BY: Nick Nwaneri, Calabar
As the contest for the Presidential flag bearer for the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) closes in, the Niger Delta Youths Forum has drummed support for the Cross River State Governor, Senator Professor Ben Ayade as their choice candidate.
The appeal was made by Chief Henry Onwe, President of the Youths Forum while speaking to journalists in Calabar.
He emphasised that as the leading Niger Delta aspirant in the race for presidency in 2023, Ayade should be given the ticket to bring the good work he had done as governor governor of Cross River State to bear allover Nigeria.
“Niger Delta is the region where most of the resources that sustain this country come from. Our first ever taste of the presidency was aborted in 2015, this is the right time to re-elect a vibrant personality from the region to continue from where President Mohammadu Buhari will stop and the right person for that position is Senator Professor Ben Ayade.
Chief Onwe said Ayade is youthful, resourceful, visionary and endued with rare intelligence to take Nigeria to higher heights which is the reason the Niger Delta Youths Forum is passionate that he takes over the reigns of the country come 2023.
“Abubakar Baduru has stepped down for Governor Ayade and his colleagues from the north are rooting for him which is a clear demonstration of the trust and confidence they have on him. We therefore appeal to President Mohammadu Buhari and the APC leadership to settle for Ayade because he is the sure bet for this country at this time”.
Chief Onwe who was in an entourage of thousands of youths from the Niger Delta States said they are not threatening anyone but it is imperative that their call be taken as a clarion cry of all the youths and people of the region.
“We want Nigeria to return to our era of one nation with growth, peace, development as our benchmarks to earn the respect of other nations”
“Ayade has the answer to insecurity as seen in the peace that exists in Cross River and the industrialisation drive to create jobs and much needed revenue to stem our over dependence on oil”.
The youths said they have prayed to God for Ayade to emerge and it is left for the APC leadership to actualise their prayers by making Ayade the consensus candidate of the party.
“Prayers to God work through man and the efficacy of our prayer will manifest shortly because our intentions and desires are genuine. We know God has heard and Nigeria will celebrate the emergence of a true leader as Ayade emerges”_.
“We are aware that high level discussions and meetings are taking place and we are also confident that God’s will would manifest soon for Nigeria by giving the country the right leader soon”.