Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, has tipped Governor Umo Eno to surpass his records in office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, saying he will support him all the way to attain the feat.
Mr Emmanuel said one of the secrets of his successful reign as Governor is the support he got from Christian fathers in the State and has expressed happiness that they are extending the same to his successor.
At a New Year State service to usher in 2024 in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Emmanuel said , “I don’t have any doubt or fear, I still stand on what I said from Day One that you’ll do 200 times better than me in all ramifications and God will give you the enablement and capacity to make that happen.”
Allaying fears on the capacity of his successor, Mr Emmanuel stated that, “when God sends you, he gives transportation money. He equips, he gives you the capacity, and he gives you everything to keep it up and running.”
Thanking Akwa Ibom people for their support to Governor Eno, he maintained that the unity of the State must be upheld. The former Governor said further, “I don’t have any doubt or fear, I still stand on what I said from Day One that you’ll do many times better than me in all ramifications and God will give you the enablement and capacity to make that happen.”
Let me thank the youth, women, elders, and all those who believed in us. I believe that as the Preacher today said, we need one mind, and we must be strengthened together. The governor alone can not do it.
“May God unite all of us together, strengthen us as a people to know that Akwa Ibom is beyond one man.”
He thanked the governor for inviting him to come and join in the celebration.
Relishing on the vision behind the worship center, Mr Emmanuel said he was moved by that fact that despite being named after God, the State had no befitting place of worship.
“Probably today, we would have been under the sun, but we now have a place that we can all gather, an altar where we can gather to worship God.”
“I remember in one of my commissioning, I made a statement that the birds have their nest in the air but we christians do not have a place to worship but today,we give God all the glory.
“Thank you, our Governor, for making this day a success.
“I want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank the Fathers of Faith. Once there is a king succeeding, watch the back, and you’ll see a priest.
“I really want to thank them. These are the priests that really backed me and are backing you up also.
“I can guarantee you that all of us will give you the support you need. “
“Once again, I stand here to give God all the glory for energizing and the sustainance of our beloved Governor , Our leader, that God has graciously given to us at a time like this. The same God that raised him up will sustain him no matter what happens. God does not send someone on an errand and forsake him”, Udom added.
In his remarks at the event, Governor Eno expressed delight over the array of attendees and venue of the event, which he described as, not just a Worship Centre but a tourist attraction, particularly expressing gratitude for having the immediate past governor and initiator of the Worship Centre project at the event.
The governor assured that he would ensure the maintenance of the facility as a valuable asset of the state and to maintain the spiritual component of the Worship Centre as an altar of the State, by daily prayers in the centre throughout the year.
He therefore announced the appointment of the Uyo Field Superintendent of the Apostolic Church, Pastor Ime George, as coordinator of the prayer roaster and Rev. Hilkiah Eliatha as Secretary, as well as a technical crew to maintain the facility
