…governor’s men rebuke, demand apology on comment comparing Udom and predecessor
Ubong Sampson – Uyo
A comment made by the Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kalu Uche has apparently caused unsettlement in the Udom Emmanuel led government of Akwa Ibom state, as it has triggered reactions from proponents of the said government.
Dr. Uche was quoted to have said during a programme in one of the Methodist Church branches in Abuja, that Governor Emmanuel’s predecessor, Godswill Akpabio had left behind in the state, a big shoe that is too big to fill.
“I am saying this publicly and I am not mincing words, former Governor Akpabio and the incumbent Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, left a very big shoe behind that is still very difficult to fill in Akwa Ibom State”, the prelate was quoted to have said.
The clergy’s statement apparently has not gone down well with the incumbent government which is the immediate and only succeeding government to that of Akpabio, as well as its proponents.
Reacting, a voluntary government support media group accused one Jackson Udom, a media assistant to Akpabio, of having syndicated the comment to give credit to his boss.
The group stated that having not made any effort to disclaim the statement, was reason enough to believe it actually came from the clergy.
The said group, identified as Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum, an initiative of some media aides of the governor, went further to accuse the prelate of implying by his comment, that the incumbent governor is failing woefully.
Describing Uche’s comment as untrue and an unfounded generalisation, the group said the state is currently among the “top three viable states in Nigeria occasioned by the governor’s judicious management of resources”.
While listing several other things as achievements recorded by the incumbent government, the group reminded that some leading figures in the country have, at different occasions, been to the state to commission projects done by the Emmanuel administration.
The group went on to accuse the clergy of not having a firm grip of his church and the members in the state, adding that where the reverse was the case, the clergy would have known that the state has been safer under Governor Emmanuel than it was while his predecessor, Akpabio held sway.
While insinuating the clergy was paid to pass the comment, the group further demanded from the prelate, an apology to Akwa Ibom people for the comment which it described as destructive and insulting to the integrity of Akwa Ibomites, and also advised him to desist from making further provocative utterances.
