EKET – Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday described Chief Nduese Essien, a former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, as an exemplary leader.
Akpabio gave the commendation at the grand reception held in his honour by Eket Peoples Union at the Eket Township stadium.
The governor said that Essien had represented not just Akwa Ibom well but other communities outside the state.
“We are here to let him know that by his strong and good representation, we see in him leadership quality; we find in him high level of integrity and quality leadership.
“We are here today to honour one of our great sons, a man we believe in; we are here to honour a man who represented not just the Eket Federal Constituency but the entire country.
“You have represented us well and we are here to give him a pat on the back and to say you have done well for our own great state,’’ Akpabio said.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Udom Emmanuel, also said Essien had represented the state well in the just concluded National Conference.
“Today we stand here because this is a man not just being honoured here in Akwa Ibom but he is being hounoured in other states outside Akwa Ibom,
“We find in him qualities that are not common amongst men of the black nation; even at the national conference , we had gotten a lot of report of the great things he had done,’’ he said.
Essien, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to God, saying that no man deserves to be honoured except he was so ordained by God.
“But there is something I will always do. I will stand up for what is good; I will speak up in defence of the truth.
“I will stand up with great leaders of our state and country and uphold the rights and liberties of our people,’’ he said [eap_ad_1] Essien appealed to the people of Akwa Ibom to support in unison the rotation of governorship to Eket Senatorial District in 2015.
“Those aspiring to step into this shoe should reassess themselves to match it and sustain the height attained by previous occupants of the Hiltop mansion,’’ he said.
Essien advised the people of the state to consciously refuse to revert to violence, saying this had been the hallmark of elections in the last few years.
“No elective office is worth the blood of any Akwa Ibom man, woman or child,’’ he said.
He said those seeking public office should respect the sanctity of life and laws of the land by not engaging in acts capable of causing pain, death or disorder in the society. (NAN)
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