Our Correspondent|23 January 2019
A security meeting of the three leading Gubernatorial Candidates in Cross River State and their Deputies, with the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, has been canceled due to the unavailability of the Governorship Candidates of the APC and the PDP.
Our correspondent understands that the meeting which was called on the instance of the State Commissioner of Police, CP. Hafiz Inuwa was to discuss with the candidates the need to campaign within the ambit of the law and restrain their supporters from perpetuating violence, with the core purpose being the conduct of Peaceful and violent-free elections in the state.
When contacted, the Director General of the Eyo Ekpo Campaign Organization, Mr. Ambo Ekpenyong, confirmed that the Campaign Organisation received an invitation addressed to the Governorship Candidate of the SDP, for a meeting by the State police hierarchy. However, after waiting for over an hour, the SDP team was told the meeting would be rescheduled, given the total absence of representation by the other Parties.
His words, “It is true that the Police invited our principal and his Deputy. Expected in the meeting was Professors Ben Ayade and Ivara Esu of the PDP and Senator Owan Enoh and Ntufam Ekpo Okon of the APC. Our team arrived there this morning and were told that the meeting had been postponed after waiting for almost an hour at the office of the Police Commissioner and what the police told us was that the PDP and APC were absent and so the meeting will be rescheduled.”
Ambo reemphasized the Eyo Ekpo Campaign Organisation’s commitment to a violence-free general election via the proposal and signing of a Peace Accord by the Governorship Candidates, and urged the other candidates to show similar commitment.
“I am using this opportunity to call on well-meaning Cross Riverians and members of the civil society to impress on the other candidates to commit to signing a Peace Accord, pledging that they or their supporters will not directly or indirectly engage in acts of violence, to ensure peaceful campaigns and elections, while urging scared voters to come out in their numbers and choose their leaders in the best way possible, through the ballot.”
