The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has reaffirmed his resolve to collaborate with President Tinubu-led Federal Goverment, irrespective of party differences.
This is to ensure optimum support from the Federal Government for the development of the state.
Governor Eno therefore stated that his government will not support any form of disrespectful expressions or outright attacks on leadership at any level of government, especially the presidency, under the guise of political partisanship, but will rather collaborate to draw dividends to the state.
He said these when he received 37,874 decamped persons from other political parties to the People’s Democratic Party at the Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo.
“Without peace, there can be no progress. So, please for those of you that were abusing us, don’t bring that spirit of abuse and begin to abuse people in authority for us. Please, drop that spirit, and let’s work together. We have only one President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we owe allegiance to that President,” Governor Eno said on Friday.
“A lot of people have asked, are you in PDP? Yes! I am in PDP but my PDP is not the type that insults people. So, I want to beg you as you come back, one of the things you must drop is attacking leaders. For the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, we would show him support. That is the PDP I run. We don’t attack leadership because what goes round comes round,” he added.
He thanked the decampees for the tough fight they gave the PDP in the course of campaigns and elections which he said strengthened their resolve to stand firm in God.
“I and our party will continue to collaborate with the centre so that we can bring dividends of democracy to Akwa Ibom. I will not fight the centre. Nobody should fight the centre. That is the point and now that you are coming back, that is what we will maintain.
“We must show respect, decency, and loyalty. That way, everything that the president had promised us, God will touch his heart and he will give it to us. You don’t abuse somebody and then turn around to ask for benefits from the person. Is that good?”
The Akwa Ibom governor urged the leadership of the PDP to receive the returnees in love.
But he also advised the decampees to respect the leadership of the party at all levels.
The state chairman of the PDP, Aniekan Akpan, had earlier presented the decampees to Governor Eno after extracting the commitment of the representatives from various blocs to support the Umo Eno-led government to succeed.
Former chieftains of other political parties including Enyong-Ekere, Emmanuel Ukoette, Henry Offiong, Ime Eshiet, Ubong Victor Edem, and a one-time commissioner, Samuel Efanga who spoke at the event said their return was inspired by the governor’s focus on development, all-inclusive leadership style, and lofty programmes.
