The Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, has described Edem Ekong Esq. as an honest and seasoned administrator following a courtesy visit by the latter to formally declare his intention to run for the highest position in the State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Receiving him and other party faithfuls at the Governor’s office, Ayade expressed his satisfaction at the quality of sportsmanship whilst noting that Edem Ekong is not just the first person to notify him of his intention to vie for the Office of the Governor in the forthcoming coming general election, but also the first from the South to declare interest, since the Governor’s commitment to return power to the Southern Senatorial District in 2023.
“When I won my reelection bid, I made a promise that my successor must come from the south. I gave my word and will give my right eye to keep it. The south has always stood by my government, they were the first Senatorial District who asked me to run for a second term. It is only natural that I do. 
“Edem is someone who is very honest and someone I have worked closely with; a seasoned administrator with the maturity and temerity to follow through with decisions he believes in”. Governor Ayade asserted.
In his response, Ekong thanked the governor for his kind words and camaraderie towards his gubernatorial aspiration. He indicated his readiness to engage the electorates across the state with a view to conscientise them about his ambition and choice of APC as the preferred vehicle for progress in the state.
Other party stakeholders in the entourage took turns to speak at the event and opined that Ekong’s wealth of experience gathered over the years from working as Commissioner for Lands and Housing and Local Government Affairs respectively, Special Adviser, Department of Public Transportation (DOPT) and others, make him an ideal candidate for the job.
