As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) repositions for the 2023 general elections in Cross River State, South-South Nigeria, the former governors, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and sitting Senator, Gershom Bassey representing southern senatorial district have resolved their 14-year-old differences.
The relationship between the three PDP stalwarts, otherwise known as ‘The Three Musketeers’ in the Cross River political clime, predates the emergence of the party in 1998 when Donald Duke contested for the gubernatorial seat and won in 1999.
However, the relationship of the three big-time politicians turned sour just before the end of the administration of Governor Liyel Imoke, who took over the reins of leadership from Duke in 2007 and served for eight years.
United front
Two closed-door reconciliatory meetings were held on Saturday, first at Imoke’s private residence and later at Duke residential quarters in Calabar, the capital city.
The meetings which were attended by other founding members of the party, also focused on the need to form an incredible front to recapture the state from the All Progressives Congress, APC, following the recent decamping of the governor, Ben Ayade from the PDP to the APC.
“It is not about winning elections. We are trying to build the people and not just winning elections and I think that is what politics is all about. We have a lot of work to do, a lot of people are waiting to hear from us and waiting to see that our house is in order and I want to say something; this house is in order.
“As long or as protracted as this has gone on if we sat down and robbed minds, the issue would have vanished in 10 minutes. We needed an event like this where we would say what is your problem? We will still talk about it but that is not the issue now.
“Right now, there is the greatest thing at stake which is the corporate unity of all of us. I may have gone on sabbatical and temporary retirement but you will find no record of me retiring from PDP. We have work to do and we cannot sit down here to do this work.
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“Just as in 1999, we traversed the length and breadth of this country. Let us go back to that route and once again traverse the length and breadth. Let our children, whom we want to put into the system see that their fathers are still around and are laughing,” Duke said
On his part, Imoke expressed excitement with the reunification and reassured the people of the state that the PDP was intact and will certainly recapture the state come 2023 for the interest of the people and the state.
Infrastructure decay
Meanwhile, the National Vice Chairman of the party in the south-south zone, Dan Orbih accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of neglecting critical infrastructure in the region.
Orbih, who lamented the extent of infrastructural decay in the region, said “let me share my observation with you. We drove from Port Harcourt to Calabar. Going through the roads, you will agree with me that it is uncharitable and unacceptable for anybody from the Niger Delta to move from the PDP to the APC.”
He decried the level of insecurity, the fall of the Naira and the inflation rate, which Orbih noted negatively, affected the economy of the people and nation.
The Vice President of the PDP south-south zone expressed satisfaction with the turnout of stakeholders for the meeting stating, “It is clear that Cross River is a PDP state with or without Governor Ben Ayade.”
In brief remarks, the leader of the party and former governor, Senator Liyel Imoke and the senator representing Cross River Central district, Sandy Onor expressed optimism that PDP would reclaim the state in 2023.
Also speaking, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Efiok Cobham urged faithful to work hard to redeem Cross River from the APC during the forthcoming general election.
Zainab Sa’id
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