By Archibong Jeremiah/Frank Edima
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has described Cross River State as a state with lots of untapped potentials and promised to connect Obudu with a direct rail line if re elected.
He made the pronouncement today in Calabar as his campaign team was received at the U.J Esuene stadium by his party faithfuls.
His word: “This state has a lot of potentials that will be tapped; the issue of Obudu is communication, if you vote me in I will ensure that a rail way line comes directly to it, Calabar is becoming the most industrialized city in Nigeria with the free trade zone, the potentials of Tinapa has not been fully tapped, we will do that”.
Earlier, the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo listed the administration’s achievement in Cross River to include the 550 mega watts Calabar IPP power plant at Odukpani recently commissioned by the state governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, the expansion of the United Cement Company, UNICEM where 35 tons of cement is produced daily and has made Nigeria an exporter of cement.
The Vice President commended Cross Riverians for their endorsement and promised that their team will in the next four years deliver all its promises. He ended by asking Cross Riverians that “Do you want a President that does not remember the name of his running mate?” A loud ‘No’ was echoed by the party faithfuls at the event.
On his part, the governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke who is the South-South campaign Coordinator for Goodluck Jonathan and Namadi Sambo re-election bid in his speech said the president’s visit to the state is a formality, saying that “You have made us proud, in your first four years you did what no other President has done, we are honored”.
Imoke went on to say that “For us in Cross River State we don’t have a choice because you rescued us when we had the Bakassi issue, you made the East/West road to terminate in Calabar as a result of our plea, carry go, you are the only one that can take Cross River forward”.
He scorned the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC saying “When opposition came here the last time they had an incident, they won’t come again the state is totally PDP”.
The rally was also attented by the Delta and Bayelsa state governors, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, Minister of Tourism, Edem Duke and the Cross River State First Lady, Mrs. Obioma Imoke amongst others.