The federal lawmaker representing Cross River South at the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has bore his mind following the eventful winning by Sen. Bassey Edet Otu of the Cross River gubernatorial election in the state on Saturday 18th March NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
Sen. Gershom Bassey on Tuesday released a press statement where he amongst other things expressed sadness at the monumental failure of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Cross River in the just concluded general elections.
According to Sen. Bassey, what the very poor outing of the party at the governorship election suggests is that political leaders must learn to listen to the led.
While observing that ethnic sentiment cannot win election in the state, Bassey added that imposition, bigotry, jingoism, hate speech and even colonialism are traits abhorred by Cross Riverians.
His words reads in part, ‘The PDP has suffered the most spectacular and humiliating rejection by Cross Riverians in its over 24year history. It is now time for very sober reflection. What this election has critically demonstrated is that we, the political leaders, must always listen to those that we aspire to lead, especially in this new age of BVAS and improving electoral processes.
Sen. Gershom Bassey addresses the press shortly after casting his vote in Calabar South pic.twitter.com/XUKAvAg2Df
— NEGROID HAVEN (@NegroidHaven) March 22, 2023
‘Cross Riverians are a proud and dignified people. We are also our brothers’ keepers and so we abhor imposition, bigotry, jingoism, hate speech and even colonialism. So, the idea that elections can be won by spewing ethnic sentiment and promoting division is alien to our culture and vexatious to the spirit of every Cross Riverian. The idea that our State can be annexed as the personal property of puppeteers is a joke and will always be resisted by voters.
‘I congratulate the vast majority of the Cross River State electorate who are not card-carrying members of any political party and who stood for equity, justice and fairness in this election. You, the electorate, have settled all the arguments, postulations, theorizing and calculations. You said it loud and clear that having waited patiently for 16years without complaint but lovingly supporting their brothers in other Senatorial Districts, it is the turn of the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State to produce a Governor. You, the electorate, have emphatically said that one good turn deserves another and endorsed “BACK TO SOUTH”.
Before he would finally congratulate the winner of the guber poll, he declared that, ‘The principle of rotation and zoning in Cross River State has been, by your singular action, established forever. End of discussion. The matter is now settled.’
Congratulating governor-elect Otu, Sen. Bassey said, ‘let me congratulate the APC and its candidates, led by Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu. “Sweet” Prince, on behalf of the entire people of the Southern Senatorial District of our State, from where you hail and whom I represent in the 9th Assembly, we are proud of you. God bless you and your family. Your Excellency, lead our beloved Cross River State well. Make us proud.’
Sen. Bassey OTU of the ruling APC, on Monday, was declared winner of the 2023 Cross River gubernatorial election having scored a majority vote of 258,619 over Sen. Sandy ONOR of the opposition PDP who garnered 179,636 votes.
Otu of the APC has been officially declared governor-elect of Cross River state.
EDITORIAL
This story amongst others are reviewed on Sparkling 92.3FM http://mixlr.com/sparkling923fm–2 and FAD 93.1FM. Again, opinions expressed on NegroidHaven are exclusively the author’s not NH’s.
