The Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, says he has taken “insults” from the opposition in the state in the course of doing his job as governor but will not be intimidated.
Mr Emmanuel, in his Christmas Day broadcast to the state said, “I have been insulted, called all manner of names,” apparently expressing his frustration on the rising opposition against his administration, as the 2019 governorship election in the state draws nearer.
Mr Emmanuel said he was not intimidated, but was ready to take the insults because, according to him, his administration enjoyed the support of the people.
“I will not bend, I will not give in to blackmail, lies or attacks on my person or my administration,” he said. “I will not cut deals to sell our state to the highest bidder neither will I sacrifice the elements that define us as a people simply to further a political goal.”
Political pressure on the governor tripled since August this year when his predecessor and estranged godfather, Godswill Akpabio,defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Akpabio, a senator representing Akwa Ibom North-west District, used to be a rallying point for the PDP in the state and Mr Emmanuel’s administration before his defection.
The senator has reconciled with former political foes in the state and is now leading the battle to stop Governor Emmanuel from winning a second term in the February election.
Governor Emmanuel, a few days ago, came under severe pressure when the Akwa Ibom government denied the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari the use of a stadium in the state for the flag-off of the party’s 2019 election campaign today.
The government later reversed itself and granted permission for the use of the 30,000-capacity Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
The governor, in his Christmas message to the people of the state, said he has done well in his first term and, therefore, deserved a second term.
“You will agree with me, that the Akwa Ibom story requires bold new chapters and those chapters are what, together with your support, we have written glowingly in the past three and half years. As they say, a great job done requires more job to be done!”, he said.