A political group, Cross River State Southern Senatorial District Assembly has called for calm in the state following the recent defection of the Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to the All Progressives Congress(APC).
The group in a statement signed by its Leader, John Offiong on Sunday and made available to THE PARADISE, said it is not time for jubilations, rather it is time for the people to reflect on how to move the state forward.
The Cross River State Southern Senatorial District Assembly also called on leaders and members of the Senatorial District who want to join the Governor to the APC and those who want to remain in their respective parties to do without creating any form of violence that will put the state into rancour.
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“Thursday 20th May 2021, remains a historic day in the political life of Cross River State, as Governor Ben Ayade becomes the first sitting governor of the state to defect from a ruling party to an opposition party in the state.
“The happenings within and around our state in recent times call for deep reflections and not jubilations as many are already doing. These happenings don’t also call for cries and mournings rather it is a call for deeper retrospect, a call for deep thoughts.
“We want to use this medium to congratulate the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for the courage to defect to the APC at this material time, while we wish him well in his future political endeavours.
“On this note, we call on leaders and members of Cross River State Southern Senatorial District to remain focus and resolute to our core mandate as a people. Let us not allow the recent happenings to distract us from our goal.
“Those joining the governor in APC and those who have chosen to remain in their various parties should do so without hatred, rancour and acrimony. We are all one. We are first Cross Riverians before partisans. As a people, our mission and vision are first to bring sanity, development and economic power to our people. So, whatever platform you find yourself today, that should be your focus and goal.
“Cross River State has over the years suffered setbacks with the South bearing the brunt. These said setbacks familiar to most of us range from the ceding of Bakassi, the seizure of our 76 oil wells and handing over to Akwa Ibom State, the recent #EndSARS protest and sundry others which have left the state incapacitated.
“We, therefore, call on our members and indeed all southerners to uphold the sanctity of brotherhood and nation-building while politicking even as we use this medium to call on the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state to use all apparatus of government and ensure the safety of Cross Riverians. The security of the lives and properties of our people is sacrosanct and non-negotiable.
We also call on leaders of all political parties in the state especially the two main actors, APC and PDP to call their members to order and ensure we do not record any outburst of crisis and political violence even as we prepare for the 2023 elections.
“Politics is not an end but a means to an end, therefore, let us all trade with caution and avoid making inflammatory statements both on our social media handles and offline meeting and gatherings.
“The Cross River State Southern Senatorial District Assembly appeals to all political players across parties to ensure that the South is given a level playing ground in 2023. For the sake of fairness, equity and balance, it is the turn of the south to produce the next governor of the state, and there’ll be no compromise on that. Therefore we call on political parties across the state to note this as they continue with their politicking, aligning and realigning, they should ensure they reserve their governorship ticket for the south and the south alone.
“As a group whose focus is on community development, we shall continue to support all programmes, activities and policies of government at all levels in as much as they are people-oriented and shall lead to the development of our people and state.
“Once again let’s all remain calm and focus, don’t be distracted or confused by recent happenings. Our goal and mission should come first whatever divide you may wish to follow. The development of Cross River should be sacrosanct”.
