Governor Udom Emmanuel has praised the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa for organizing the three-day Inclusive Security Retreat in Warrenton, Virginia, United States of America.
Emmanuel spoke while answering questions from State House Correspondents when he arrived at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, last Sunday.
The governor, who said the retreat was opportune and that Nigeria would profit from it, expressed optimism that Nigeria would benefit immensely from it.
The state’s top executive was optimistic that all Nigerians, regardless of sociopolitical or ethno-religious affiliations, would work together to solve the nation’s security problem.
“It is just for all of us to agree that this is what we want and we will get it. Once we agree that peace is what we want, we will get it,” he stated.
According to Emmanuel, “the whole world is trying to come together to chart a course, where we will go back to how we used to live together. That’s the whole idea.”
The governor appealed for patience and cooperation from citizens and stakeholders in the project, assuring that Nigeria will be better for it.
“It’s a process. It’s not something we can achieve in one day. Now that we’ve started the process, we must keep the momentum and everybody must be back to the table to speak and let’s see where Nigeria will be tomorrow.”
He thanked the Akwa Ibom people whose peaceful disposition, he said, influenced his selection for the retreat. He further appreciated the International President of Global Peace Foundation, Mr Jimmy Fling, Mohammed Camara of Guinea, Bishop Onoha of Nigeria and other contributors at the conference, recounting that all participants acknowledged peace as the one thing all must strive to establish.
“We are all working towards that and in the nearby future, we will achieve that. We want to find a lasting solution,” he affirmed.
