…refute claims that PDP zoned governorship in 2015
Cross River: “No one will halt my ambition to be governor” – Sen. Onor
…refute claims that PDP zoned governorship in 2015
By Our Admin
Senator Sandy Onor representing Central Senatorial district of Cross River State has reaffirmed his decision to contest for governorship of the state in the forthcoming 2023 election and warning that no one will halt his ambition on the altar of any argument for zoning the governorship seat in the state.
Speaking at a press conference in the NUJ Press Center in Calabar on Monday, Sen. Onor insisted that zoning of the governorship seat in the state has never been practiced in the State since the advent of democracy in 1999. He challenged anybody with a contrary argument to present same.
He was asked for his response to arguments that in 2015 leadership of the PDP in the state which he is a member reportedly zoned the party ticket to the Northern part of the State, with a proviso that after the North, the South will take the next turn.
In his response he said “assuming but not conceding that there was that kind of arrangement in 2015, it was only inevitable that the North had to take it than because the South and the Central had taken it previously.”
Adding that “those who make heavy weather out of the fact that there was somebody from the south who wanted to take twice (in 2015) and so the leadership of the State at the time said No. You can’t take it; you can’t be greedy, let our brothers in the North take it.”
Sen. Onor, a Prof. of History argued that there was no zoning in 2015. According to him, “It was a mere ceding of power. It was ceded to the north because that was inevitable. No more, no less. If there was zoning in 2015, why is it that in 2019 when Ben Ayade had just done 4 years, you had someone from the South –Eyo Ekpo (of the SDP) and another from the Central – Sen. Owan Enoh (of the APC).”
“In this state, there are few persons who had held the State by it jugular and made it their own property; and so they must give us leaders. They are the ones who are bringing all these kinds of arguments and theories so that again, they can produce the next governor. It will not work!” Sen. Onor maintained.
He used the opportunity of the Press Conference to share his score card of two years in the Senate, also shared information about his dreams for Cross River State if he becomes the governor.
His words, “I will take deliberate steps to restore the tourism glories of our State and will pay specific attention to ecotourism, which of course, is unique to Cross River”.
“The local government system will be resurrected and its full autonomy restored. Our people depend on this tier of government for survival. I have been a local government chairman and had also served as chairman of the local government service commission. Under my watch, the dry bone called local government system in our state will live again.”
“I will pay attention to our civil service system. Once upon a time, we used to have a vibrant civil service. We will get the civil service back to the path of growth and both active civil servants and retirees will feel it.”
He re-emphasized his argument against zoning saying,” we cannot afford to sacrifice competence on the altar of zoning, as we prepare to choose a candidate for the governorship or any other election”.
He further maintained that “those who are promoting and spreading the message of zoning are either coward who do not have what it takes to contest the party’s ticket under a free and fair process, or are ethnic jingoists who are only interested in misleading our people in pursuit of their very personal and selfish interests. “
On the claims that he is heavily funded by the governor of Rivers State to emerged as governor in Cross River State in 2023, Sen. Onor said “For my relationship with Governor Nyesom Wike, I’m a proud to be associated with him, because he has been amongst the few persons who have carried PDP along and given life to it. Those against my ambition feel aggrieved because they cannot twist and turn me like a porn and I dare say those who are speaking about my relationship with Wike are intellectually lazy.”
“I am not the only person who has support from outside; there is no one who wants to be Governor, Senator or even President that doesn’t get support from outside.”