From: FRED ITUA, Abuja
Some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Akwa Ibom State, have called on those they described as ‘professional mudslingers’ to desist from spreading falsehood against the Governor Emmanuel Udom.
The elders, who spoke on the platform of Eket Senatorial PDP Leaders’ Forum, said the mischief makers were only envious of the relationship between the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and his successor, Udom.
Chairman of the Forum and a former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Nduese Essien, who signed a press statement on behalf of others, on Thursday, said unlike other states where relationships between serving governors and their predecessors had gone sour, Governor Udom and Sen. Akpabio would continue to work together in the interest of the state.
Essien said the mischief makers have tried to distort facts, create diversion and confuse people of the state to believe that Governor Udom does not spend the resources of the state judiciously.
“Ordinarily, we would have honoured the mischief makers with a response, but in the interest of the discerning, we need to state some facts and set the records straight.
“We have read series of paid advertorials, where professional mudslingers, at the urging of their sponsors, took shot at Governor Emmanuel Udom. We wish to tell those sponsoring these hate-filled and lies-laden advertorials that Udom has not disappointed his people.
“We recognise and have easily detected the motive for these insidious paid advertorials. The bond of friendship that has continued to exist between Udom and Akpabio, has attracted the envy of political elements on the other side of the divide. Their prayer is to openly see these two political leaders engage in an open fight. It will not happen,” the statement signed by Essien on behalf of the Forum, read in part.