Date Published: 05/30/11

Akpabio bags award at inauguration

THE Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, was, on Sunday, presented with an inauguration gift, as he won the Man of the Year Award of the Paradigm Communications Ltd, publishers of National Daily newspapers.

Presenting the 2010 edition of the award at a ceremony held at the Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, Nwaniba, Akwa Ibom State, Ambassador Olusegun Olusola noted that the impressive performance of the governor compelled the newspaper to nominate him for the honour for two consecutive years.

Governor Akpabio had also won the 2009 edition of the award, at a ceremony which took place in Lagos.

However, Ambassador Olusola said this year’s award had to be moved out of Lagos to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, as a way of acknowledging the commendable strides of Akpabio, as well as celebrating with him on his second term inauguration ceremony.

The Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr Sylvester Egbodaghe, while announcing the decision of the board of management of the medium to, again, give Akpabio the award, said though certain questions arose as to why the governor should be considered again, it was resolved that it would be immoral to deny a student a first position, simply because he was brilliant.

He said in the gamut of names that came up for consideration, Governor Akpabio always featured and eventually towered above others on overall aggregate performance.

While accepting the award, Chief Akpabio said it would spur him to do more for Akwa Ibom people and dedicated it to them, for giving him the opportunity to serve.

Akpabio said he would continue to answer his critics with the inauguration of more projects in his second term.

While assuring the people of more developmental projects in the next four years, Akpabio challenged other Nigerians and people of the state in the diaspora to visit the state, in order to get a first hand information, adding that to be uniformed was to be deformed.