Obudu Local Government Area, the home council of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State erupted in wild ecstasy as the governor stormed the council in continuation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign in Cross River North senatorial district.
The governor, who is the party’s senatorial candidate for the district arrived in Obudu in company with the party’s candidates, including the gubernatorial candidate for Cross River, Senator Bassey Otu and his running mate, Hon. Peter Odey, House of Reps member representing Obudu/ Bekwara/ Obanliku federal constituency Hon. Legor Idagbor and House of House Assembly candidate, Hon. Sylvester Agabi amidst a rousing welcome.
The candidates, while speaking to the jubilant crowd pledged a people-centred leadership if elected.
Thousands of cheering residents and party supporters decked in APC colours filled all available space at the Obudu Township stadium where the rally was held to formally unveil the candidates.
The governor, other candidates, party stalwarts and top government functionaries had earlier held consultative meetings with the Obudu monarch and critical stakeholders in the council respectively.
A mild drama ensued during a meeting with stakeholders comprising the youths, market women, community leaders and religious leaders when the audience insisted that there was no need for the governor to speak or canvass for votes from them as they all have since decided to give him 100 per cent of their votes.
The monarchs also pledged total support for Ayade and all APC candidates, saying their bloc votes are reserved for the party.
At the rally where hundreds of former PDP supporters defected to the APC, the governor whose speech was drowned by effusive praises and chanting of “Ayade back to the Senate”, urged the people to vote for all APC candidates.
According to him, “our Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu promised me that he will build the Bakassi deep seaport if he wins the election
“He promised to make Cross River a top priority of his government if elected; so I urge you all to vote for him. Tinubu has the capacity and the competence, he will fix Nigeria the way he fixed Lagos”
The governor also canvassed support for Senator Otu, insisting that he is the right man to succeed him and consolidate the gains of his administration in the last eight years.
Ayade also reiterated his argument that equity, justice and fairness demanded that the next governor of Cross River comes from the Southern Senatorial district “because the North and Central have had their turns”
Reacting to the tumultuous crowd that welcomed the governor to Obudu, one of the political stakeholders in the council, Chief Mathias Ake described it as “a clear and loud message to the PDP that Ayade enjoys unassailable support in Obudu and other councils in Northern Cross River. It shows that Ayade is a prophet that is respected at home”
According to Chief Ake who is the Senior Special Assistant on Renewable Energy to the Governor, “In the February 25th senatorial, Ayade will be contesting against himself, he obviously has no opponent”
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