Minister insists on C/River APC guber ticket

THE Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, has insisted that he will be the one to fly the gubernatorial flag of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the March 2 election in Cross River state.

The minister lost out to the party recognised candidate, Senator John Eno, but has claimed that the law is on his side as Eno did not participate in the primary election conducted by the party in the state.

Speaking to TribuneOnline in Calabar on Thursday, he said: “For the purpose of your education, you know by the Electoral Act and the constitution of Nigeria, once you are not said to have run a primary election which is within the party, you are not a candidate.

“And as today, the record available at INEC, certified, endorsed by the security agencies bears my name.

“So, we are in court to clarify that and authenticate it. So, I am certain I will run the election.”

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Usani, however, expressed confidence that the APC will win the presidential election in the state on account of the projects executed there by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

While noting that the projects are done by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs alone, “are more than all that has been done from the days of democracy,” he stated: “When I talk of such projects, I mean the projects that are beneficial and sensitive to the local populace which is actually an index of assessing development in a society.”

On the chances of the party in the gubernatorial election in Cross River state, the minister explained: “Yeah, incidentally the party as a platform plays a role in the minds of the people who are to select by election who they prefer.

“But the peculiar circumstances for Cross River state, given antecedents, have driven us to a point where individuals are assessed and it is on the basis of this assessment that the victory of any party depends, irrespective of the name, depending on who is fielded.

“And so, for us in APC, we are certain that the presidential election which will be in about two weeks time is a done issue.”

The minister also commented on the impact of President Buhari’s suspension from office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, an indigene of Cross River state, saying that it is a two-edged sword.

He added: “Well, it (the suspension) may play a role and the role it will play may swing on any side of the pendulum because different people are affected in different ways.

“And so, while it is a negative thing for some, it may be a positive thing for some. And however it turns out, it is regrettable that he is from Cross River state.”

Also speaking to TribuneOnline on the CJN’a suspension, Senator Bassey Otu, who is the APC candidate for Cross River South Senatorial District, observed that the Justice Onnogjen suspension is a concern for the people of the state but hoped that the CJN can clear his name.

He said: “Actually, there are really those concerns but I don’t think it will affect the election too much. I don’t think so.

“Yes, Cross Riverians might feel bad but I think it’s only to clear his name. The moment he does, I think there will be no issue at all.”