Akwa Ibom State in South South Nigeria is seeking a strategic partnership with President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
The State Governor Pastor Umo Eno disclosed this while addressing the State House Press Corps after meeting President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, in Abuja.
He said this at the presidential Villa while on a visit to the President and to “congratulate him on the election and his swearing-in and to pledge our support, our commitment and our loyalty to the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Politics is over and governance has started.
“Akwa Ibom is an integral part of Nigeria and we have to work with the federal government to ensure that Akwa Ibomite will see the benefits of democracy and we cannot do that if we work standing apart.
“And so we came to visit with the president like I said, to congratulate him and pledge our support to work with him and our commitment as a state so that Akwa Ibomite will derive the full benefit of democracy.
According to the governor, “There are lots of things we expect from the federal government and it’s only with that cooperation that we can work together and achieve the common good, whatever I know I can do, to bring the dividends of democracy to my people, I will do it. Thank you so
Speaking on his requests to the president, Pastor Eno said, “Of course, as we talked about the road you have just mentioned, (the Calabar-Ndukpani) road. We will need the president to help us intervene and let’s get that finished the road. We talked about our Ibom deep seaport, we will need the president to also intervene and let’s get the Seaport. I also also mentioned to him the export license, the free zone for our airport, so that the maintenance, repairs, and overhauling facility there, we will be able to bring in spare parts to service the airplanes.
Eno said, “These are strategic partnership that we want with the federal government. So, I talked about it and he has promised to look into it, and I believe him.”
On the palliatives for his people in the face of fuel subsidy removal, the governor said, “Yesterday (Wednesday), my deputy governor distributed some palliatives to all the local government. And as I go back, I’m scheduled to have a meeting with all the petroleum marketers in Akwa Ibom. So we’re looking at those ways whatever we need to do to…and the President has directed that state governors of course, should work on palliatives for the citizenry. We will do just that there are a number of things and as we get into early next week if you focus on Akwa Ibom, you will see various things we are going to put in place to support our people and shield them from the effects of the subsidy removal.”
