BY Our Admin.
Senator Gershon Bassey representing Cross River South senatorial district has charged the State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state to stand by the truth in very decision taken towards who flies the flag of the party in the 2023 elections because it is the truth that will make PDP win back the state.
The State is currently governed by the All Progressive Congress after the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade who was elected into office as a member of the PDP decamped to the APC.
Speaking at the State Secretariat of the PDP in Calabar on Monday where he met the State working Committee of the PDP in company of about 200 support groups rooting for him to contest the 2023 governorship race in the state, Sen. Bassey said he was the secretariat to pay Christmas homage and to also inform them that he will start consultation across the state for the governorship race before taking the decision to make a formal declaration.
Sen. Bassey and his support groups who were received by the State Chairman of the PDP Venatius Ikem and other members of Party State Executive Committee noted that he is a foundation member of the PDP in the state and because of that fact, he understands the traditions of the party in the state.
His words; “I understand that the party was built on good conscience, it was built on brotherly love; it was built on togetherness, it was built on aspirations; it was built on truth. This party was not built on lies. It is that truth that made it possible for the PDP to win every single governorship election in this state till date. We have never lost a governorship election in Cross River State. it is the truth that will make us win back Cross River State in 2023”.
“I came to wish you Merry Christmas and to also wish you a rancor free New Year; A new year where you will stand on the truth so that the New Year will be sweet and happy. “
He narrated the governorship succession history of the state under the PDP noting that the governorship had rotated from southern senatorial district with Donald Duke as Governor from 1999 to 2007: To the Central Senatorial District with Liyel Imoke as Governor from 2007 to 2015; and when it was to go to the Northern senatorial district in 2015 and Governor Ayade was eventually elected, there was a caucus meeting of the party where a motion was moved and the seat was formally zoned to the northern senatorial district with a proviso that after eight years it will return back to the South.
Sen. Bassey who is obviously interested in the 2023 governorship election and in flying the flag of the PDP in the race used the visit to the party secretariat to make a strong argument on why it is the turn of the southern senatorial district to produce the next governor.
According to him in 2015, the PDP did not just elect Ben Ayade as Governor but it zoned the ticket to the northern senatorial district. He maintained that there is a subsisting motion where the PDP caucus had zoned the governorship to the South and the State working Committee of the Party must stand by it without wavering.
He said however his point on zoning has been made, he is not shy nor afraid to face a challenge in the governorship race from anybody from anywhere.
His words again; “I am ready to challenge or face anybody from anywhere. I have looked round and I can say nobody; no aspirant from any political party can march my capacity in terms of knowledge of the state, vision and programmes for the state. Mr. Chairman of Party, please use your good office to organize a debate where aspirants can face themselves and take questions on what they have for the state; let the contest not be business as usual.”
Responding, the State PDP Chairman, Venatius Ikem thanked Senator Bassey and his groups of supporters for coming to the state secretariat to wish the state exco a happy Christmas.
He said the PDP in that state has remained strong with or without a governor. He said he will stand by the truth without any doubt. He also said there is no doubt about the history of the party Senator Bassey narrated.
He pledged that his exco will stand by the truth and will do the truth. he however added that he will not want to define the truth as Sen. Bassey was defining it but he knows that the truth is sacrosanct.
He noted that Sen. Bassey has made his point and he doesn’t need to belabor himself because the PDP hold the contemporary political history of Cross River State. and that under his watch the party will do what is right and grant a level playing ground for every aspirants for every position in the party.
He commended Sen. Bassey for his capacity to mobilize noting that many have come to the party secretary for one thing or the other bu none came with the kind of crowd which Sen. Bassey was able to come with to the Secretariat. “It is prove of any politicians electoral capacity;” Vena concluded.