A group comprising young entrepreneurs has reinforced its support for the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu.
In line with its declaration of support to the APC governorship candidate and other contestants, the young entrepreneurs under the aegis ‘The Victory Group’ presented a cheque of N30 Million for the state-wide campaign.
Speaking at the unveiling of the group’s secretariat in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, the Director General of the alliance, Mr. Joseph Edet, reiterated members’ commitment to APC candidates.
Edet, the Managing Director of Summit Hills Estate Calabar, stated that the team was strategically prepared to ensure that all the APC candidates emerge victorious in the 2023 election.
According to him, “we have knowledgeable, vibrant, capable, and influential people on our team coordinating in all the local government areas in the state. We are one group that has come not to take from the system but to give back–it is our policy.
“At every juncture of the campaign trail, we are available to give what is needed to power the elections. The election is beyond us, it is for the people’s good. We must shun violence and vote rightly; and vote for Senator Bassey Out, the best candidate for the job,” he said.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Also speaking, the member representing the Odudu constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly, Maria Akwaji, expressed the hope that the candidate would continue to uplift the people out of poverty and implement the 35 percent Affirmative Action of the National Gender Policy to enable more women actively take part in governance.
“You have received state-wide acceptance and love of the people. This is no doubt an indication that 2023 is a done deal. Also, we strongly believe that you would continue to implement the 35 percent affirmative action for women just like the governor, Professor Ben Ayade has done,” she said.
Another group member, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, the Director General of the Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, further reiterated, “the victory group is a collection of those who are committed to add value to the system. We will mobilize our resources and massive votes for you and all other APC candidates from the national to the state levels.”
NEXT LEVEL
Responding, the APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Otu, expressed profound appreciation to the group for what he described as a great show of love by the young people.
He said, “I am happy to be amid carefully selected young people, who have set a goal of delivering power back to the south. I want to thank Governor Ayade for the inclusive young and women kind of governance.”
The governorship candidate pledged to implement policies and programmes that would build on the present administration’s achievements and start more socio-economic schemes to raise the living standard of citizens.
“We will continue to build to strengthen our women and youths in terms of capacity, wisdom, experience and knowledge to take Cross River to the next level. My team is determined to transform Cross River into an investors’ hub,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the group has presented a breakdown of the N30 Million funds donated, which covers campaign materials and cash to the APC campaign team: 5 Million naira allotted for the governorship campaign, 4.5 million naira for each of the three senatorial candidates. In contrast, they have allocated the 7 House of Representatives hopefuls 1.5 million naira, and the balance would assist similar APC support groups.
S.O
