By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The coming of Senator Bassey Akpan into the governorship race in Akwa Ibom State is a movement that has come to change the history of governance in the state
ArchBishop Andrew Uwanta,
Chairman of Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation,
the electioneering platform of Senator Akpan stated this in Uyo, while reacting to recently signed Electoral Amendment Bill into Law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator (Obong) Bassey Akpan a.k.a OBA, is the member representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District in the Senate, and Chairman of Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Resources (Upstream).
Uwanta observed that the with the signing of the Amended Electoral Act, which he described as a patriotic act by President Buhari, Nigerians’ faith in democracy where their voice and votes would count has again been deepened, just as it has strengthened the Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation course to take Akwa Ibom to a new heights in leadership.
According to him, Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation is undaunted by other aspirants in the governorship race in the State but believed strongly in the people’s right to choose who they want to govern them come 2023.
Assuring Akwa Ibom people of the awaiting good time, Uwanta said, “In the context of this patriotic action, which has once again deepened our faith in our democracy, we wish to make it known that our mass movement to change the Akwa Ibom story has gathered new momentum, new faith, and new hope. Everything is now on course for us to take our destiny into our hands and take our state to a new height of greatness and relevance, come 2023.
“We trust completely in the people’s right to choose. The ancient Romans had a popular saying, “Vox populi, vox Dei,” (the voice of the people is the voice of God). The order is that the people speak and whatever they say is God’s voice, for the hearts of the people are in His mighty hands.
“While we do not want to join issues with anyone, we restate, for emphasis, our firm belief that the hearts of the people are in God’s hands. When the people will speak eventually in the primary election of our great party and the main election with their cards, then will we come together and celebrate that God had spoken through all of us, for God always has the last say in every situation.
“Comfortable in this knowledge and assurance is that God is on our side, our campaign is built on God doing His will in this state, by speaking to the hearts of all Akwa Ibom people (not a select few). Therefore our mass movement is gathering momentum and moving on despite man-made obstacles.
“We are not afraid of anyone coming into the governorship race because the Bible says the tares and the wheat should grow together and in the end there shall be a separation (Matt 13:29-30). Indeed, there shall be a separation between the Old Testament when God spoke to only a select few in the temple and the New Testament when the veil was broken for God to speak to everyone who comes to Him. There shall be a separation between those who want to hear God for all of us, and all of us who will hear God by ourselves and for our posterity.”
With the Amended Act coming to give teeth to the task of winning the race, the campaign organisation’s chairman further assured the electorate in the state of an accomplished exercise of bringing a purposeful leadership to meet the yearnings of the state.
“Be assured that what we had been waiting for, God has granted us in the Electoral Act and we are set to cross the Jordan River into the land of promise. In the next few days, we will roll out our schedule and continue our march around the walls of Jericho.
“Soon, the oppressive human-contrived walls will fall flat and we will enter together into the Akwa Ibom of our dreams rejoicing and singing and returning all praises and glory to the only God, ’’That Same God,‘’ who makes all things possible. For, it shall be said that our God has done this great thing for us all!, He added.
ArchBishop Uwanta however, commended President Buhari and National Assembly on the Electoral Act, stressing that with the legal instrument being in place, the President has underscored his faith in democracy, while the National Assembly has proven its commitment to the right of the people to choose their leaders, and has also placed the common good above every other consideration.
