BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The Chairman Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Cross River State, Hon. Emmanuel Offiong Bassey, has stated categorically that Cross Riverians voted for the State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, because of his popularity and not because of his former party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Hon. Bassey made the assertion while declaring officially his membership with the All Progressives’ Congress(APC) in his ward, Nakanda in Akpabuyo local government area.
Bassey who is the Council Chairman of Akpabuyo local government, maintained that “there is no family in the state that the governor has not touched through his policy of keeping food on the table”
“We know how poverty has dealt with Nigerians, therefore, for a Governor to vow that no Cross Riverian big or small is allowed to go with empty stomach, that is why in assumption of office in 2015, he decided to expand his government to accommodate so many of our brothers and sisters across the 18 local government area into government”.
According to Hon. Bassey, “PDP was only a platform for the governor, stressing that for majority of Cross Riverians who believed in the government to move with him to the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) should not be a thing of surprise because he had shown love to the people of the State”.
He noted that the government of Prof. Ben Ayade had employed more political appointees and aides more than any other administration.
The Council Chairman after registering along side with his wife añd other politicians said “we have formerly registered with the All Progressives ‘Congress today which we have been longing to belong.”
He added, that the event is just to formalize their membership to be with the party, maintaining that they had moved the very day the governor moved, adding that “our decision to join APC is a wise one”.
He noted that since the administration of former Governor Clement Ebri, Mr. Donald Duke, and Senator Liyel Imoke, Cross River State had never played opposition, that is why governor Ayade’s decision to align the state with the centre is good so that the state can access every good thing that comes from the centre.
He called on the people of Akpabuyo to support the governor because he has genuine intention for the state and the entire citizens.
