By Anietie Akpan, Guardian Newspaper
Former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, and an activist have insisted that the next governor of the state must come from the Cross River South senatorial district of the state.
Speaking in Obubra, during a thank you visit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, at the weekend, the former senate leader said the understanding was that the governorship should go to the South.
Ndoma-Egba, from the Central Senatorial district of the state, said: “In all fairness, it is natural that we give our support to Otu, who is from the South to continue in that order from South to Central and North.
“I served the Central Senatorial District for 12 years as a senator and I was focused. But some people have not even finished the first term in the Senate; where we sent them, they want to be governor. We in the Central Senatorial District believe in justice and fairness, and we are not greedy people. That is why I can say that at exactly 10:05 am on May 29, 2023, Otu would be sworn in as the Governor of Cross River State.
“He is popular and perceived as humble. There is also the factor of his coming from the South. The understanding is that the governorship should go to the South and we are in total support.”
Similarly, a social critic and human rights activist, Ekpenyong Isaiah-Isababa, berated the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state desperately wanting to take power to Central Senatorial, whereas it is the turn of the South, noting that “PDP in Cross River State belongs to a faction of the PDP led by the River State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.
“Have they asked Wike why he is angry with the PDP? With the closeness of Senator Sandy Onor to Wike, I am of the belief that he should have known that one of the reasons Wike is so angry with the PDP is that it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the next president. The very reason Wike has refused to forgive anyone that betrayed that gentlemanly party position of rotating power between the North and South, even in PDP.
“That the PDP Cross River State, whose party chairman and key stakeholders are with the Wike faction of the PDP that wants equity at the national level, but at the state level trampling on the same style of equity is a clear sign of a very confused people dwelling in self-deceit with the belief that they can drag Cross River to their level.”
Also, the leader of Biase Local Council, Mr. Charles Eko said: “In 1999, when former Governor Donald Duke emerged as governor, the Central Senatorial District took over with Senator Liyel Imoke as governor and now the North through the incumbent, Senator Ben Ayade, who is almost completing his eight years.
“It is of equity and fairness that the next governor must come from the South. Anything short of this is selfishness from a few individuals that may lead to bad blood among the three senatorial districts in the state.”
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