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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Vena Ikem, has called on all PDP-based Support Groups to sustain the aggressive mobilisation of the electorate across all communities to reclaim the state from the All Progressives congress (APC) in 2023 polls.
Speaking when one of the Support Groups, Liberty Group, paid him a solidarity visit at the party secretariat in Calabar, Ikem lamented the parlous state of the country coupled with the maladministration in the state under Governor Ben Ayade, clearly making PDP the viable alternative to the quagmire.
The former National Publicity Secratary of PDP said: “The present insecurity, untold hardship, economic woe, gradual collapse of key sectors are adding up to the growing indices for a failed state.
“The exorbitant cost of living and the gradual transformation of Nigeria into a killing field under the APC-led government should convince every rational prospective voter that it is high time the electorate voted APC out of power to save our people from this malady.
“In PDP, our antecedents speak volume of our capacity,
competence and noble intentions for our country. But our predicament in Cross River is even the worst scenario. The commercial-oriented destruction of our historic ecosystem, massive looting of our treasury, siphoning of the bailouts and Bakassi stabilization funds as well as the deliberate destruction vented on our common heritage and apparatus of government have taken us backward in developmental index.
“Thus, the urgent need to reclaim our beloved state from these vandals in government who have nothing to offer other than aligning their pockets and enriching their families with our common patrimony; I, therefore, call on all Support Groups to go back to the 3321 polling units, campaign and mobilise the electorate to come out with their PVCs and vote out APC and reclaim our state.”
Speaking, the Director General of Liberty Support Group, Mr Peter Igbe, said the group which comprises retired technocrats, academia and enterprising youths across the state is committed to mobilising Cross River people and the residents towards enthroning a responsible government in the state and to restore the lost glory.
In his words, “the deplorable situation in our beloved state informed our formation. Gone are the days we used to introduce ourselves as proudly Cross Riverians; today we are ashamed of our state’s status. The damage on our collective heritage and psyche are simply unprecedented.
“We opted to pitch our tent with the PDP after a holistic appraisal of the various governorship candidates on parade across the parties.. We have unanimously agreed that Sen. Sandy Onor is the best option in all ramifications. Hence, our decision to team up with the PDP to usher him in as the next governor of our state.”
Speaking also, the patron of Liberty Group, Sir Philio Adie, described as saddening the total collapse of governance in a state which was once a model for others in terms of cleanliness, portable water supply, blanket security network , tourism industry, budgeting, and seamless operations in MDA’s.
He pledged the readiness of the group to work tirelessly to ensure the victory for PDP in 2023 polls.
