Natives Disrupt Senator’s Convoy As Stakeholders Reject Zoning of Guber Seat in C’River
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As if they were coming from the blues, hundreds of youths from the Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State stormed that axis of the Calabar-Ogoja Road on Thursday, disrupting the convoy of Senator Sandy Onor, who recently declared his intention to contest for the governorship of the state.
The youths took over the federal highway and stood there till Onor, the senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, got down from his car to address them. The youths said they heard that the senator was going to pass through their village to Ikom and decided to waylay him.
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They said all they wanted was an opportunity to thank him for the road he graded for them, which they noted, had made life and commercial activities very interesting for them. A former councillor from the area who spoke on behalf of the youths said they were happy with Onor for undertaking the construction of the Ochon Isabang road that the state government could not handle.
He vowed that the Obubra people will stand with him throughout his political journey as an indication of their appreciation for the road and other people-oriented projects he has embarked upon for them.
At Ikom, stakeholders from the Peoples Democratic Party in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State rose from a consultative meeting at Ikom on Wednesday night with a decision to reject anything that would restrict their choice of the next governor to a particular senatorial district. They said the state has never practiced zoning of the seat of governor.
The stakeholders also said going by the performance of Senator Sandy Onor, their current representative in the senate, they were comfortable with his aspiration and would queue behind him as the fit and proper person to succeed Prof Ben Ayade in 2023.
Some of the stakeholders include former commissioners, among them Ntufam Gabe Obi Oji, Goddy Ettah and Attah Ochinke, who served under the current governor and Senator Liyel Imoke. The others include Ntufam Chris Itafu Njar, Chief Joe Obo Bisong, Prof Walter Mboto and Dr Effumbe Kachau, among many others.
In a communiqué made available to journalists on Thursday, the political leaders who were drawn from all the local governments in the senatorial district charged INEC to ensure that electronic voting system was applied during the next general election.
The stakeholders said for the sake of continued unity, progress and development in the state, “we reaffirm that the sharing of electoral positions, especially the governorship of our dear state is not and has never been exclusive for a particular senatorial district or zone in any election.
“Concerned that the current inciting comments by highly placed individuals over zoning could precipitate undue crisis; we reaffirm that the state is an all-embracing political entity that calls for an all-embracing political participation that does not exclude any zone or constituency as hitherto has been. It is therefore critical that we allow the political field open to all aspirants for best political results.
“We shall continue to implore all eligible aspirants to consult stakeholders and party faithful across the state and solicit their support during and after the party primaries.”
They added: “We affirm that our dear senator, Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor had performed creditably well due to his capacity and desire for service delivery. We are therefore wishing him to further explore the political coast for the development of the people and the state by contesting election as Governor of Cross River State.”
