The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has said the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nothing to offer Nigerians.
Governor Emmanuel made this statement on Tuesday in Uyo during the inauguration of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen and Members of Boards and Commissions, as well as a Transition Committee, that Tinubu has nothing to bring to the table, hence his decision to abuse and rain insults during his presidential campaigns.
Emmanuel who spoke in response to Tinubu’s reference to him as a ‘boy’, said despite being insulted by the former Lagos State Governor, he would prefer to allow peace to reign by ignoring him and focusing on helping to install good governance to rescue Nigerians from its present woes.
Tinubu during the APC rally in Uyo said, “Akwa Ibom, that boy brought Atiku here, where he dey call himself Governor, tell him enough is enough! He lives in my backyard in Lagos, if no be say we be one I would have driven him home. You see that mansion he is living, I would just use lizards, pigeons and scorpions and put inside.“(sic)
The Governor said for the country to remain at peace, one party must ‘play saint’ that is why he would refrain from replying to Tinubu.
Emmanuel who is the Chairman of the PDP presidential campaign said, “I also go to other states, and if you watch our campaigns, my principal (Atiku Abubakar) has never spoken about any Governor, he has never spoken openly about Asiwaju before”.
He noted that it was unfortunate that Tinubu, who was allowed to use the state-owned facilities: the airport, security, stadium, and a good atmosphere to come and sell his manifesto, ended up insulting the integrity of over 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people.
He wondered if it is possible for any Akwa Ibom person to go to Lagos State that Tinubu stays or the actual State he hails from to insult him in like manner and still be allowed to safely return home.
The governor said, “But here our people at the Stadium including some state governors just laughed and applauded him. What makes him think he will govern Nigeria? If I reply to him now, people will call me and say, haba oga you are not like that. But I will reply to him one day. There is nothing like ‘emilokan’ (it is my turn) here, Nigeria is in God’s hands.” (sic)
Governor Emmanuel thanked the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries for accepting the onerous task of service and urged them to see themselves as ambassadors and work towards raising the bar of leadership which will encourage productivity and promote good working relationships with subordinates in the service.
