In order to attract democratic dividends to his people, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Umo Eno, had pledged support for President Bola Tinubu and the federal government.
Eno made the pledge yesterday while briefing State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa.
He said, “Politics is over and governance has started. So Akwa Ibom is an integral part of Nigeria and we have to work with the federal government to ensure that Akwa Ibomite will see the benefits of democracy and we cannot do that if we work standing apart.
“And so we came to visit with the president like I said, to congratulate him and pledge our support to work with him and our commitment as a state so that Akwa Ibomite will derive the full benefit of democracy. There are lots of things we expect from the federal government and it’s only with that cooperation that we can work together and achieve the common good, whatever I know I can do, to bring the dividends of democracy to my people, I will do it.”
On requests presented to the President in the course of the meeting, he said, “We talked about the road you have just mentioned, the Calabar-Itu road. We will need the president to help us intervene and let’s get that finished. We talked about Akwa-Ibom Deep Seaport.We will need the President to also intervene and let’s get the Seaport.
“I also mentioned to him the Export License, the Free Zone for our airport, so that the maintenance, repairs, and overhauling facility there; we will be able to bring in spare parts to service the airplanes. These are strategic partnership that we want with the federal government. So, I talked about it and he has promised to look into it, and I believe him.”
On planned palliatives for his people following the removal of fuel subsidy, he said “the President has directed that states governors, of course, should work on palliatives for the citizenry. We will do just that.
There are a number of things and as we get into early next week if you focus on Akwa Ibom, you will see various things we are going to put in place to support our people and shield them from the effects of the subsidy removal..
