By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A Professor of History at the University of Calabar and the senator representing Cross River Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Prof. Sandy Onor, has described politicians advocating for zoning of the gubernatorial slot in Cross River State as being lazy intellectually; charging all aspirants jostling for the governorship ticket to stop promoting zoning formula, which many politicains have been canvassing for to be used in the selection of who to lead the state in 2023, insisting that such formula will end up paving way for mediocrity.
The lawmaker stated that competence should not be sacrificed for zoning, but advocated instead that people with enormous capacity be allowed to go to the field and canvass for votes to enable them emerge as governorship candidates.
Onor, speaking with journalists at a media briefing yesterday at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, in Calabar, the Cross River State, Onor averred that Cross River State cannot afford to sacrifice competence on the altar of zoning.
He insisted that those promoting zoning are intellectually lazy stressing that as a politician, who had already paid his dues, he won’t allow any man to thwart his ambition of becoming the governor of the state in 2023.
The lawmaker insisted that equal opportunity be given to all aspirants jostling for the governorship position, if equity and faireness is to reign.
Stating that since the advent of the present democratic experiment in 1999, the principle of zoning has never been practised in the state,
Onor said, “Zoning has never, and I repeat, zoning has never been practised in our state, since the advent of the current democratic experiment since 1999 and we cannot afford to sacrifice competence on the altar of zoning, as we prepare to choose a candidate for the governorship or in any other election.
“Those promoting and spreading the message of zoning are either cowards, who do not have what it takes to contest for the party’s ticket under a free and fair process, or are ethnic jingoists, who are only interested in misleading our people in pursuit of their very personal and selfish interests.
“Nobody or group of persons should divide our state and its people in the name of zoning. We are a people who share commonalities with deep historical roots and it would be thoroughly unfair for anybody to fan the embers of geo-ethnicity, just to satisfy thier selfish ambition.”
Speaking further, he stated that in the course of his consultative visits, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were united in their resolution that the contest is open for anybody who thinks he has what it takes to contest, no matter what part of the state the person comes from.
The National Assembly member stressed that as one individual who believes in the local government system, he will do everything within his reach to ensure that he revived the local government system.
He averred that the present local government system is been treated with a lot of disdain as if money that comes to into the coffers of the councils aren’t monies of local governments.
He pledged, “I will resurrect and make sure that the local government system gets full autonomy.
“Our people depend on this third tier of government for survival. I have been a local government chairman and had also served as chairman of the local government service commission. Under my watch, the dry bone called local government system in our state will live again.
“I am not the only person who has support from outside, Donald Duke had support from outside, same with Liyel Imoke and Ben Ayade; why is my case different? On my own, I have done well for myself and I am a moving force to reckon with at any level.”
Giving an insight into his relationship with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who he has been accused of going to mortgage Cross River State to if allowed to govern the state, Prof.Onor said, “For my relationship with Wike, I’m a proud to be associated with him, because he has been amongst the few persons who have carried PDP along. Those against my ambition feel aggrieved, because they cannot twist and turn me like a pawn; those who are speaking about my relationship with Wike are intellectually lazy.”
