From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)Vena Ikem, Esq, has called on all PDP-based Support Groups to sustain the aggressive mobilisation of the electorate across all communities to reclaim the state from 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 on Thursday, 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 Secrratry 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 volumes of our capacity, competence and noble intentions for our country. Bùt 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 has taken us backwards in the developmental index.
“Thus, the an 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 effectively out APC and reclaim our state.
Speaking, the Director General of Liberty Support Group, Mr Peter Igbe, said the group comprises retired technocrats, academia and enterprising youths across the state and is committed to mobilising Cross Rivers and the residents towards enthroning a responsible government in the state and to restoring 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 to our collective heritage and psyche is 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 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 of the PDP in the 2023 polls.