SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, (THEWILL) – Political leaders from the Northern Senatorial Zone of Cross River State, who converged at the Obudu Mountain Resort over the weekend, have commended Governor Liyel Imoke for what they described as the large heartedness of his leadership and that of the state Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to concede the 2015 governorship to the zone.
Hundreds of leaders from the zone, at an interactive session, said they remained eternally grateful to Governor Imoke and the state PDP for their wisdom at ensuring that every part of the state is given a sense of belonging, especially where the leadership of the state is concerned.
Promising not to let the party down, the leaders, comprising eminent men and women such as the Chairman of the Northern Senatorial Caucus of the PDP, Chief Linus Okom, among others, assured Imoke and the party that they would ensure a level playing ground for all the governorship aspirants from the zone.
Responding, Governor Imoke charged the leaders to remain focused and not to be distracted by forces that might be bent on causing confusion in their midst.
The governor enjoined aspirants interested in the governorship to commence consultation with leaders across the three senatorial zones, even as he reiterated his earlier position not to anoint his successor.
According to Imoke, “Anyone who is waiting for anointment is not prepared to be governor because he is not part of the process.”
Urging the leaders to shun money politics and campaign of calumny, the governor emphasised the need for them to insist on those who have the capacity to understand the most difficult political situation of the state. Above all, Imoke stressed the fact that even though capacity was a criterion, it was also very important that the eventual candidate must be a member of the family of the PDP. He said it was regrettable that some politicians in the state are already engaging in character assassination all in the name of scoring cheap political points.
“Whoever that will succeed me, must have the capacity to surpass me. He must understand the most difficult political situations of our state and that the person so chosen should be supported by the majority as well as the whole state.”
Governor Imoke further urged the leaders to disregard those he described as doubting ‘Thomases’ and skeptics who think the governorship from the Northern Senatorial District of the state in 2015 was still a pipe dream.
“Even when my successor from the North is sworn in 2015, they are still those who will doubt that I handed over to one of you. They will say is this Imoke sincere? Will he not cause the tribunal to quash the election? This is the kind of thing you will hear from the doubters. But my advice to you is to remain focused, committed and steadfast to the party and speak with one voice.”
Imoke reminded them that “we had since 1999 spoken and the whole state had decided that my successor should come from the northern part of the state and that any candidate who is not from the area will not be recognized by the party. Please do not allow the process to divide you because everyone from the northern part, irrespective of sex, age or occupation has the right to contest. The candidate will come from one of the five local government areas and not old Ogoja or old Obudu.”
He, therefore, warned them to be very careful as they move closer to the party primary, noting that it behooved them to work together as the candidate to emerge will not be Imoke’s governor, but Cross River State governor.
“You need to manage and conduct yourselves because there is no need for you to destroy yourselves to succeed. The candidate you will present should be a formidable candidate that will get majority number of votes from the 18 local government areas in the primary which will be very peaceful and involving all from the family.
“I have the interest of the state as governor of the state and whoever that takes over from me should be a governor of the whole state and not that of the north. Therefore, the person should be one who understands the politics of the state because it is dynamic,” the governor added.
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