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Paul Ekpo: A Harvest Of Mercurial Performance 
PDP: The Platform That Raises A’Ibom People To Greatness
By Dominic Akpan –
It is stating the obvious that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom, has since 1999, created millions of opportunities for its members to rise to greatness in the state and Nigeria, enjoy certain privileges and acquire new status. By sponsoring members for elective and appointive offices and also putting in place deliberate measures aimed at strengthening their political aspirations, the party promotes the principle of participatory democracy and lays emphasis on the welfare of the people.
An ever forward-looking PDP is still committed to the principle of nurturing, promoting and raising the people of the state to greatness through appointment of members into positions of authority in its government, sponsoring candidates in elections, initiating welfare programmes and policies, creating employment opportunities for the citizens and a dynamic economy designed to serve the interest of the state. One is bound to marvel at the large number of Akwa Ibom people who have been nurtured and promoted to greatness within the political space of the state and Nigeria by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The long list include political appointees at the federal, state and local government areas, elected representatives, trainees on specialized skills, scholarship beneficiaries and those employed into the local and state civil service since 1999.
Also on the list are local contractors who have enjoyed massive patronage from the PDP-led state and local governments as well as beneficiaries of interministerial direct labour contracts.
According to a former member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and PDP chieftain in Urueoffong/Oruko Local Government Area, Hon. Uno Etim Uno, the entire Akwa Ibom people have benefitted from the PDP-led government policies and programmes in one way or the other.
Hon. Uno, a former chapter chairman of PDP in Urueoffong/Oruko and member, Assembly Service Commission, said everyone owes the PDP a debt of appreciation, because nobody could rise to power without the platform of the party.
”PDP in Akwa Ibom has added value to the lives of many people who would still be struggling to acquire and enjoy the basic things of life.
”No politician in the state today that has risen to prominence since 1999, can say that he attained any position in government within the state and Nigeria, without the platform of PDP.
”And since all Akwa Ibom people have been touched one way or the other by the PDP, it is pertinent and necessary that we appreciate the party by building it so that it would continue to exist to nurture and build others,”Uno said.
A former speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Chief Peter Umoh also holds similar disposition.
In an interview he granted The Scroll, the former representative of OronFederal Constituency in the National Assembly, said members of the PDP owe the party a debt of gratitude.
Many party members, according to Chief Umoh rode on the back of PDP to greatness within the state and Nigeria. He said what the party does is to mobilise everyone under its umbrella and only one candidate is sponsored by the party out of the millions of members for an election into a particular office.
‘What a member cannot achieve as an individual is made possible because of the platform of the party.
‘All party members, including aspirants subscribe to the decision of the party and teamed up with the candidate after the party had taken its decision to ensure the success of PDP at the polls.
‘When a government is formed at any level after victory at the polls, the PDP-led government appoints members of the party and others into several positions of authority. Again, some members of the party are the beneficiaries.
‘The people of the state are the ultimate beneficiaries of policies, programmes and projects initiated by the government. So, what an individual cannot attain alone is made possible through the platform of the party, Chief Umoh said.
To Obong Eno Akpan, he cannot accept any suggestion that the PDP did not treat him well, when it is the party that gave him the platform to go to the House of Representatives in 1999.
‘It will be wrong to think that because I lost an election, the party did not treat me well’. ‘this is the problem with politicians in Nigeria. They feel that they must always win; they must always be in government. Once they fail to get their aspirations actualized, the PDP that gave them the platform to rise to greatness is no longer good,” Obong Akpan, a former commissioner in several ministries for six years said.
