party, Mazi Ararume. The primaries was tagged inconclusive following the pronouncement by the three major players – that they had won the primaries. Earlier, a Presidential appeal panel headed by President Goodluck Jonathan, advised all the aspirants to return home and support the candidates who won the nominations, that PDP under his leadership won’t give room for those sharp practices of substituting the winners for losers. Mr President’s meeting assured all the aggrieved aspirants that the Party will empower them through various appointments and others incentives. The National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Adamu Mau’zu also pleaded with the aspirants to accept their fate as the will of God and asked them to remain in the Party. In a related development, following a passionate appeal from the Presidency, the senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, has eventually accepted the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s senatorial primary held in Cross River central senatorial zone late last year. In a statement endorsed by his campaign director, Mr Ernest Irek and made available to newsmen yesterday, Ndoma-Egba called on his teeming supporters to accept the result as the will of God. “The need to sheath our swords has become imminent, especially with the appeal from the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria to the effect that decorum and sacrifice should prevail to ensure the party’s victory at the next general elections. The lawmaker urged all other aspirants to accept the decision of the party and forge ahead, we cannot win always though painful, God knows the best. Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State PDP Governorship candidate Mr Udom Emmanuel in his new message to Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians has urged the people to make the right choices at the general elections as the future of the society is in the hands of the people. ‘’This is a significant year for us in Akwa Ibom State, a year of history and great decision. A year we shall march to the polls to determine our collective destiny for the next four years and maybe for the next decade. The powers to choose between success and failure, growth and backwardness, wealth and poverty are in our hands. We must not be carried away by the sentiments of this political season to lose sight of the burden of expectations of the future. What lies ahead of us requires a strategic plan and a competent leadership to execute the blueprints. After the euphoria of the elections, we shall be left to face the challenges of wealth, creation, continuous infrastructure and man power development, need for provision of basic amenities amongst other pressing economic, social and political demands. We must grow above ethnicism, falsehood and propaganda. We must put our best hands forward to save the future for posterity. ‘I solicit your votes to become the next governor of our dear state because I am prepared for this task. I have married the strides of the past with the expectations of the future. I acknowledge that Akwa Ibom State has been transformed from the pedestrian destination that nobody ever considered visiting, to a must-see wonder of infrastructure development, a prized destination, an economic hub and a recreational get-away. The journey to our dreams is still far away but we have made significant steps and with your support, I will take us there”. Udom concluded.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 17:06:59 +0000