Our Correspondent|21 January 2019
Chief Okoi Obono- Obla, Senior Special Assistance on prosecution to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has said that Cross River State does not need zoning at this movement if it must move forward, but someone with the political will embedded with integrity and character which he said has been found in the person of Sen John Owan Enoh, the APC gubernatorial flag bear.
Chief Obla who was represented by his aide during the APC gubernatorial rally/campaign held in Ugep, Yakurr LGA of Cross River State, emphasised that what matters most is not where a candidate comes from but his qualification and pedigree as such he enjoined the people of Yakurr LGA to join hands in ensuring the emergence of all APC candidates at the poll.
'We have to rescue our state and the time has come and we have gotten someone who has character, integrity and political will to rescue us. We have a serious minded team so support us because we are going to address the issues confronting us. He stated
'Anybody from any zone who has the credentials is qualified to be our governor'. He concluded.
Also speaking, wife of the guber candidate, Mrs Rachel Owan admonished the women to vote for APC saying 'From the shores of Bakassi to the hills of Obanliku, go and get your PVCs and vote for the winning team. He is gender friendly and will remember the women'.
While addressing the sea of crowd who converged at the Presbyterian Primary school premises in Ugep to welcome him, Sen. Owan stated 'In the past three years, every project in Yakurr is courtesy of me. When we are elected, we are going to work for you and with you. We are going to come out with programs that will empower the youths'.
He also informed the crowd of supporters that his strongest rival in the race, the incumbent governor lacks ideas and initiatives to move the state forward which he said is evident in the current situation of the state. He therefore, admonished the people to vote for him and all other APC candidates in the zone so the state could be rescued from further damage.
Earlier, the Obol Lopon of Ugep, HRM Obol Ofem Ubana Eteng had sued for a peaceful electoral campaigns while advising the APC to put their house in order.
'Please try and put your house in order. Whatever it takes before election, try and put APC together in Cross River. …I have called series of meetings that nobody should tear the posters of any candidate so go about your campaigns peacefully'.
The Obol assured the gubernatorial candidate of the APC of the support of the Yakurr nation. Speaking in his palace when the governorship campaign trail visited him and the Yakurr council of traditional rulers, Obol said 'I am part of this course that you are pursuing and I want to assure you that the Yakurr people are behind you' .
'Owan is accessible and has capacity and this team that is here is capable of taking the state to the next level'.
In his remarks Sen. John commended the entire traditional rulers visited so far for their courage saying “I have seen a lot of courage and boldness on the part of our traditional rulers since we embarked on this campaign and I expect more of that courage from the Yakurr nation'.
'We ask that you pray for anyone that means well for Cross River to win the election. We present a complete team from the president down to state house'. He concluded