By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Ex-governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke has described former House of Representatives member and PDP Governorship aspirant, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo is a passionate woman.
He eulogized her when the former Ambassador to Ethiopia and founder of the Gender and Development Action (GADA) Nigeria consulted him about her ambition. Recall that the Ambassador had on Saturday, 12th February 2021, declared in her ward her intention to join the 2023 race in the State.
Speaking during the visit Amb. Toyo decried the deplorable situation of things in Cross River. “Cross River State is no longer what it used to be. The level of aberration and collapse is unimaginable and the reversals hugely disruptive. If we allow the situation to go for another eight years, the State will be worse in the coming years and many of the stakeholders today will be blamed for doing nothing,” she held.
Speaking on the issue of gender, Amb. Toyo, who happens to be the only woman in the State vying for the exalted office, stressed that inclusion of women in leadership brings a new dynamism into leadership. Her words, “One or two leaders have said that Cross River State is not ripe for a woman as Governor but such assessment can only come from Cross Riverians themselves. My experience is different and so I will not drop my aspiration and commitment to use my competences to right the wrongs in the system.
“The inclusion of women in politics is good for the country and politics generally. As a woman, I will bring new energy into the system and work for broader benefits for all. With my aspiration, many women in the State now have the opportunity they’ve been yearning for.”
Responding, the Ex-Governor thanked the contingent for coming, saying that parties in power hardly lose elections, however, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State is in a unique position. He said, “A Governor is an agent of the party and not the party. He argued that there are too many illusions that Cross River State is an APC State. It is not! The mandate by the people in 2019 was given to PDP and not the APC.”
He retorted that it is a constitutional matter, and should be argued up to the Supreme Court.
Speaking on the constitutionality of Zoning, the Ex-Governor said, “I believe under the principles of equity, that the South should produce the next Governor, but zoning was never a part of our practice in Cross River State. That is why we cannot impose it unilaterally even if the party’s constitution raises the issue of zoning as part of its tenets. I am not against zoning, but if it has to work, it must be done properly.”
On the issue of continuity of good governance, Mr. Duke lamented the quality of leadership and how it played a major role in the collapse of the Tinapa project. “If there was unbiased leadership, multinational giants like Wal-Mart and Amazon should have been operating in Tinapa by now and the spillover effect on citizens would be huge,” he said.
Speaking about Amb. Nkoyo, Mr. Duke said, “One of the most essential qualities for leadership is passion, and Amb. Nkoyo is passionate about what she believes in. When passion is mixed with exposure and education, you can only end up with good leadership material. Nkoyo inspires me a lot. We would be proud of her representing us.”
He however admonished her to be open to supporting whoever emerges as the flag bearer of the PDP in the State in 2023.