Dr Betta Edu, Co-Director of the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, has said the projects commissioned by President Bola Tinubu in Akwa Ibom State would strengthen the party’s grassroots support and improve its electoral prospects in the 2027 general election.
Tinubu on Friday commissioned multiple projects executed by the administration of Governor Umo Eno, including the Ibom Aviation Village, the ARISE Palm Resort, the Airport-Okopedi Road, Ring Road 3 and the International Airport Hospital even as he promised that the Federal Government will build an Ibom Deep Sea port.
Edu spoke when members of the directorate held a town hall and empowerment meeting with the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, and women across the state.
The delegation also visited hospitals to support patients, and conveyed the appreciation of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to grassroots women for their continued support for the APC.
She commended Governor Eno for his commitment to infrastructure development, economic growth and inclusive governance, saying the projects would open far-reaching opportunities for women, farmers, traders and small-scale business owners, with women projected to account for more than 50 per cent of beneficiaries.
According to her, the Ibom Aviation Village and the ARISE Palm Resort are strategic economic assets capable of creating new business opportunities across aviation, hospitality, tourism, catering, transportation and retail trade, particularly for women entrepreneurs and small-scale business owners.
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She added that the economic benefits would extend beyond the project locations, opening new value chains for women-owned businesses, improving household incomes and creating job opportunities across the state.
On road infrastructure, Edu highlighted the Airport-Okopedi Road and Ring Road 3, saying they would significantly improve rural connectivity and farmers’ access to markets. She noted that rural women farmers often struggle to move produce to urban centres due to poor road access, high transportation costs and delays, resulting in losses and reduced earnings.
The improved road network, she said, would ease the movement of farm produce to Uyo and other urban centres, help women farmers cut transport costs, preserve the quality of their produce and earn better returns, while also enhancing access to healthcare facilities, schools, markets and other essential services in rural communities.
Edu also commended Governor Eno for the International Airport Hospital, describing it as a major healthcare investment that would improve access to medical services, particularly for women, children and vulnerable groups.
She praised President Tinubu for his support for state governments and his collaborative approach to national development, noting that the partnership between the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State had facilitated the delivery of critical infrastructure in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises infrastructure, economic growth, job creation and improved living standards.
Edu urged relevant stakeholders to ensure that women-owned businesses, farmers, entrepreneurs and skilled workers were deliberately integrated into the economic opportunities created by the projects.
She expressed confidence that the visible impact of the projects on livelihoods, business opportunities and rural development would translate into electoral victories for Tinubu, Eno, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other APC candidates in the state, adding that the state’s pledge to deliver two million votes for the President in the 2027 election was achievable given the growing impact of development projects and sustained grassroots mobilisation.
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