...as State Youth Leader; Dr. Awakessien assures of benefits
By Ime Silas
The State Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akwa Ibom State; Dr. Clement Awakessien has assured the youths of the Party of many benefits acruable to faithful and committed members of the Party.
Dr. Awakessien who stated this today, Friday during the swearing-in and official inauguration into the party of the State and Local Government chapters of the APC National Youth Caucus in Akwa Ibom State also hinted that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration had good plans for the youths of the Party.
The event which was held at the Akwa Ibom State Headquarters of APC, #6 Ekpo Obot Street, Uyo had in attendance Youth Leaders of the Party from the thirty-one local government areas of the State. Dr. Awakessien in his speech noted “It is a great privilege and honor to be here today, not just to witness the inauguration of the National APC Youth Caucus, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, but also to be the one to inaugurate you officially into the party. I will like to inform us that as far as the present regime of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is concerned in APC and ably supported by our indefatigable Senate President, His Excellency, Sen (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio, the party has come to stay.
“As such, it is a new era for the New Hope, just as Mr. President has said. A renewed hope for the youths of this country. And, I want to also remind us about the agenda of the Federal Government as it has to do with the youths. There’s no government that has ever been in this country that has given a particular and peculiar attention to the affairs of the youths as the government that we have in power today.
The change has come and that change has come to stay and for you to embrace the change very well, you need to be prepared for it and today’s inauguration of the Akwa Ibom Chapter of the APC National Youth Caucus is part of the preparation.
“I want to assure and reassure you that Akwa Ibom’s share of every rightful benefit acruable to faithful members of the APC shall be sent to all of us. I am closer to power at the National level and I’m aware of the series of plans on ground for the benefit of the youths. And I want to tell us that Akwa Ibom State is very fortunate.
Let me also inform you that so much power has been given to the youth wing of the Party that’s why we’re trying in Akwa Ibom state to inaugurate all the facets and factors that have to do with the youth wing of the APC”.
While expressing his confidence in the ability of the elected officials to perform successfully, the APC State Youth Leader said “The National Youth Caucus is a formidable force, a different wing of the youths of the Party entirely, made up of special calibers of people to support the growth of the youths in the party. As far as Akwa Ibom State is concerned, the leadership and entire members of the Youth Caucus are made up of people of proven capacity and integrity.
So, I urge you all to go into every nook and corner of this state to preach the gospel of APC. I want to particularly advise you all to shun any act capable of promoting all manners of acrimony within the party. Do all you can to make the APC great in your respective localities and sooner, you will not regret you did”.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of the State and Local Government Chapters Executives, the inaugurated State Chairman; Okwong Essi said “I am indeed humbled and honored to be elected and inaugurated as the State Chairman of the APC National Youth Caucus, Akwa Ibom State Chapter. I want to express my deepest appreciation to everyone who believed in me and supported my candidacy.
“I also express my appreciation to our State Party Chairman (APC), in the person of Obong Stephen Ntukekpo and the State Youth Leader of our Party, Hon (Dr.) Clement Awakessien for standing behind us always and also hosting us today in this premises.
To our Grand Leader; the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Godswill Akpabio and his dear wife, Her Excellency, Ekaette Uloama Akpabio, the mother of the youths and our party, the APC, I say a big thank you for finding me competent to serve in this position”.
On his plans as Youth Caucus Chairman in the state, Okwong said “My dear comrades under my watch, we shall sustain and surpass the gains of the last administration ( of APC National Youth Caucus, Akwa Ibom State Chapter), that is my prayer. We shall introduce reforms and innovations for the benefits of Akwa Ibom youths and the party.
More so, we shall work closely and interdependently with the Party to give Akwa Ibom APC good representation that it deserves”.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Inauguration Committee; Comrade (Surv.) Otobong Akpabio in his welcome address thanked God for the enablement He had granted them to finally and successfully inaugurate the Youth Caucus Executives which he noted were elected more than two years ago.
While appreciating all members, stakeholders and leaders of the APC in the state for their support toward the successful inauguration, Surv. Otobong expressed the hope that the elected and sworn in Executives of the Caucus at the State and local government levels would perform creditably to justify the confidence reposed in them.