By Chioma Onuegbu

Uyo—GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has said that his administration was not prepared to borrow money from banks to conduct elections into local government councils, adding that the council elections would be conducted once the economy improves.

Emmanuel, who made the remark, weekend, at Government House Uyo, while fielding questions from journalists on his mid-term milestone achievements, said that his administration in the current recession, was ensuring that money was invested in productive ventures that will benefit the common man in the streets.

He said: “No election is small. If you consider the number of units we have in the state, by the time you print materials to go round all the villages, pay those who will work on the day of election, you will need a lot of infrastructure in place. The Chinese buses you see were going for less than N4 million, but today those buses are going for N18 million. The cost skyrocketed and the state’s revenue has dropped.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State

“Be that as it may, we are planning and we are hoping that by the grace of God, the economy will improve. When that happens, we will conduct elections into local government councils.”

We are planning towards that, but please don’t expect me to go and borrow money from the bank at the interest rate of 26 percent to conduct council election. That is not governance.

“And you don’t me to use the money that I should use to pay salaries of civil servants and pensioners to conduct council elections so that I can