May 12, (THEWILL) – Stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party in Cross River State, have threatened to vote against the party in the forthcoming governorship elections if the state discards zoning.
The stakeholders made their feelings known in their reaction, as the party has not made its stance known on the ongoing zoning debate in the state.
In Cross River State, the governorship position rotates between the three senatorial zones of the state.
The three zones have had their share of the Guber seat over the past three dispensations.
While the South has their share between 1999 to 2007 with Mr Donald Duke, the Central had it’s turn between 2007 to 2015 with Liyel Imoke, while the North is having it’s turn with Professor Ben Ayade.
However, with the imminent exit of the incumbent governor in 2023, the issue of zoning is on the front burner and candidates from the Southern Senatorial District insist it’s their turn to assume the position.
They cited the recent emergence of Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu of the APC, a candidate from the Southern Senatorial District insisting it’s a lesson for the PDP.
Reacting to the ongoing debate in zoning in the PDP, a former member representing Abi\Yakurr Federal House of Representatives, Mr Bassey Ewa in his reaction said “in 1999 after Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, after Liyel Imoke Ben Ayade.
“As a party, it is agreed it should go back to the South. Courtesy demands that we go back to the south and start from where we started the first time.
‘You use the importance of the past to understand the present and then predict the future.
“You and I were here in Cross River State in 1999; Donald Duke was an unpopular candidate.
“The people of Southern Senatorial district had in mind then Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong. He was a household name. Even in PDP we were afraid of him because he is a name that is already a household name. Donald just came.
“Nobody knew him, but it took just one mistake and what was that? They took away the ticket of APP from Eyo Etim Nyong and gave it to somebody who was not from the South.
“In fact, it didn’t take one week, everything changed and of course by the providence of Almighty God Donald won. That is what I see playing out again. Unfortunately, it is those that should advise us well that are even making the mistake.
“APC has done the right thing. They have got Bassey Otu. For me it is a lesson for PDP to say “come let us sit back and address the issues that are coming up within the party”, he said.
On who he thinks can match Otu of APC, Ewa, who was also one time Speaker in the State House of Assembly said, “Gershom Bassey is a seasoned politician that has ran elections a couple of times and won against Prince Otu.
“Gershom Bassey is a household name. He has been in politics even before my dear brother and friend, distinguished Senator Prince Otu came into politics.
“In Gershom Bassey I see those qualities of Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong then. He has touched lives across the state, not limited to the southern senatorial district and therefore he stands a better chance to give Senator Bassey Otu a good fight.
“So if PDP is smart we have our choice to be Senator Gershom Bassey to give us the victory we want in the state”, he said.
On his part, the former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Barr. Attah Ochinke said, “we in PDP expected APC to come up with a strong candidate.
“Our contention has been that we should also come up with a candidate that should supersede the candidate of the APC in terms of competence and capacity and in all the indices that people desire in a governor.
“It is my personal opinion that the choice of Prince Otu from the Southern Senatorial District reflects the general geopolitical sentiment of people that the governorship should come to the southern senatorial district of Cross River State.
“I am certain that my party members in PDP are taking note of this to ensure that we make no mistake on the choice of our own candidate.
“We are not bound by what APC has done, we are going to run our own race and the choice of our candidate according to how we believe it will be in the ultimate interest of the people of Cross River State.
“PDP is not in the politics of matching what APC has done. We are in the politics to move the Cross River State ahead. We are not going to be reactive to the moves and steps or strategies of APC. Like I said earlier, we are going to run our own race according to how we believe it will give us victory and that victory will impact on the people of Cross River State in terms of good governance. We are taking note of the developments in APC”, the former attorney general said.
Also speaking, a one time member of the Federal House of Representative (Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi), Dr Patrick Ene Okon stated, “there will be a very big undoing by the party (PDP) to take a candidate outside the southern senatorial district.
Remember what happened in 1999 when the APP dumped its candidate from the south and went for a candidate from the north.
“We in the south, including myself, carried out a protest vote and worked for PDP which Donald Duke was the flag bearer and we won in all the LGAs in the south apart from Biase.
“In Akpabuyo which I hold sway, Donald had 59,000 votes, while our APP candidate, Mark Ukpo, had a little over a thousand votes and if PDP makes that mistake that is exactly what will happen in 2023”, he said.
On her part, the member representing Boki 1 in the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Itam Abang, declared, “PDP candidate is from the South. Of course I am very sure about that. Cross River is PDP. It is not an APC state”.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
