No fewer than 42 political parties have declared their support for the reelection bid of the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade.
The parties pledged to “deploy their structures and support base” for the re-election bid of Ayade in the March 2, 2019 governorship election.
Led by the state Chairman of Conference of Nigeria Political parties, CNPP, Mr. Michael Sunday and his Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, counterpart Mr. Paddy Ally in Calabar, the parties said the governor deserved their support on the strength of what he has achieved in office.
Sunday, who is also the gubernatorial candidate of Independent Democrats, ID, commended Ayade for his industrialization drive, as well as prompt payment of salaries to civil servants in the state.
He said: “Your Excellency, before you are chairmen of 42 political parties in Cross River State. When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)opened the window for political activities to begin, many people including you, resolved to buy forms to contest for the governorship seat of the state.
“But as time went on, We called ourselves together and said the incumbent Governor has not done badly. We began to take stock, We looked at the by-pass, a place that was kind of swampy, today that place has become an industrial hub; and this was done in three years.
“Often times when we hear people say you have not done this nor that, they forget to also mention what you have done.
“I tell people that if somebody comes into power and has built road, the next person should focus on doing something else, and that is what Ayade has done by industrialising the state and that is why we have decided that we are going to drop our ambitions and support you.”
Sunday also stated that by adopting Ayade, the parties were “adopting industrialization, prompt payment of salaries, economic growth and a good man with a good heart.”
He also assured Ayade that forty thousand of their member will formally endorse him on January 26.
“Forty thousand members of our group would gather on the 26th of January to support you.
“We have come enmass to adopt you as the governor of this state, and we are going to demonstrate the same on the 26 as I said earlier,” he said.
Responding, Governor Ayade expressed appreciation to the parties for finding him worthy of their support and assured them that he would not disappoint them and the people of the state.
Ayade said his love for the state overrides every other consideration.
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