Revealed: What Umo Eno Told Akpabio

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has appealed for partnership with the federal government for the development of Ibom Deep Seaport and an Oil Palm refinery.

Speaking at a State Banquet organised in honour of the president of the 10th Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio at the Government House Banquet Hall, Uyo, he urged the Senate President to help facilitate the projects for the good of the State and country at large.

He noted that it is a privilege and a blessing for the State to have a Senate President under his leadership as State Governor, and urged him to bring the dividends of democracy back home.

According to him, “Your Excellency, I had some requests while we were in my office, and I want to please make it public, they’re just three. The first thing I want to request is that you help facilitate a partnership with the Federal Government on the Ibom Deep Seaport.

“The second request is that we want to partner with the federal government to develop our oil palm plantation and to have an industrial oil mill in this state. This is the kind of thing that will bring employment and benefit our people. Finally, Your Excellency, we would like to pay a Thank You visit to Mr. President across party lines. We would like to go thank him for standing by you and supporting you.

“Your Excellency, we thank you and we want to assure you that we will continue to collaborate with you to bring development to our state and our nation at large,” he said.

Governor Eno appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the support given to an Akwa Ibom son to emerge as Senate President and assured the President of continuous support to enable him succeed.

“We want to thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We thank him for standing by you, and supporting the vision of your colleagues that today, Akwa Ibom has the number three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That’s the joy we have and that is the prize we carry, and we will continue to assure you that we will partner with you, partner with the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the Governor added.

The Governor who had earlier recieved the Senate President in his office on a courtesy visit, appreciated Sen. Akpabio for his visionary leadership when he served as governor of the State, and urged him to do even more as number three citizen of the country.

Pastor Eno who was elated by the visit, said “Your Excellency, it is very clear from Psalm 133:1, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! For me as a person, I believe that God brought me here by grace to bring about reconciliation. There is this saying that “together we stand, and divided we fall.

“Tonight, that portion of scripture has come tru3

Sitting here again as a man who laid the foundation and built this edifice many years ag is heart -warming . I know you have been in Akwa Ibom State many times, but this is the first official visit of the distinguished senate president to the seat of Government of Akwa Ibom State.

“We do not take it for granted. We want to thank God for lifting you up as a beacon of light for our State. We want to thank your colleagues that found you worthy to be made the leader of the Senate, and the Senate President,” he said.

He appreciated all his predecessors for laying good foundation for the state saying, “we have a very proud genealogy, and each and everyone of you that went ahead of us have done such a fantastic job that our role is just to keep maintaining like you have noticed and attempt to add few more things by the grace of God.”

The Governor appreciated other Senators for the support shown their President and especially for accompanying him on the courtesy visit as well as the gala night, and urged them to keep up the team spirit.

Earlier in his remarks, Senator Godswill Akpabio appreciated Governor Umo Eno for his spirit of peace and unity, and described him as an apostle of peace.

He specifically appreciated the Governor for the honour done him by the warm reception and for always identifying with him and others irrespective of political party affiliation.

Senator Akpabio commended the Governor for his achievements so far, and urged him to continue the good works and strive to do more.

Credit: Mike Effiong