...dedicates Nomination Form to entire Eket Senatorial District, Women

... solicits support for Gov. Udom Emmanuel's Completion, Succession Agenda

By Theophilus London


Amidst a crowd of teeming and enthusiastic supporters who came from across a large spectrum of Eket Senatorial District to herald his arrival, the leading aspirant for the Akwa Ibom South Senatorial race, Rt Hon. (Barr.) Ekong Sampson, has reiterated that quality lawmaking and massive empowerments will characterize his reign in the Senate once he is voted in as a Senator.

Dr Ekong Sampson, a former two-term House of Assembly Member who represented Mkpat Enin State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, gave the assurance in a brief interactive session held yesterday with his supporters at CityView Hall, Watbridge Hotels&Suites, Uyo upon arrival from Abuja where he had purchased his senatorial expression of interest/nomination forms earlier in the week.

Overwhelmed by an unprecedented crowd who turned out to give him the unexpected reception, the Onomkpoinam Mkpat Enin said he was well equipped with the knowledge of the workings of the Senate, adding that he was going to the Senate not to learn lawmaking, but to practice what he had learnt throughout his 'adult life'.

"I'm going to the Senate to practice what I have already learnt all through my adult life and improve on the premises that we can use the Senate to build a firm bridge in Eket Senatorial District. And of course, that forms the theme of this campaign message. I'm going there to build bridges; bridges of love, bridges of accomplishments. Eket Senatorial District is so richly endowed. All we need to do is to build a firm bridge, a super structure that would enable us to maximize our advantages", he said pointedly.

The former Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources, Akwa Ibom State numerated political enablers working in his favour to include zoning, experience, competency and capacity.

"We have a number of enablers working in our favour: Zoning favours me. Eket Senatorial District needs zoning more than any other senatorial district in Akwa Ibom State, because of our diversity, complexity and plurality. Eket Senatorial District needs to implement zoning, because zoning is that key matrix of democracy that guarantees access to power and opportunities.

"When you come from an area that is so diverse and pluralistic, zoning comes in as a strong enabler that guarantees access to power and opportunities. It's through zoning that Oro person, Ekid, the Ibibios, the Obolos would feel safe in Eket Senatorial District. So, even if another senatorial district can joke with zoning, we, in Eket Senatorial District, can't joke with it, because that is what will guarantee unity in our diversity and access to power. Experience, competence and the capacity to deliver dividends of democracy also favour me too," he explained.

Dr Sampson, while explaining the importance of empowerment in politics, assured his supporters to always look forward to having happiness, saying spreading happiness was his hobby.

"Empowerment is key matrix in African politics.
No matter what you do, if you can't touch people's lives, then you still have some missing links. So party members can now look forward to having happiness, because my hobby is to spread happiness", he added.

While presenting his Expression of interest/Nomination Forms to the Ekong Sampson Campaign Organisation, Barr. Sampson said buying the forms signposts his readiness for the race. He dedicated the forms to the entire Eket Senatorial District and women in particular.

He expressed appreciation for his dear wife, colleagues and friends who work in the National Assembly for reposing confidence in him, adding that they came together, contributed money to buy the forms for him.

"It may interest you to know that my dear wife and her colleagues and friends working in the National Assembly came together to buy this form for me. So, I really appreciate my wife and her colleagues and I dedicate the form to women in Eket Senatorial District. It is a tribute to women. It shows that women still have confidence in men. It also means that women will be at the forefront of this campaign we are going into. You know my wife is a senior staff at the National Assembly. She's interested that I'm coming back to the Senate from where I started my journey, so I can be closer to her'.

Sampson thanked the people of Eket Senatorial District for the confidence reposed in him, the show of supports and encouragement, saying these were parametres for measuring acceptability.

"I thank the people of Eket Senatorial District for the confidence reposed in me. The number of calls I received while I was in Abuja marveled me and my wife. It has been clearly demonstrated that you want me to go and represent you at the Senate. A whole lot of people across Eket Senatorial District called in to register their supports. This is a strong parameter to measure acceptability. The beauty of democracy is amplified when the people are behind you'.

While describing Gov. Udom Emmanuel as his boss and mentor, he charged his campaign organisation to always work in tandem with the Governor's Completion and Succession Agenda, reaffirming his commitment to supporting the government to succeed till the end.

"The campaign team, most importantly, also has to work in favour of Gov. Udom Emmanuel's completion and succession agenda, because the government must consolidate. And the governor is on firm ground to have interest in succession. Nobody builds the house and abandons it", he said in part.

Earlier in his speech, the Director General of Ekong Sampson Campaign Organisation and former Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sir Michael Essang appreciated Dr Sampson for presenting himself ready for the tasks ahead.

According to him, part of the readiness was to go and learn Law and to get himself acquainted with the business of lawmaking and legislative affairs, saying these would really help in boosting the quality of representation he would give to his constituents.

Sir Essang led the team to hand over the forms into the able hands of God for an all-round success throughout the race.