I wish to on behalf of myself, my family and the entire authentic Obudu people, express my deep appreciation for the honour done me by my Party, the People’s Democratic Party in Cross River State by unanimously electing me as the 6th State Chairman of the party at her State Congress held on the 18th of September, 2021.
The victory was very remarkable because of the protracted struggle that went into it. To crown it all God put some icing on the cake of my victory by aligning it with my 57th birthday shortly afterwards on the 20th of September. I couldn’t have had a better birthday gift than that which nature and man conspired to give me!
It has taken me days to process this victory which will become a source of inspiration for many in the years to come. As was the case with my first election as Chairman of Obudu Council exactly 30 years ago, which propelled many young men and later women to dare into Politics, I hope this will inspire a new generation of politicians and indeed citizens of our state to understand that their destiny is in their hands and that the future belongs to those who dare. Dream dreams, confer with God, and spread your wings and fly because you believe.
As always, I came into this election at the lowest point in my adult life. There were many nights before then I had contemplated suicide because everything seemed to have fallen apart for me. Even the family I love so much was no longer giving me the joy it used to. I was in a state of utter despair.
Then, I turned to my God. I thought to myself, that that was the only hope left for me. I had been betrayed enough by man! Humanly, I had done all I thought I could do, yet nothing positive was coming my way.
In God I invested all my energy.
I cried to God.
I learned to forgive.
I asked God and He taught me how.
I learned to let go of my past hurts.
He taught me how.
I asked Him to guide me and He led me back to PDP.
I knew I was on a journey because He was my guide.
I kept praying but the road looked thorny. People prayed with me. They told me I will make it, but that it wouldn’t be easy!
I accepted the rocky road.
In the end we are here and the journey has been worthwhile.
I am still praying because I know this is not my destination. God has a higher task for me.
I am happy and grateful that He considered me worthy of the mission. Please join me and pray with me. I have learned not to habour any malice against anyone because God gave me as a condition to first forgive everyone in my heart and see what He will do with me. As this has happened despite everything, I know my destination is assured.
I do not know what the mission is but I know that He will lead me to the end of it. I have surrendered myself completely to His will.
As I said in my acceptance speech, I will help rebuild the Party, reconcile many within the Party and most importantly, return the party to it’s democractic ideals based on consensus building encapsulated in it’s time tested “Family” approach. We remain one big family!
I promise to lead the party Executive to democratize our processes in a very transparent way and ensure that representation reflects the will of the majority of our people. Imposition of candidates will remain unheard of as long as I remain the chairman of the Party. We don’t have to be friends to share the same ideals and work towards building a truly just, free, fair and egalitarian society of our dreams.
I also on that occasion, extended my hand of fellowship to our members who at one point or the other had cause to leave the party, like I did, to return to the family. I still do so now. God has set me up as an example that your place remains intact when you return because in this family there is no bad blood because anyone left the Party. If I can return to the Party and be given a mandate to lead the party to a very crucial election, what excuse does anyone have? It means you can pursue your legitimate ambition within the Party, without any fear of recriminations for the reason that you left the Party.
We will ensure that we do not give people reason to leave our party, moving forward.
We also welcome those who may never have been members of our party, but who are now convinced that we represent the best Hope an assurance of democracy in our state and the nation in general.
I sought this work knowing it will not be easy. I feel even better challenged with the departure of the Governor, which has created a vacuum for a new Vista in the politics of our State. History is beckoning on all of us to write our names on the sands of time. In the near future it will be asked WHERE DID YOU STAND when our State was almost rubbished completely by an unbelievably incompetent, insensitive, horrendously corrupt, morally bankrupt administration that ever could befall a People?
Were you on the Side of the People fighting for their liberation?
Or on the dinning Table with the cruel oppressor who crudely reminds you that your worth is the food on your table and he alone makes that possible!
The time to take that decision is now!
Long Live Cross River State!
Vena Ikem.
Calabar,
24/9/2021.
