The entire Ikot Ekpene land on Thursday, spoke in one voice in support of the political ambitions of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Obong Akan Udofia and others seeking political offices in Akwa Ibom State.
Declaring the total support of the council for all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a chieftain of the party, Chief Sunny Ibanga, declared, “the people of Ikot Ekpene Local Government are not known to be ingrates. We are a very straight forward people, who believe in supporting good things. The aspirations of Tinubu, Akpabio, Udofia and others is the project of the entire people of Ikot Ekpene and we will do all within our democratic powers to deliver them all.”
Chief Ibanga stated this while addressing the mammoth crowd of party members, loyalists and supporters of the APC during the ward to ward tour of the local government by the aspirants, in Ikot Ekpene.
According to him, “Senator Akpabio need not come to Ikot Ekpene to campaign. He is here to thank us for always standing by him and to formally present to us, the governorship candidate of our party; Obong Akan Udofia, who is the next governor of our dear state by the special grace of God.
“We are not ingrates. We don’t pay evil in return for good things done to us. Such attitudes (being displayed by some people in this council, who were raised from obscurity to position of prominence by Senator Akpabio) is very alien to us. We are very truthful people whose words are their bond. We are here to also demonstrate our support for our former governor, for his love for the people of Ikot Ekpene when he was the governor of the state.”
Speaking further, Obong Ibanga asked the people who they would cast votes for on the 25th February and 11th March, and their response was a resounding affirmation for Tinubu, Akpabio, Udofia and all other candidates of the APC.
He assured the visitors of the total resolve of the local government to deliver them 100 percent at the poll.
In his remarks, Senator Akpabio said he was not surprised at the crowd and promised to do more for the council area as their next Senator.
He charged the people of the council to cast their votes for the APC and “after voting, protect your votes. Don’t allow them do anything funny with your votes. Be very peaceful before, during and after casting your votes.”
Speaking at the rally, the governorship candidate of the party, Obong Akan Udofia, promised to empower women through interest-free loan, student bursary and grant local government councils autonomy among numerous others.
Hon Pat Etete, Mr Kufre Okure, both indigenes of the area, who mounted the rostrum, re-echoed the position earlier expressed by Chief Sunny Ibanga on their total support for the party’s candidates.
The ward rally also saw prominent members of opposition parties in the local government area like the PDP, AA, LP and NNPP dump their former parties for the broom party.
