By John Ikani
Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has sought the support of the United Nations for the passage of a pending electoral bill by the National Assembly and subsequent executive assent.
Governor Emmanuel made the demand at the weekend when the United Nations SDGs Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon, paid him a courtesy visit at the government house, Uyo, the State capital.
According to him, the passage of the Electoral Bill would enhance true democracy and encourage people to have confidence in government as well as the choice of their preferred candidate at the polls.
He said: “I’ll like to hear your voice or see your script adding to our call that the National Assembly should pass our Electoral Bill and our President to assent to that bill; because everything you’ve analyzed will still boil down to the people getting who they believe can implement those things for them by exercising their power at the polls.”
While calling on the UN contingent to extend the magnanimity shown to other countries and states to Akwa Ibom to help it achieve the 17 pillars of SDGs, Governor Emmanuel promised to effectively utilize and account for any assistance they may render.
His words, “anyway, anyhow you can help us, we are honestly looking up to it. Whatever support given to us will be well utilised and accounted for.”
He further called for appropriate documentation of the state’s historic sites, such as the Amalgamation House where the proclamation of Northern and Southern protectorates took place in 1914 and the Bridge of No Return, used as a medium of the slave trade, at Ikot Abasi in the state, stressing that the move would boost tourism as well as the economy in the state.
Responding, Edward Kallon said he aims to partner with the state government in promoting peace as well as addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.
Commenting on insecurity and other socio-economic challenges in Nigeria, Kallon Said, ‘Nigeria must address urgently the five critical risk factors of security and stability in the country; social cohesion equality and non-discrimination, justice, the rule of law and displacement and migration, to ensure peace and enabling environment for development”.
The Ambassador also presented a UN SDGs Champion Laurel to the Governor for aligning with the organisation’s Sustainable Development Goals in his investment drive.
