All is not well within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress, {APC},in Cross Rivers State as stakeholders in the Central Senatorial District of the state have “rejected” Governor Ben Ayade’s Zoning formula which advocates that his successor must come from the Southern Senatorial District of the state.
It was gathered that Political heavyweights in the Central senatorial zone comprising of Sen. John Owan-Enoh, Pst Usani Uguru Usani ,Chris Agara Esq , Godswill Edward amongst others, are kicking against Gov Ayade’s position on his successor coming from the South, urging him to open up to the political space and not make it a southern thing alone.
They warned that the zoning formula of the Governor could spell doom for the Party at the state level noting that the Central remains the stronghold of the party and the most competitive Senatorial District stressing that the wave of defection which has hit other districts was yet to be experienced by them.
“We appreciate His Excellency Ben. Ayade for his defection into the party and the value it has brought while also acknowledging his leadership of the State.
“We also congratulate the state chairman of the APC, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar, and members of the state executive committee of the APC for their emergence and recent inauguration. It calls on the party leadership to please lead with fairness and inclusiveness for all party men and women irrespective of Senatorial District.
“The Central Senatorial District remains the most competitive senatorial district within the politics of APC in Cross River State therefore, managing it to reap the maximum benefit of this quality must be guided jealously.
“We call for the opening up of the political space in the party at the state level for the overall interest of the party in order to provide for the credible emergence of candidates that will be generally acceptable to the people. Therefore, the emphasis should be on a winning strategy for the party and not a zoning strategy.
“The forum notes that the Central Senatorial District is the only zone in the state that has not witnessed any wave of defections out of it since the governor’s entry into the APC unlike the Southern and Northern Senatorial districts.
“This is largely as a result of the quality of political leadership and followership as well as the strength of the party in the District, therefore the leadership of the party is called upon to do everything to support the zone.
“What this suggests going forward into the party primaries and the 2023 general elections is that the party must spare nothing to be competitive in the choice of its candidates for every elective office.
“The leader of our party, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade has the greatest stake in retaining Cross River State as an APC state come 2023; together with Governor, the Central Senatorial District as the most competitive senatorial district,” they stated.
