By Chioma Onuegbu

ON whether Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as the governor would perform in office or will not is currently the topical issue of discussion and arguments in different circles in Akwa Ibom State since after his swearing-in into office last Friday.

There is no gain saying the fact that the people’s expectations of his administration will be high because of the recorded achievements of his predecessor.

Political observers, his admirers, and particularly loyalists and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP who spoke to Vanguard immediately after the handing over ceremony were, however, optimistic that he would perform beyond following his track records and antecedents in the banking sector.

Udom Emmanuel

In the opinion of   Saviour Akpan, Executive Director of Community Policing Partners: Justice, Security and Democratic Reforms COMPPART Emmanuel has no reasons why he would not perform in office because the foundation has already been laid down by his predecessor Godswill Akpabio.

According to Akpan, “There is no government that can perform up to expectation when there are illiterate citizens who do not understand the difference between government and governance, transparency and accountability to governance. The citizens on their part must engage elected political office holders to fulfil their campaign promises.

“Also for Udom Emmanuel to succeed he must ensure that there is clear cut separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary as already provided   in section, 4, 5, and 6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. This provision should be given life through the active engagement of the citizens in the different arms of government even though the constitution is not water-tight.

The content of the governor’s speech for Manasseh Umoette, a youth leader from Ikot Ekpene local government area clearly indicates that he was well prepared to face the tasks awaiting him.

He stressed “His agenda for the state for me shows that he has come with a mission to add value to what is already on the ground. The argument in some quarters is that he came from the corporate world and therefore may not understand the language of politics. But I believe he can surmount any obstacle as he moves to stir the affairs of the state if he tries as much as possible to stay away from sycophants”

On his part former military administrator of the state and Director General of Udom Emmanuel’s Campaign Organization, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga said that the people’s expectation from governor Emmanuel should not be outside his 5 point agenda.

“He has promised us job creation. He has promised us poverty alleviation, wealth creation. There will be economic and political inclusions, Infrastructure consolidation and development. And the 12 things he listed during his inaugural speech are all categorized under his 5point agenda.

On the ongoing litigation challenging Udom Emmanuel’s emergence as the winner of the April 11 governorship election in the state the PDP loyalist described the litigations against the governor as mere distractions, stressing “What you can change you change, what you cannot change you cannot change. Immediate past governor Akpabio went through the same thing. Frank Okon is now satisfied because Akpabio is out of office. All he had wanted was to see Akpabio out of office. God is going to see us through because the distraction is going to be quite unnecessary.

However aware of the expectations from his government, Governor Emmanuel in his inaugural speech reassured the people of his determination and commitment to deliver on his campaign promises which he said he intends to achieve through the collective cooperation and positive contribution from all Akwa Ibom people.

His words, “Akwa Ibom people you have kept the covenant, and  I will keep my own part be executing the programmes I enunciated during my official declaration to run for the office of the governor which includes to leverage and build on the uncommon transformation of my predecessor.