by crossriverwatch admin
Against the unequivocal declaration by Senator Liyel Imoke, the Cross River State Governor that the position of governor be zoned to the Northern Senatorial District of the State in 2015, his deputy, Efiok Cobham has drawn the battle line to challenge his boss on that declaration.
Cobham who was handpicked from relative obscurity by Senator Imoke and made his deputy in 2007 has since been openly nursing the ambition to become the governor of the state especially during the over sea trip of his principal to seek medical aid.
To actualize his ambition in 2015, Cobham on Saturday last week convened a meeting said to be that of the Southern Senatorial District Stakeholders Forum at the Banquet Hall of Channel View Hotel, Calabar where he churned out declarations against his boss.
Principal amongst this is the raking up of a so called moribund “Calabar-Ogoja Accord” signed during the days of the erstwhile Cross River State in the 70s which included present day Akwa Ibom State.
Cobham’s declaration is more or less a tacit declaration that the zone would present aspirants to run for the governorship of the state on the platform of the PDP, against the zoning arrangement of the party led by Senator Imoke.
Political leaders from the Central Senatorial District, who got wind of the plans by Cobham had held a meeting where they unequivocally declared their support for Imoke to nominate the candidate for the post from the north to whom they would give their backing.
The stance of the meeting by moke’s deputy which was attended by some past leaders of the PDP and serving members of the present regime in the state, also runs contrary to the opinion expressed by the governor in many fora that equity, justice and fair play demands that his successor should naturally emerge from the north since they have never produced a governor before.
In line with Imoke’s position, political leaders and stakeholders from the Northern Senatorial District and the Central Senatorial District have been meeting to ensure that there is unity of purpose by the people of the zone so they can present one of their own as an acceptable candidate of the north during the 2015 polls that would possibly succeed Imoke.
The communiqué of the last Saturday meeting convened by the Deputy Governor which was made available to journalists, reads in part: “the meeting appraised the political economic and social developments in the state and passed the following resolutions.
1. Commends the efforts of the state government under the leadership of Senator Liyel Imoke towards the continued economic transformation of the state;
2. Remains committed and resolute to the unity and progress of Cross River State
3. To work with the leader of the party, Senator Liyel Imoke towards the realization of an acceptable transition in the state in 2015;
4. While recognizing the existence of three senatorial districts in the state and the need for equity and accommodation of the interests of each of the districts, implores that the spirit and essence of the Calabar –Ogoja Accord which formed the basis of the coming together of cross river state must always be respected in balancing and sharing of political positions and opportunities;
5. Supports the Peoples Democratic Party under the national leadership of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan;
6. Calls on the federal government to undertake the immediate dredging of the Calabar channel to enhance economic activities in the Calabar Port;
7. Finally the meeting also calls on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the report of the committee it recently setup on the appropriate resettlement of the displaced people of Bakassi.”
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