Ayade returns to a tumultuous reception in Calabar

Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade

• To appoint 6, 000 more aides

CROSS River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade, on Monday, returned to a tumultuous reception in Calabar after his victory at the Supreme Court.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had on December 9, given the governor a clean bill of health in the case of alleged false age declaration filed against him by an aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Joe Agi (SAN) in the 2015 elections.

Ayade, who touched down at the Margaret Ekpo International airport at about 12pm was adorned in blue suit amidst cheers from enthusiastic crowd that gathered since morning at the airport to welcome him after his victory at the Supreme Court.

Women groups, youth groups, traditional rulers, religious groups including National Assembly members, state government and local government officials converged at the airport and after receiving him at the airport, they escorted him in a long convoy to the U.J. Esuene stadium for a thanksgiving service.

The city was however brought to a standstill as the long convoy caused gridlock.

Speaking during the thanksgiving service at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Ayade said  that he would  soon   appoint 6000  more aides and create 50,000 jobs in January 20167  for the youths of the state to expand governance.

He said, “I am appreciative of all the support given me by the women of the state and the youths and in this light I will ever remain grateful. To ensure that nobody goes to sleep in an empty stomach, I shall appoint 6000 more aides, create 3000 jobs for the youths and in January 2017, create 50,000 jobs to make sure nobody in the state is unemployed”.

Ayade who announced a donation of N50 million to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and N30 million to the Muslim Community in the state said it was God who gave him victory at the Supreme Court.

“I kept asking myself why me and if I said I truly believed in God why should I be put to shame and God did it for me and it is only God who has the glory and nobody else not even the Supreme Court.”

The governor said the victory has given him more verve to more towards the transformation of the state and hence he would be dressing in jean and t-shirt while he traverses the state to inaugurate more projects and programmes for the state.

“I should say it without mincing words that if you come here in 2019, you will not recognise that this is not the Cross River State you used to know  because I shall carry out a complete transformation of the state.”

He urged his opponent, Agi to sheathe his sword and join forces with him to move the state forward.