March 25, (THEWILL) – The foremost Governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr James Iniama, has called on all the persons in the state aspiring for the 2023 general elections, to go about such aspirations in the most peaceful manner, reasoning that what is facing them is not a battle, but a contest.
The aspirant made the call on Thursday in his Ewet Housing Estate residence, Uyo, on his arrival from Abuja, where he purchased the expression of interest and the nomination forms for the 2023 Gubernatorial race, urging that all aspirations should be driven with decorum and respect for human lives, void of any level of violence.
Iniama, who hails from Itu Federal Constituency, where the Governorship zoning favours, also appeals to the leadership of the state to give equal rights and privileges to every citizen of the state aspiring to any office, saying no aspirant is more a citizen than the other.
“What we are going for is not a battle, but a contest. I appeal to all the aspirants, all the Supporters, all the onlookers, statutory delegates; it is not a battle but a contest.
“It was President Goodluck Jonathan who said that his aspiration is not worth the blood of any Nigerian and I want to stand on that word of caution; our aspiration is not worth even a scratch of any Akwa Ibom citizen. We must carry on with our aspiration in the most peaceful manner, with decorum, respect to the dignity of human lives and respect to one another.
“That again goes to the leadership in the state. We must not treat any Akwa Ibom citizen as a second class, We are all bonafide citizens of the state and we all have equal right to our separate aspirations”, he stressed.
Sounding personal, Iniama said Itu Federal Constituency is on a negotiation table and all they are asking for is the Governorship position of the state.
“That is our demand, it is what others never asked for, but it came to them so it should come to us in Itu. That is what we have on the bargaining table.
“We are not prepared for negotiation apart from Governorship or we won’t have been allowed to spend the kind of money we have spent. Over eight persons from Akwa Ibom State have bought Governorship forms so far at N21M each. If they had intended that there would be negotiations, it would have been done early enough, so we won’t incure such huge expenditures”, he stated.
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer cum politician, stressed the need to separate the Leader of the state Government from the party, saying that it is the ruling People’s Democratic Party in the state that is administering the party and not the state Government.
He, however, advised statutory delegates in the state to make sound decisions that will give the state the Governor they deserve and not the type that would be detected by individuals or group of individuals.
“We need the Governor, who will feel the burden of the people. We have been on the streets in recent times; do you know the number of undergraduates that are dropping out of the University in recent times? Please find out.
“We are looking for a governor who comes up and education of the children of the state is important to him. We need a governor that has the interest of the people at heart and not those that are full of theoretical issues in governance. We need a governor who will indeed belong to the people”, Iniama stressed.
Attached: Iniama in the middle with the nomination form shortly after purchasing the forms in Abuja
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