192 
The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, urged Nigerian leaders, irrespective of party affiliations, to join hands to salvage the country from the myriads of challenges bedevilling it.
Lawan, who made the call in Ikot Ekpene when he commissioned the 25 kilometer Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road, noted that the level of security in the country requires a holistic approach involving all tiers and levels of government.
His words: “Today our country is going through a trying period. We are going through some challenges. The purpose of any leadership at any level is to provide leadership in dealing with the challenges. And the kinds of challenges we face in this country today are such that requires that all hands are on deck.
“When we hold our hands together we can surmount any challenge in this country. What is required of us is honesty and sincerity in our leadership.”
The Senate President lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for providing purposeful leadership in the state, describing him as a patriotic and peaceful leader who believes in the unity and development of Nigeria.
He said: “Though this is a federal road because you want the people of Ikot Ekpene particularly and Akwa Ibom in general to have a very good road, you have completed this Road. Therefore I want to assure you that you have a worthy partner in the Federal government. We will push for the road to be constructed to Aba, we will find out what happened, why the contractor abandoned the road.
“This is very significant and of course I heard you very well when you said you want the federal government to refund you for constructing this federal road. You are right.
What the Federal Government wants in the sub-nationals is partnership, cooperation and development together. So for me, I think you deserve a refund.
“And I am going to talk to the Minister of Works and Housing to present the request for refund for this project because I believe that that will encourage you to do more. It will also encourage other states governors to do the same.”
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Emmanuel said: “I appreciate the Senate President for commissioning this project. He told me that the first order when he goes back to the red chamber is to order all IOCs to relocate to their communities. So expect all IOCs to come back because we can’t build this kind of road and we don’t have those to ply the road and use the road.
“I am grateful that the Senate President is here. And I have repeated so many times that roads are critically strategic to our completion agenda because we talk about the three gates ways and road is one of them.
“Let me also appeal that this road will not be so much of economic value if the Federal Government has awarded a contract from Calabar to Ikot Ekpene and Aba.
Sometime in 2018, Julius Berger started the earthwork somewhere, immediately we were about to go for election, that road was abandoned.
“They stopped at that initial earthwork. Right now, a journey of one hour, you would be lucky and blessed if you do it in four hours. That road empties straight into this road and from here into Aba. We are trying to make sure we link the entire state with this quality of roads.
“We are expecting a lot more from the federal government, we need to be encouraged, we need to be supported.”
