Akwa Ibom Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has applauded President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing sons and daughters of the state into key positions at the national level.
Chief Akpabio, who stated this Wednesday after an Executive Council meeting at the EXCO chambers of the Governor’s Office, Uyo, also
felicitated Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia as the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) whom President Jonathan had appointed and forwarded his name to Senate for confirmation.
Akpabio observed “I want to thank all Akwa Ibom Executive Council members for applauding President Jonathan for appointing one of us for the position. It is important to show gratitude to our benefactor- God Almighty who has made Akwa Ibom people be among those appointed into national offices and to show support to our dear President who is doing a good job by appointing sons and daughters of Akwa Ibom state into key positions nationally.
“I must specially thank Mr. President for standing by the nominee of the NDDC as a managing director from our state; and I must congratulate Mr. Dan-Abia for the elevation which is uncommon from an uncommon state”, he posited.
The Governor equally commended the President for the appointment of Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, an indigene of Ikono Local Government Area who was last week sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court, praying God to give him the wisdom to carry out his duties effectively in the judiciary.
Speaking earlier, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan had explained that the EXCO meeting helps to translate the dreams of Governor Akpabio for a better Akwa Ibom, whom, he said, the Governor had changed the perception of an Akwa Ibom person by changing the state from glory to glory.
Akpan stressed that Governor Akpabio has declared his commitment to the President, country and the state, pointing out that he is pleased that Akwa Ibom people are now seated at national positions, saying that with the support of the Governor and the entire state, the President justified and approved the nominee for the NDDC position.
While thanking President Jonathan for giving the state a sense of belonging, he assured that Akwa Ibom state Exco would continue to support President Jonathan and Governor Akpabio’s administration, hoping that the NDDC position would bring peace, unity and sustained development to the Niger Delta region in a special way.
Responding, Mr. Dan-Abia thanked President Jonathan and Governor Akpabio for his elevation, saying that with the challenges he passed through to get the appointment, he would not disappoint the state.
He acknowledged that Governor Akpabio has made the state proud by restoring the position of every Akwa Ibom person in the country, and pointed out that Akwa Ibom people now walk tall and are proud to be Akwa Ibomite, advising the new NDDC helmsman to take the same spirit in his office and to represent the state well.
Until his appointment, Dan-Abia, who hails from Esit Eket Local Government Area, was a Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal in Akwa Ibom. Before now, he had represented Akwa Ibom as a Commissioner in the NDDC.