JAMES INIAMA SPEAKS ON THISDAY REPORT, RALLY SUPPORT FOR MPM, COMPLETION AGENDA
Mr. James Iniama has denied granting any interview to the Thisday news correspondent as reported on the online version of the medium on 06 September, 2021.
Iniama, a PDP chieftain and Frontline Governorship Hopeful in Akwa Ibom State come 2023, said he is a strong supporter of Mr. Udom Emmanuel’s succession plans, and is loyal to those plans and the completion agenda. He believes that Governor does not have an annointed successor.
On the said edition of ThisDay online, it stated “Iniama, in an interview with Journalists in Uyo over the weekend, noted the clamour by different groups for the Governor of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to name his successor and said that the delay by the governor in announcing his prefered candidate could result in imposition of unpopular candidate on the state”.
Reporting further inaccurately and in bad taste, the Online Reporter quoted Mr. Iniama as saying that “He warned that the state would not tolerate any imposition without a level playing ground for aspirants to test popularity.”
In a swift reaction to the unfounded statement; Iniama noted: “I did not make such comments, and again; I don’t remember talking to any ThisDay Correspondent anywhere”.
He however admitted that he had extensive interaction with few journalists recently but was so certain that Mr. Okon Bassey of ThisDay Newspaper was not one of them.
“Yes, I was asked a question in that direction and this is exactly what I said: ” Gov.Udom Emmanuel does not have an annointed successor and he is honest about it. We the people of the state know about that. As loyal PDP people, we are waiting to follow the party guidelines, which will also follow INEC guidelines for the governorship primaries and what leads to the proper elections.
“Mr. Udom Emmanuel is a Governor who understands the rules of succession. We are not in a church that you think an anointing oil will be used to annoint. He understands that we will all compete, exhibit convincing competence. We should know that the Governor came from a banking sector, a reputable name of the organized banking sector, Zenith Bank.
“He rose to the height of an Executive Director, he understands process. He will like the process to run. He is honest to us. I can tell you that Akwa Ibom will get the best of the best. There is no annointed successor anywhere. The Governor cannot have a successor until elections are held. There will be an electoral process that would be published by INEC which will be followed.” That was my explaination.
Mr. James Iniama expressed disappointment at the errornous report on ThisDay newspaper and described it as mischievous and highly unprofessional.
He therefore called on people of the state, especially the political class to discountenance such reports and pull their weight behind the Governor on the Maintain Peace Movement (MPM) and the completion agenda.
