Former Governor of Cross River State Mr Donald Duke has lauded the People’s Democratic Party PDP over the choice of Senator Sandy Onor as the standard bearer of the party for the forthcoming governorship election billed for March 2023
Duke who spoke in Calabar during the weekend at the inauguration of the PDP campaign council ahead 2023 General election asserted that “the calamity rattling us as a people courtesy of an incompetent administration demands
a tenacious fellow with versatile experience, proven track record and verifiable antecedents, not a mediocre produced by parochial ethnic sentiments to worsen an already precarious situation”
According to Duke” elevating someone beyond his capacity breeds incompetent and mediocrity, that is what we are suffering in our state. It’s a terrible embarrassment, we can not afford to accept a glass of water from a leprous hand just to assuage our ethnic sentiments at a time like this when our dear state is at the precipice, any extension of the colossal mess under the guise of zoning will sound the death knell for our dear state, I won’t subscribe to that shallow mindset for the sake of the next generation”
Duke, who is the chairman of the Campaign Council expressed delight at the privilege of leading the movement for the restoration of the lost glory of the state which previous administration laboured assiduously to build while urging party faithfuls to ensure all hands are on desk to guarantee victory.
In his words, we have lost everything Cross River was famed for, from the ranch which incidentally is located within the locality of Governor Ayade, Tinapa, ICC, Marina Resort, virile civil service ,buoyant economy, clean and green environment , Calabar Carnival, our famous peaceful and serene aesthetics, the list is endless, the only symbol of governance in our state is cacophony of sirens and a generation of “food on the table” without proper mentality towards earning a living. Reclaiming Cross River is a task that must be done”
Speaking, the Governorship Candidate of the party Senator Sandy Onor urged party members to geared up to the task of reclaiming the state in order to checkmate downward slide orchestrated by the Ayade led administration in every facet of the state assuring that everyone will feel the dividend of democracy which the PDP is known for given the performances of the previous government in the state.
Earlier, the state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party Barrister Vena Ikem enjoined members of the various committed to ensure massive mobilization from their polling units to usher in a resounding victory for the party
Barrister Ikem hinted that the campaign committees will be expanded to accommodate zealous and competent hands who are willing to join the battle for the restoration of the state.
The Cross River PDP Campaign Organization revolves around 18 directorates comprising over a thousand members under a command structure headed by Donald Duke as Chairman , Sandy Onor Vice Chairman while the immediate past Deputy Governor Barrister Efiok Cobham is to serve as the Director General .Other members of the council include erstwhile governor Senator Liyel Imoke, Deputy Governorship Candidate, Lady Emana Ambrose Amawhe, national and state assemblies members as well as chieftains of the
PDP