The Supreme Court judgement on the 2023 Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petition which was delivered in favour of Gov.Umo Eno last Thursday has been described by the 1st National Deputy President of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Dr. Tommy Etim Okon as true reflection of the intergrity of the election processes which produced the present leadership in the State, and particularly the emergence of Pastor Umo Eno as the governor.
The labour leader who hails from lkono Ibom Clan, Uyo local government area in State noted that as an active and consistent participant in the voting processes throughout the last General Election in his ward, he feels confident to commend the judges over the verdict because “anybody without political bias or ethnic sentiments who studied evidences of the case and participated in the election knew before even the verdict that Pastor Umo Eno won through free and fair contest by all acceptable standards including presenting guenuine credentials instead of fake ones as alledged by the petitioners”
According to him “the victorious verdict no doubt is in conformity with public expectations as evident in the overwhelming delightful mood expressed by citizens across the State after the pronouncement by Supreme Court which confirms that they were expectant and unshakeably confident that there would be affirmation of previous judgements of the lower courts by the apex court due to overwhelming facts presented by the governor’s legal teams”
Speaking to journlists he said just as other objective critical observers who had monitored every stage of the legal processes up to the final verdict are happy about the pronouncement, he is also delighted by it the and appeals that those who lost the election and subsequent petitions should consider joining hands to work with the present leadership in order to collaborate as true sportsmen and patriots irrespective of political party affiliation to advance the Arise Agenda blueprint which according him has obvious evidences of transformational impact as it’s implementation is so far revealing since assumption in office of the governor.
He said the verdict which has vindicated Pastor Umo Eno of any dubiousness in the academic qualifications presented to electoral body to be cleared for contest has reenforced the widely held belief that he is a personality of immpeacable character who is above deceptive lifestyle in his social, political and religious dealings with citizens.
Dr. Tommy Okon further added that “with the unquestionable patriotic zeal and passion demonstrated by the governor to take citizens to desired destination, the judgement is a cheering news that because it has put to final rest all forms of distraction and anxiety posed by election petition matters and now the governor’s energy would be fully focused on governance and delivery of dividends of democracy instead of diverting attention to treat unnecessary distractions”.
The judiciary without doubt by Dr. Tommy’s assertion has been very diligent, transparent and thorough from the beginning at the tribunal stage to the final verdict delivered to show obviously that “they acted based on facts and evidences without any external influence to arrive at the judgement which even the governor’s opposition legal teams had to succumb to superiority of the arguments in good faith by withdrawal from the matter”
Consequent upon the the victorious judgement, Dr Tommy Okon has expressed what he terms as” his heartwarming congratulations to Pastor Umo Eno and has urged those whose petitions failed to accept the verdict in good faith especially now that the all legal avenues have been exhausted since the Supreme Court is the final destination on election matters of 2023 Governorship Election.
He observed that judging by Pastor Umo Eno leadership character in magnanimously relating with members of other political parties his opposers in the election should nurse no fears of marginalization as he will fairly accommodated all to give them a sense of belonging irrespective of party affiliations.
He observed that the robust relationship between the governor and President Tinubu, the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and other major players in the ruling opposition party, APC is enough evidence to convince skeptics that the governor is able to differentiates partisan politics from actual governance.
The healthy political relationship according to him is unprecedented and has brought beauty to the practice of democracy in Akwa Ibom State even as it has attracted peace and collective approach between the federal and state governments to development.
The top labour unionist thanked Pastor Umo Eno for according to him” being the first governor to commenced taring of the only trunk road which left abandoned over decades in lkono Ibom Clan” and noted further that when the road is fully completed to link up with the entire eighteen villages, it will tremendously improve the quality of lives of people of the clan because development will be attracted dramatically to change their social and economic fortunes.
As one of the community stakeholders of lkono Ibom clan he said indigenes of the clan are happy with the governor’s style of governance and would according to him continue to stand in solidarity with his leadership and follow his political direction.
