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| L-R: Barr. Chris Agara, Sen. Owan Enoh, Dr. Usani Usani addressing newsmen after the meeting |
All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders drawn from the central senatorial district of Cross River State have kicked against the pronouncement made by Governor Ben Ayade that his successor should come from southern senatorial district.
Arising from a stakeholders' meeting which was convened by the trio of Senator John Owan-Enoh, Barr. Chris Agara (a close friend of Governor Ayade) and Dr. Usani Usani in Ikom on Saturday, they said the central senatorial district must be carried along in the scheme of things in the state.
GRASSROOT REPORTERS gathered that the trio are rumoured to be nursing ambition to contest in next year's governorship election.
Speaking at the meeting, Senator Enoh said the central offers the best chance for the APC to win next year's governorship election. He frowned at a situation where the APC state excos takes decision without recourse to the stakeholders of the party, stressing that attempts to de-market the stakeholders will affect the fortune of the party in the election.
Senator Enoh said the candidate who is competitive enough to win the election should be given the party's ticket regardless of the zone he or she comes from.
On his part, Barr. Agara said his attendance at the meeting does not mean that he is against the governor who is his close friend. He said as a friend of the governor, he advises him when necessary.
Dr. Usani, in his speech, said the governor has the right to his opinion, adding that his (governor) pronouncement does not mean that they all agree with him.
Others who spoke at the event called on the conveners to harmonise their interest and present a consensus candidate amongst themselves in order to achieve their goals.
At the end of the meeting, the following communique was issued:
THE CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT DECLARATION IN IKOM ON THE 5TH OF MARCH, 2022
1. That the forum resolved to pledge its support for President Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR)’s Government and commend the giant strides recorded in all the sectors of the nation’s economy.
2. The forum appreciated His Excellency Ben. Ayade for his defection into the party and the Value it has brought while also acknowledging his leadership of the State.
3. The forum congratulated the state chairman of the APC, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar and members of the state executive committee of the APC for their emergence and recent inauguration. It calls on the party leadership to please lead with fairness and inclusiveness for all party men and women irrespective of Senatorial District.
4. The Central Senatorial District remains the most competitive senatorial district within the politics of APC in Cross River State therefore, managing it to reap the maximum benefit of this quality must be guided jealously.
5. The forum calls for the opening up of the political space in the party at the state level for the overall interest of the party in order to provide for the credible emergence of candidates that will be generally acceptable to the people. Therefore, the emphasis should be on a winning strategy for the party and not a zoning strategy.
6. The forum notes that the Central Senatorial District is the only zone in the state that has not witnessed any wave of defections out of it since the governor’s entry into the APC unlike the Southern and Northern Senatorial districts. This is largely as a result of the quality of political leadership and followership as well as the strength of the party in the District, therefore the leadership of the party is called upon to do everything to support the zone.
7. The experience coming out of the recent bye-elections that took place in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State constituency with PDP winning the two local governments of Akpabuyo and Ogoja and the APC winning one, Yala, should not be taken for granted as what this suggests going forward into the party primaries and the 2023 general elections is that the party must spare nothing to be competitive in the choice of its candidates for every elective office.
8. The Governor of Cross River State and leader of our party, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade has the greatest stake in retaining Cross River State as an APC state come 2023; together with Governor, the Central Senatorial District as the most competitive senatorial district with leaders that have made the greatest sacrifices for the survival of the party since its inception, the senatorial district has the responsibility to ensure that the party comes out victorious in the fourth coming elections.
9. The forum agreed to lead a delegation to the Governor and leader of the party to state the position of the zone.
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