The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ben Ayade, even as it endorses the governor's food on the table policy.
Cross River State has the highest number of political appointees in the country, with over four thousand persons appointed into different positions in the state.
The APC Chairman in the State, Alphonsus Ogar Eba Esq. and other members of the State Executive Committee of the Party took the decision after touring the state to galvanize support for the party.
In a statement by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Erasmus Ekpang , who quoted the Chairman on the position of the Party during a world press conference held on Tuesday 14th December, 2021 at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Calabar, the State Capital.
The State Chairman elect, who made history as the first Chairman of a ruling party to visit the Cross River State NUJ Council Secretariat, during the interaction with journalists stated that, the party executive members have endorsed the food-on-the-table, hands-on-the-plough mantra of the Governor Ayade-led administration to be adopted as a policy for government after him to "follow and implement for the good of Cross Riverians".
He stated further that the Party's state working Committee under his servitude will focus on the welfare of Party faithfuls and strict adherence to the provisions of the APC constitution.
He said, "The opportunity we need from Cross Riverians and Nigerians to take the party to the next level from where we are is again to climb the game to the port of splendor that it will be well with our people. We have come to say, how then, the message is very simple, our people are happy and I bring you greetings from every area in Cross River North and even from some part of the Central and Southern Senatorial District where we had visited even before now, the message is one of unity".
"....And we have come to urge the press to be united with us in the course of enthroning a sustainable human centred wholistic development paradigm, that is pro-people, pro-nature, pro-poor, pro-women, pro-youth, pro-less privileged".
"...No wonder, the humanitarian concern of our leader the Governor, Sen. Prof. Barr. Ben Ayade, when he declared that no amount of infrastructure would be greater than the stomach infrastructure because there was need to put food on the table and there was the need to encourage our people to put hands on the plough".
"Today the APC under our watch have come to inform the press that we have endorsed, we have adopted, we have approved the food on the table, hands on the plough mantra of Governor Ben Ayade as a policy for Government after him to follow and implement for the good of Cross Riverians".
"We are happy that the Governor has not lost sight of the focus on infrastructural development. We went round the nooks and Crannies of the North and we are very happy to report that a 148km dual carriage highway taking off from Obanliku, through Obudu, through Bekwarra, through Ogoja and the very lengthy part of Yala is on course. It is a wonderful thing. It has never happened in Northern part of Cross River State. We went, we saw and the people said they are very happy. We have come to relate to you that the infrastructural development in the North is a testament of the wonderful promises of the Governor of Cross River State in 2015".
"Today, a giant vitamised Rice mill that can do 50 metric tonnes per hour is already standing and properly so, has commenced work but awaiting proper commissioning. We saw the concrete and automated block moulding factory in Yala. We went to Bekwarra, where we saw the Vegetable oil factory and the groundnut shelling factory. We went through Obudu, where we were privileged to see the best of it's kind in sub-saharan Africa, a university of pride for Law and Medicine, completed, awaiting commissioning".
"We went through the International Passenger and Cargo Airport with runway at advanced stage of earth work now and the terminal building at roofing stage. We went to see a referral hospital which is already being equipped with state of the art facilities. We proceeded and saw the wonderful turnaround at the Obudu Mountain Resort, we saw a lot and a whole lot. The road network was like what is only found in Abuja. A standard you can applaud and praise the Governor for".
"We came back to recalibrate and we asked ourselves, with lean resources, the Governor has done only that which a magician can do and we have come here to say that our servitude not leadership have come to pass a vote of confidence on Senator Prof. Barr. Ben Ayade for the giant strides".
"We have come to also thank all members of our great party, whose support and reception given to the Governor has even energised him further to do all these".
"...And our message to members of our party is that their welfare shall not only be our primary concern but shall be our fundamental objectives and directive principles, therefore, we have come to say that the constitution of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the supremacy contained therein, shall be held with sanctimonious adherence. All the provisions of the constitution must be followed seriatim. In the light of that we will commence by saying that Article 9, Sub-section 5 of our constitution that abhors members of our party from taking appointment in opposition Government would be followed strictly. Therefore the corollary to this is that non-members of our Party should not be given appointment in our Party in accordance with Article 9/5 of our Constitution".
"...And so the ground of the welfarism we think is not to bitterate the kindness and humanitarian concern of the Governor who is always guided by the provisions of the book of Romans 12:17-21, providing food for his enemies, providing shoulders for others to lean on. The Governor can continue with it but he would do so with lots of caution in adherence to the constitution of the Party. Here as a party we want to make it known today, that all Heads of Government at Local Government level and at the State must follow the provision of our Constitution, with effect from 1st January, 2022, those appointees of Government that are yet to be registered and fully participate in activities of the Party shall cease to hold their respective offices".
"we therefore call on Local Government Chairmen, who today have over 20,000 appointees of five persons per polling units to the 3281 polling units and on the State Government payroll we call on the Auditor-General to take note that the over seven thousand to eight thousand appointees of Government who are yet to be registered in APC must be relieved of their appointments henceforth".
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