By; VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
As the floodgate for the 2019 general election draws closer, Cross River State is not left alone as different groups and political zones have started showing allegiance to the incumbent governor Senator Ben Ayade to run for re-election.
Just as the Northern senatorial zone did few weeks ago, its counterparts from the south have also thrown their support to the governor.
Leaders from Bakassi, Akpabuyo and Calabar South also joined their counterparts from Akamkpa and Biase Federal Constituencies in the current campaign where over 80 political groups participated.
The entire Akamkpa and Akpabuyo council area headquarters, respectively went agog as stakeholders, traditional rulers, elders, market women, youths and students thronged the council hall to affirm governor Ayade’s second term ticket.
Surprisingly too, as early as 9am the venues were overwhelmed by large crowd and supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who thronged the entire ground.
Of course, the crowd was gleefully coloured by various attires worn by women, traditional rulers students and youth. It solidarity songs was a carnival-like occasion as they displayed banners with inscriptions, “No vacancy in government House Calabar,” “Akamkpa/Biase, Akpabuyo, Bakassi/Calabar South for Ayade 2019,” “Talk and do governor, continue,” “On Ayade we stand,” “salary Master”.
Radiating as ever before,, governor Ayade,who was represented by his deputy, Prof Ivara Esu, said: “I am humbled by this endorsement and your speeches show the sincerity of your inner hearts that I should come back,” adding that “if that is your wish and God wish, it shall come to be”.
Continuing, he said, “the effects of projects we have are not location based. The reason I say this is, if you talk of the deep seaport located in Bakassi, when it starts operating, the economic boom will spread beyond Cross River, it will get to Akamkpa and Biase. If the superhighway begin to function, it will pass through Akamkpa, spanning to other local government areas and the whole of the state will be affected”.
Prophetically Ayade noted “if the Rice city in Calabar begin to produce seedlings, those seedlings will be grown all through the rice growing areas of the state including Akamkpa, Biase, Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar South. The garment factory has started and sons and daughters of this federal constituencies are represented there”. Insisting that the projects instituted by his administration will touch the citizenry when they come to fruition, Ayade enjoined the people to pray for God’s grace on him in order to complete them for the benefit of all mankind.
The pragmatic and digital governor won the heart of the crowd as he promised more appointments into his administration, more infrastructure, including lighting system and roads as well as the proposed Continuing Education Centre.
In a rare display of humility, Edu said “I don’t believe that I should be included in this endorsement. Prof Ayade asked me to run with him for one term. I don’t want to get out of this place trying to tie the hands of the governor. We have come here to endorse Ayade for what he has done. If he decides that he still wants me to run with him, so be it”.
As an obedient servant he maintained: “If he decides that I will not be his running mate, I will still campaign for him, I will still work for him, I will still be in the campaign team to deliver him and handover to him. I am so humbled that you, my people have recognised me even with my shortcomings, and wish that I should come back”.
The highlight of the occasion was the empowerment of 42 final year students of the constituency with N50,000 each to assist them in their projects in schools. While urging them to work hard and come out tops in order to join the mass of Cross Riverians who are productive, Ayade said the sky is your limit.
Chairman of the Town Hall endorsement meeting, former state chairman of PDP, Ntufam John Okon, joyfully said “this endorsement is total. We are here to thank Ayade for all he is doing and we are sure that things will be better and better”. “Today, we are recognised as seven alive. Our own son has shown compassion. The deputy has represented the governor and the relationship is one of the best in the country. There is cordiality and this endorsement is not only about Ayade, we are also saying the team should continue for the next tenure’.
Also at Ikot Nakanda the overnight palm wine became sweeter as the chairman of the occasion Dr. Patrick Okon, overwhelmingly asked Ayade to run again. It is for our own good, because if he accepts to contest, then it will also be assured that the governorship slot will return to our senatorial district and will see one of us becoming the governor”.
The traditional rulers of Akpabuyo and Calabar South were present.
