Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have finally agreed to mend fences and work as a united body to achieve victory in the 2023 general elections in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
For the past few days since the defection of Governor Ben Ayade to the APC, he has held several meeting with the former factional leaders of the party in Cross River State.
It would be recalled that prior to the emergency of the APC Caretaker Committee headed by Mathew Mbu, there were two factions in Cross River.
Reconciled factions
A statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, Christian Ita indicated that Governor Ayade, at a stakeholders’ dinner held recently in Calabar, the capital of Cross River, announced the reconciliation of the feuding members.
According to the Governor, “the only way the APC in Cross River State can prosper is if we put the past behind us and create a new focus, a new opportunity that will guarantee everybody sits on the same table.”
Ayade, who urged the factional members to publicly embrace as a sign of peace, pleaded, “let us therefore, put an end to the factions in APC. I want to see Senator Owan-Eno and Pastor Usani cooperate. I want to see Alex Egbona; I want to see many more people embrace one another. I want to see Ita Giwa, I want to see Senator Bassey Otu, I want to see Senator Ndoma-Egba and Dr. Mathew Mbu embrace. Let us put an end to the fracas.”
He noted that by his defection and judging from the array of APC chieftains present at the event, his former party, the PDP was dead and buried in Cross River, stating “anyone who is not here is nowhere.”
Strategic move
The Interim Chairman of the party, Dr. Mbu commended the governor’s move to the ruling party, describing the defection as strategic, timely and in the interest of the state.
Mbu said, “this is a great victory for all of us and it is only the beginning. What I see that lies ahead of us is far greater than what we are seeing here now. We are sure that our leader and governor will take Cross River State to a different level.”
While congratulating Ayade on his defection, Nigeria’s former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani urged him as a leader of the party in the state and the entire south-south not to be hasty in taking decisions concerning the APC.
Another stalwart and former governorship candidate of the party, Senator John Owan-Eno urged members to close ranks and work for the success of the APC, noting “whatever differences that had existed in the Cross River APC were now over”.
The attendees
The event was attended by several APC bigwigs including the party’s candidate in the 2019 gubernatorial election, Senator Owan Enoh, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, former Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, APC interim state Chairman, Dr. Mathew Tawo Mbu.
Others included Senators Florence Ita-Giwa and Bassey Otu, the only APC member representing Abi/ Yakurr in the House of Representatives, Alex Egbona, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Zana Akpagu and former State Chairman of the PDP and running mate to the 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate, Ekpo Okon.
The Cross River deputy governor, Professor Ivara Esu and a few members of the state executive council including state legislators led by the Speaker Eteng Williams Jonas were also in attendance.
Emmanuel Ukoh
