Despite widespread resistance by governors against the autonomy for local government, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Akanimo Udofia, has promised full implementation of the policy if elected.
Udofia, who made the pledge in Uyo, during the inauguration of the Akan Udofia/Victor Antai Governorship Campaign Council, identified the local government as centre for development which should be made viable for accelerated development of the rural areas.
The candidate, who anchored his campaign on the theme, “Shared prosperity,” said he was hoping to embark on a campaign with a mission to bring about change and create a brighter future for all Akwa Ibom people.
“It is a well-known fact that while our economy has grown significantly over the past decades, the benefits of this growth have not been shared equally. Far too many are being left behind, and the gap between the rich and the poor is growing wider.
“To bring about shared prosperity, we will take bold and innovative steps to address the challenges that our people face. We need to creatively invest in education, infrastructure and job creation, so that everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We need to ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare, and that we provide support to those who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Even the rich are being decimated by poor governance in Akwa Ibom. This is unacceptable, and it is our responsibility to do something about it. The journey ahead of us will not be easy, but I am confident with your hard work and dedication, we can succeed,” he said.
Udofia said the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, meant well for Akwa Ibom State and that was why he had promised to deliver a deep seaport to the state if elected the president and urged the people to ignore those who said the APC candidate had insulted the Akwa Ibom people during his recent campaign in the state.
APC Chairman, Steve Ntokekpo, while inaugurating the campaign council, thanked party members for the massive turn out during the presidential rally and charged the people not to be intimidated by anybody as the party was in charge of the Federal Government and would do everything to protect its members.
Director General of the campaign and a former commissioner for works, Don Etim, who responded on behalf of members of the campaign council, urged the members to be proud of their candidate as he remained untainted of any scandal nor would he be anybody’s stooge.
He thanked them for their commitment and resilience and said they would do all within their powers to install an APC administration in the state.