Gov. Emmanuel urges Akwa Ibom people to embrace love at Christmas

Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has called on the people of the state to embrace love and live in unity as they celebrate the Christmas season.

Emmanuel made the call on Friday in Uyo in his Christmas message broadcast to the people of the state.

“This is a season of love, unity, brotherhood and goodwill to mankind,” the governor said.

He assured the people that the state was on the right course with himself as the governor.

“As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we will equally continue to celebrate the ascendance of the Akwa Ibom spirit.

“I pledge to do right; to improve your living conditions; to continue to make you feel great and proud to be an Akwa Ibom person.

“We will create jobs through rapid industrialisation of our state, to earn a living instead of begging for a living,” Emmanuel said.

The governor, who thanked the people for the support given to his administration in the last seven months, urged them to shun disunity and hatred.

He advised the people to reject plans of some selfish individuals to return the state to “the dark days of slavery and servitude”.

The governor lamented that the chord, binding the state together as one indivisible people driven by a shared destiny, has been challenged.

Emmanuel, who referred to the nullification of his election, said ”let us collectively tell those selfish few that Akwa-abasi Ibom State are free people.

“We are not ready to allow outsiders, people who underestimated us, to return us to those dark and tearful days,” he said.

”Tell them that there is no vacancy in Hilltop Mansion, that you had elected a governor on April 11, 2015 and that the governor is working for the people.

”Tell them that you don’t want to return to the days when you could barely enjoy electricity for two hours.

“Tell them that you now enjoy electricity up to 18 hours a day and that Gov. Udom Emmanuel made that possible,” the governor reiterated.