By Bisi Ezekiel
Fortune smiles on Dr.(Mrs) Akon Etim Eyakenyi, the serving senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District as she was named the Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State.
She got the position without much Ado while many male political figures in the party lobbied in the state and even in Abuja to be picked. But the party and its candidate beam the searchlight on the woman of substance who is no pushover in Akwa Ibom politics.
Many factors could have worked for the Senator to have been found worthy of the position by the party’s governorship candidate, Pastor Eno Umo.
Among the factors is her unprecedented humility.
She was screened by the PDP Deputy Governorship Screening Committee on Wednesday, June 22 alongside 27 other state running mates of the party at the PDP secretariat, Abuja.
Seeing herself as the face of Akwa Ibom women in government, she told journalists after being screened that she will represent the interest of women in government.
In her words, she said ” I am going to represent the slot of the women but I am going as a mother for the 31 local governments of Akwa Ibom State covering both men, youth, and elderly.
“I am going there to serve, to set a standard and ensure that after me, another woman can pick up the position, I will also ensure that women have their due and right at the executive, legislature and the party level.
“I am also going to be a model and standard to every woman in Akwa Ibom State.”
She appreciated the party, the governor of Akwa Ibom and stakeholders who approved that a woman is given the slot of deputy governor for the first time.
Senator Eyakenyi has always acknowledged the grace of God for every position she attains in life.
She said ” I want to start by saying that for every position, God is the one that identifies who to put into position, but people also have a way of pushing one to a position. I belong to the Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP in my state. I have been there since its inception and I have contributed my quota to my people under the umbrella. I am accessible to people. I have served my people in different capacities.”
Speaking on how she has been getting appointments and positions in a male-dominated environment, she said “I want to say that I identified what the needs of my people were, I identified what they wanted me to do”
She said her philosophy is service and commitment to humanity.
Always at home with her people in her senatorial district, the Senator said “Without pride, if you have access to my people in Akwa Ibom South senatorial district, they will tell you that this time they have a Senator. If you have listened to radio, online, and social media you will see that Senator Akon Eyakenyi is working.”
“The three things that a good Senator or a good representative is expected to do are good quality representation in and out of the floor of the Senate on behalf of your people, the oversight function and then the briefing of the people. Out of these three things, I think by God’s grace, in my representation at the Senate during my first month in office, I moved a motion on the importance of computer education in Nigeria which was accepted by the whole Senate and we are going to push it to see what we can do. I supported the motion on the drug meant for the treatment of eye cancer problems of which many are dying, the issue of rape also came up as a motion and I supported it.
” Also on the issue of infrastructure development as it affects my community especially road construction. I supported the motion for the improvement of waterways, Provision of ships for carrying passengers from Calabar to Oron to Cameroun, which I supported. On the floor of the Senate, I have been heard on behalf of the people first and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Senator elected to represent them.
” I think I am the first to officially open a beautiful constituency office complex in my senatorial district, which is functioning. If you go there any working day, you will meet my staff there representing each federal constituency. I have a manager there so if I am in Abuja and people cannot get across to me, they can pass their message to me through the manager. The ones I can treat I treat, the ones I can ask my staff to do on my behalf, I send them to do it. It is a functional office .”
The deputy governorship candidate called on the people of Akwa Ibom to fully support the party, herself and the governorship candidate to win the coming election.
She said, “it is by voting us into power that we can continue the good work and developmental strides of our efficient governor, Emmanuel Udom.”.
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