Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has reiterated his decision that no known cultist will take over from him as the governor of the State in 2023.
The governor, who stated this on Sunday in an open interaction with the people, denied plotting a third term in office through a surrogate.
According to him, “for peace to reign and for Christ to have control, I am not interested in a third term through a surrogate, the only thing you can help is to ensure that no cultist is allowed to emerge Governor of the state.”
He, however, admitted that some local government areas in the State are highly volatile, noting that no known cultist, when arrested, would be released.
The Governor said “the only way to ensure peace is to make a way to eradicate cultism, we look up to God, then we embrace peace.
“Some cult groups are clashing in some parts of the state and we have tried to make sure we crush them. We will stop at nothing in ensuring we crush them. It is not our intention to deploy soldiers to volatile areas and you are forcing us to do so.
“Please, let parents talk to their children, they gain nothing from cultism. It can’t be because of one man the whole village would run away. It is time to go their right way. Most armed robbers and kidnappers are cultists and we will crush them.”
Gov.Emmanuel also explained why he is opening up more internal roads in the State, saying that it was to allow for ease of transport and movement of goods and services.
He admitted that the lockdown caused by COVID-19 has affected the completion time of those projects.
