President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to do his best to justify the confidence reposed on him so that people from the Niger Delta would be trusted and accepted in future as political leaders.“As a son of the South-South, I will do my best so that in future when other sons of the South-South are vying for any political position, they will be trusted,” Jonathan stated this while addressing the Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs shortly after he was conferred with the traditional title of Iberedem Akwa Ibom (Pillar of Akwa Ibom) by the council.
Jonathan who was in the state on a two-day official visit, applauded the royal fathers for supporting Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, to execute laudable projects, noting that “when traditional rulers are behind you, you must succeed. Nobody can stop him (Akpabio).”
He also disclosed the resolve of the Federal Government to reimburse all states that executed Federal Government projects in order to encourage them to embark on people-oriented projects but noted that the states must consult the Federal Government before embarking on such projects.
Earlier, the chairman of the traditional council, Timtiniko Papaudo Enodien, congratulated Jonathan on his elevation as president and promised to support him to continue beyond 2011.
He appealed to the president to assist the state with a railway line in order to ease transportation and called for the repayment of all Federal Government projects executed by the state government.
Jonathan who arrived the state Thursday, commissioned and inspected various projects among them, the Ibom International airport (phase I) and ground breaking of the main terminal. He also commissioned Governor’s lodge, Banking District road network, the E- Library, fly-overs II and III located on Atiku Abubakar Avenue, the Mobile police base, inspection of the IPP facilities and presentation of Gas Pipeline project, among other projects.