Thursday 20th May 2021 remains a historic day in the political life of Cross River States, 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 calls for deep reflections and not jubilations as many are already doing. These happenings doesn’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 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, rancor and acrimony. We are all one. We are first Cross Riverians before partisans. As a people our mission and vision is 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 have over the years suffered set backs with the South bearing the brunt. These said setbacks familiar to most of us ranges 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 none 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’s 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 programs, 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 what ever divide you may wish to follow. The development of Cross River should be sacrosanct.
Long live Cross River State
Long live Southern Senatorial District
Long live CRSSSDA
John Offiong
Leader of Party
