Okon Bassey in Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has been lauded for taking the unity of the state to national limelight through sports development.
Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who gave kudos to the governor specifically noted the efforts of the state government to drive its darling team, Akwa United to national fame.
Enang who made the remark in a letter sent to the club’s Chairman, Paul Bassey, said with the team’s 3-2 victory over Niger Tornadoes at the finals of the 2017 Aiteo Cup competition in Lagos shows the important the governor attaches to sports in the state.
According to Enang, the team succeeded as a result of Emmanuel’s enhanced welfare package and support to the team.
“For the second time, Governor Udom has done it on the football front. He deserves commendation,†the Senator declared.
He stressed that the victory in the nation’s oldest and biggest football championship has catapulted the name of the state to the top of football playing states in the land.
Enang’s words: “The victory has further reaffirmed the resilient spirit of Akwa Ibom people in rising up and facing a daunting task and making a success out of it.
“To have won the tournament for the second time in three years, clinching all the individual awards on offer on the final day clearly stands Akwa United FC as the best football club out of the more than 72 teams that took part in the competition.
“I am thrilled to note that with the victory in the Aiteo Cup, the state-owned football club has secured automatic qualification to represent the country in the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup competition,†Enang declared.
The Presidential aide urged the players not to allow the joy of winning the championship to affect future completions harping on the need for team to begin early preparations in order to take the continent of Africa by storm in their continental outing.
