Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring a peaceful conduct of the March 18 2023 gubernatorial polls.
In Akwa Ibom, Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner by INEC after he polled a total of 356,348 votes to defeat his closest contender, Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), who scored 136,260.
Governor Emmanuel was speaking during a Special Thanksgiving Service organised to commemorate the successful and victorious 2023 Elections held in Uyo, shortly after the announcement of the election results, Sunday evening.
The governor, who particularly thanked God for Umo Eno’s election, noted that God has demonstrated His power by confirming in the just concluded poll that Pastor Umo Eno was truly his successor, having weathered the storm of several litigations and other distractions.
Governor Emmanuel however, called on other candidates to sheathe their swords and work together for the peace and progress of the state, stressing that there should be no room for acrimony.
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“When the pastor today reads the Bible passage on the stone the builders rejected which has become the chief corner stone, I recalled 31st January on a Sunday evening when I called the elders, a cross-section of traditional fathers, immediately I told them that this is the man God revealed will be my successor, in less than three seconds after we left social media was agog with insinuations such as ‘Dead on arrival; Umo Eno, he can never be; in which state?’
“Why this thanksgiving this evening? If you do anything outside this you are reacting and a good leader does not react, instead he responds and a good Christian does not react but responds. And how do you respond, when God shows you mercy you go on a thanksgiving.
“We really want to appreciate everyone, no animosity, we don’t have anybody at heart; today I want to thank all of you for responding to what God has done here,” he said.
In his exhortation, Emmanuel Iniama who spoke on the theme, ‘This is the Lord’s Doing,’ drawn from Ps:118: 21, enjoined all to trust God in all circumstances with the understanding that God is poised to exceed their expectations.
At the religious gathering, there were special renditions by wife of the Governor, Martha Udom Emmanuel; praises by Government House Divine Voices (GHDV), which was attended by Deputy Governor, Moses Ekpo, governor-elect, Umo Eno and wife, Patience; Akon Eyakenyi, members of the state executive council, religious leaders, political stalwarts and others.
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