Stay out of governance, Emmanuel warns religious leaders

*Says in-laws kidnapped construction workers

Etim Effiong

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has warned church leaders against meddling in governance and urged them to stop misinforming members of the public.

The governor was responding to criticisms against his administration by the emeritus General Superintendent of the Qua Iboe Church, Rev. David M. Udoudom at the funeral of a deceased member of the State Technical Committee on Implementation of the Ibom Deep Seaport, Late Architect Idongesit Udoffa, at QIC Central Primary School, Ibesit Anwa Udo in Oruk Anam LGA.

The clergy, who preached a message that didn’t go down well with the governor and concluded by telling the governor that Oruk Anam Road was good and manageable by them but only for the state government to award contract on the road making it difficult for them to drive on the road.

Udoudom concluded by saying that when a leader is given a job to do, he should do it well and properly as it would account for such a leader either good or bad.

The governor, therefore, mounted the podium and condemned the utterances of the clergyman. He cautioned him against unverified and misinformed utterances on the current state of the roads under construction, as he sued for discretion among religious leaders in matters of governance.

Emmanuel asked that fathers of faith allow him to do what he is supposed to and that the people handling church should leave governance for people in government.

He said: “The public should be told the truth. We must put it straight, that the pulpit should not be used as a platform to mislead people with unverified information.”

According to him, the ongoing Ikot Ekaide – Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam and other road projects in Oruk Anam, were among the longest road projects being executed by the state government.

“We have four contractors working now in Oruk Anam, but in 2018 while the contractors were very serious with the work, Oruk Anam, my in-laws, were the first Local Government Area to kidnap construction workers and even killed a soldier and that the work on the road was stalled for almost one year.

“We had to go look for new companies to take up the jobs and the whole documentation process for the contract to be re-awarded,” he stated.

This, he explained, was why four major road contractors have been engaged to get the job done and gave assurance that all works on the road will be completed before the end of 2022.

The governor said: “I want to reassure Oruk Anam people that we have four major contractors working here and before the end of next year, we’ll complete all the roads. Let us just pray for good weather and we’ll get that done.

“So, let’s face the fact and let’s do what we’re supposed to do. Let people handling church leave governance for people in government.

“The public should be told the truth. We must put it straight, that the pulpit should not be used as a platform to mislead people with unverified information.”

The governor, who was seen to be angry with the clergyman, made a donation and said openly that the money was for the church and not for any individual (pastor).