A community leader from Akamkpa – Biase local government areas of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, Mr. Sam Bassey, refuted the ‘back to south’ stance adopted by the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying it was not representative of the people.
Bassey, a chieftain of the APC and member of the APC Legacy Group, made the statement during a chat with some journalists in Calabar, the state capital,
He described the adoption of the stance as an “anti Akamkpa – Biase federal constituency,” arguing that the structure was unfair to the people of the area.
Marginalising minorities
According to him, those to support the ‘back to south’ movement seemed comfortable marginalising other minority segments in the state, especially the southern Cross River district, when sharing political offices.
He further averred that the selection of the APC governorship candidate and the southern senatorial district candidate for the 2023 election from Efik extraction to the exclusion of Akamkpa and Biase local government areas was an attempt to marginalise the minorities in the south perpetually.
Bassey said, “I am vehemently opposed to this arrangement where some people will remain underdogs and cannot occupy certain political offices.
“It is against this backdrop that I and some community leaders, including hundreds of our followers in Akamkpa – Biase federal constituency, have endorsed and adopted the PDP governorship candidate, Professor Sandy Onor, ahead of 2023 polls.
“I believe that Senator Onor can help us, as we have discussed. He is very approachable and has a listening ear. We would try our best to mobilise for the election,” he affirmed.
Peoples’ interest
Bassey told the journalist that his unalloyed support for the PDP gubernatorial flagbearer was not working against the APC. Instead, the paramount concern was the interest and happiness of the Akamkpa – Biase people, who have suffered political marginalisation.
The chieftain explained: “I am still in the APC and a legacy member of the party. I have not defected, but I am supporting the PDP governorship candidate because that is where the happiness of my people will comes from. Besides, if my people are not happy in politics, I cannot even call myself a politician.”
Another community leader from the Akamkpa – Biase area, Mr. Emmanuel Ogban, said, “some of us have already made up of our minds and are mobilising our people to work for PDP governorship candidate to fight marginalisation in the south. We have been neglected.”
In justifying their allegiance to the PDP governorship candidate, Ogban further stated, “this 2023 election is not about party affairs. It is about capacity and credibility as well as who can deliver and redeem us from sufferings and economic doldrums.”
Meanwhile, the PDP has welcomed political stalwarts from the APC, like Mr. Ogban Ebock, Mr. Edem Ekong, Bobby Ekpenyong, Dominic Kidzu, Austine Ibok, and many others.
S.O
