BEVERLY HILLS, November 25, (THEWILL) – Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, Tuesday condemned Monday’s attack on the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Calabar, the state capital.
It will be recalled that a minor explosion had rocked the state secretariat of the party as the party was getting set to conduct its fresh ward congresses across the state, following the cancellation of the November 1 exercise.
Imoke, who bemoaned the incident, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita, vowed not to allow those he described as political desperados take the state back to its inglorious past which, according to him, was characterised by political thuggery, all in their attempt to grab political power.
According to the governor, “In my almost eight years in office, I have always stood for peace, from when I contested as governor and had my elections annulled twice, Cross River has been the most peaceful state, as I never promoted violence or thuggery. I have always believed that no political office or position is worth the precious blood of any Cross Riverian.”
While decrying the unfortunate attack, Imoke said: “So, this new dimension by criminals and new entrants into our politics to import violence into our state is totally alien to the very ideals and values we stand for as a people and must be stoutly resisted by all of us.”
The governor therefore, gave a marching order to the State Command of the Nigeria Police to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act with a view to bringing them to face the full wrath of the law.
Imoke pledged that his administration would do everything within the law to sustain the peace and harmony enthroned in the state since his assumption of office in 2007.
Describing those behind the attack as unconscionable enemies of the state who would not be allowed to get away with the crime, the governor said: “Evidently, perpetrators of the attack on the party secretariat cannot mean well for our peace loving people, hence their heinous attempt to rupture the prevailing peaceful ambience in our dear state.”
The governor however said “we shall neither surrender nor succumb to any intimidation of any kind,” adding “Cross River State is greater than any narrow and selfish agenda of those desperately seeking to destabilise the state.”
Imoke also charged all well-meaning politicians and leaders of thought in the state to roundly condemn the attempt to reintroduce thuggery in the state as he enjoined everyone to put the interest of state above personal ambitions.
