Akwa Ibom State Governor and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Presidential aspirant, Udom Emmanuel on Wednesday said he would leverage on his wide range of global connections to attract strategic infrastructure development in Nigeria if elected President in 2023.
Governor Emmanuel who made the promise when he met members of the PDP National Working Committee ( NWC) on Wednesday in Abuja, cited the examples of the investments he attracted to the state, adding that he is ready to replicate same at the national level.
Governor Emmanuel, who listed the worlds class Syringe factory and Ibom Air amongst his achievements in the state, said that if he could do so at the sub-national level, he has the capacity to do better at the national level.
He said: “If we look at the challenging times, you know, that it takes 20 times what it used to take us before to attract $1 to Nigeria. But we have consistently remained the second state in this country to attract the highest foreign direct investment.
“So, if we can do this at the sub-national level, what do you think I will do if I’m the one controlling the policies at the national level?”
The PDP presidential aspirant, who said that Nigeria used to import six billion syringes every year from China, noted that he changed that by establishing the biggest Syringe factory, adding that “today we have one of the best syringes manufacturing companies in Africa, up to the point that some companies in Europe place orders to import our syringes which is better than anyone you can get from China.”
He revealed that under his administration, the Akwa Ibom State government also established a flour mill, producing the best quality flour in Nigeria.
“People used to settle for low quality flour in that area because of those federal roads that are not so good. So, it used to take them time to cross to get flour.
“Today, Kings Flour Mill we established is producing the best flour we have in this country. Kings Flour is made in Akwa Ibom State
“I am coming to make sure Nigeria remains one, even security issues; I don’t want to say so much because security issues you don’t discuss before camera,” he said.
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According to him, “People who have knowledge of my state will tell you how it used to be, but when I came in, I changed all that, but today, ask any security agency, they will tell you that the state is one of the most peaceful states in this country to do business.”
He declared that Akwa-Ibom under him has attracted close to 21 industries across the globe into Akwa-Ibom. “Some are under construction, some are ongoing. Some have started. We have done a lot attracting these and so on. So, the question is if we can do all these at the sub-national level, I think we can do much better, it will be easier for PDP to campaign with a man who knows economy; a man who knows money; a man who is humbled; a man who has integrity; a man who has capacity; a man who knows what to do. I think it will be much easier.
“People want to see those who have capacity that will re-construct the economic and the social order of Nigeria and very few of them have decided to come up at this time. I said here am I; I am willing to serve; send me.
“If you look around anywhere in the world, the campaign is based on the knowledge and understanding the solutions about the economic issues, anywhere in the world. No president will come and start telling you, oh I will build roads, I’ll do this. There’s no creativity and ideas in that one.
“I am one of those front liners that believe that the problem with Nigeria is not unemployment, but capacity development.
“I’ve been tested, I’ve been tried and I think I’ve been refined and today I think I can go for a goal in almond for this party PDP.
“So, if you check, very few of us have been there; in trying times stood by this party. We did our very best to make sure this party did not extinguish and today I thank God this party has come back to its formidable stage. We did everything possible, only very few of us; we did everything possible.”
The National Chairman of the PDP in his response assured the Governor of the party’s blessings, saying that the party has no preferred candidate
“As you go round the country you have our blessings as a working committee. We want to assure you that we have no preferred candidate. God will help Nigeria, Nigerians should not lose hope. Hope is on the way.”
He also assured Nigerians that the people will soon see a difference, when the party takes over government.
“You will see a difference when we takeover power next year, and I’m very confident that the mood of the party, the unity we have in the party, the way we are working together, the hard work we are putting in the wards, the local governments and the states, will definitely yield results that on May 29 next year, one of you will be sitting in the Villa and we shall be there to celebrate with you,” he said.
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