The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has pledged to establish an integrated farm complex in Ini LGA as part of his comprehensive plan to boost agricultural revolution and create employment opportunity for youths and women in Akwa Ibom State.

Pastor Eno made the promise on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, during the governorship campaign rally held at the Council Headquarters in Odot Ikpe. He said that the proposed integrated farm complex will be modelled after the Songhai Center in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, a world leader in innovative development programs, including integrated farming, biomass gasification, microenterprise and IT for rural communities.

“I know precisely what I am talking about here today and I promise you by the grace of the Almighty God that those things I have spoken about and promised you are achievable and will be achieved in Ini for the benefit of Akwa Ibom people as well Nigerians and tourists around the who will be frequenting Akwa Ibom State”, Pastor Eno said.

According to him, the economic team of his campaign organisation is already interfacing and networking with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the programme takes off as soon as he is sworn in as the next governor of Akwa Ibom State. “The full value chain of this agro investment is very extensive and the low hanging fruits we expect will be quick. We will not just be growing rice, cocoa and other crops for local consumption but we plan to process and package them for the international market. Yes, we can do it and we will do it. This is how to do business in all emerging economies around the world and we will compete not just locally, but to be one of the best Agro business hubs in the world. People will come from everywhere to visit our integrated farm complex in this beautiful greenland of Ini LGA” he said.

Sounding confident about his bold plans for the area, he said he was speaking as a successful entrepreneur and a start-up player. “I am an entrepreneur in politics. I am a businessman. Wherever I go, I look out for investment gaps to be filled and I look out for things that will bring profit. This endless green and fertile land of Ini will become the food basket of Akwa Ibom and desired destination of many tourists in the near future”, he said to the applause of the enthusiastic crowd.

Speaking very persuasively also, the First Lady Of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel, who represented her husband, Governor Emmanuel at the rally said the PDP candidate is a man of capacity, competence and character. “His type is rare in politics. I am happy that Akwa Ibom State will take advantage of this serious minded and industrious man, a man of capacity, competence and character, to advance our fast developing State to the next level of economic development”, she said.

Other speakers who took turns to address the mammoth crowd at the event included: Prof. Ini Udoka, former House of Representatives member, Dr. Glory Edet, PDP’s House of Representatives candidate for Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Bassey, member representing Ini State Constituency and Chief Whip of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Lawrence Udoide, Ini State House of Assembly candidate, among other notable personalities.

They said in unanimity that Ini is a stronghold of the PDP and promised to ensure that the stranglehold of the party in the LGA is further tightened in the forthcoming elections.