Christian groups hail Gov Emmanuel on amnesty to A’Ibom militants

Christian groups, Ukanafun Christian Elders Forum (UCEF) and Akwa Ibom Christian Assembly (Ukanafun Chapter) have hailed Governor Udom Emmanuel for granting amnesty to repentant militants from Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo council areas.

According to the Christian leaders, Governor Emmanuel’s gestures have brought lasting peace to the war-torn areas as well as re-integrate former militants back into the society.

Reverend Friday Umoren, the vice president and prelate of Rapture Trust Ministry International, Maranatha Square, Ikot Akpa Nkuk, Ukanafun, Bishop Moswill Umoh said his people were so excited to see that peace has returned to the land.

Umoh, the immediate past chairman of the Ukanafun Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), and a one-time chapter chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria at a special thanksgiving service arranged by the Elders Forum and ACA, described Governor Emmanuel as God-send, a man of vision, intellect and wisdom.

The chapter chairman of ACA said, at a point, they were in a state of despair and despondency, wondering what they had done or where they had disobeyed God to warrant such visitation of calamity.

“Innocent people were killed in droves; businesses became comatose; schools were shut; responsible householders abandoned their homes for strange lands and in fact, there was a general atmosphere of insecurity for the past two years. Alas! When all hopes failed, our God used his servant, Governor Emmanuel, a deacon of the Church to redeem the land,” Umoh stated.

The renowned cleric said, with the first stage effectively executed, there was need for the repentant militants to be fully rehabilitated, trained, empowered and redirected in the Christian way, stressing their readiness to partner the government in this direction.

He appealed to all the indigenes who fled their homes to return by faith to the land and “help build a new Ukanafun of our dream.”

The cleric informed of his members support for Governor Emmanuel’s second term bid, saying it satisfied tradition, Christianity, justice, fairness and law of precedence.

He maintained that for the fact that Obong Victor Attah from Ibibio ruled for eight years, Senator Godswill Akpabio also ruled for eight years, it was natural and lawful that Governor Udom Emmanuel should as a matter of right, be allowed to ruled for eight years.

Umoh noted that the people of Ikot Ekpene senatorial district and Ukanafun specifically, should not “chop God” in their decision on who becomes the governor of Akwa Ibom in 2019, premising that by customs, tradition and culture of Annang Land, “it will be suicidal, if we betray Governor Emmanuel.”

“Governor Udom Emmanuel is our in-law; the wife, Martha, our sister; his children, our grand-children; his late father-in-law, Chief Sampson Udo Idiong, was one of the 10 paramount rulers who fought for the creation of Akwa Ibom State. Besides, during this first term, Governor Emmanuel has performed creditably well. So, he deserves a second term from us,” he stressed.

Others who spoke at the session, including a patron of the Christian Elders, Elder Marak Ibekwe, the village head of Ikot Etim, Chief Fabian Udo Okure, Reverend Brown Brown, Reverend Mfon Abara, Pastor Aniefiok Abraham, Elder Sampson Udoudo, Elder Elijah Akpan and Deaconess Anwanaobong Udoudo commended Governor Emmanuel for coming to their rescue and pledged to mobilise others to return him to the Hilltop Mansion for a second term.

Highlight of the session, which was also attended by other Church leaders in the area and students of Rapture Trust International School, was prayers for Ukanafun and Etim Local Government Areas, Akwa Ibom and Nigeria, Governor Udom Emmanuel and family, INEC and for peace to reign in the country during the 2019 general elections.