By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A group of paramount trasitional rulers from Cross River State on Wednesday hailed the state governor, Ben Ayade, for not only displaying capacity in the management of the state’s meagre resources, but also his plan to return power to Southern district of the state in 2023, as promised some years ago.
The monarchs lauded the state governor for his ingenuity in the way and manner he has run the affairs of the state since he came on board about six years ago.
The monarchs commendation is sequel to the state governor’s keeping to his promise of allowing power to rotate to the South in 2023.
A statement signed by the paramount ruler of Bakassi Local Government Area, who also doubles as the chairman of the Cross River State Council of Chiefs, Etiyin Dr Edet Okon Etim, eulogized the state governor for not reneging on his promise of allowing power rotate to the Even zone, calling on indigenes of the state, both home and abroad, to support the state governor to actualize his plan.
The monarchs, who were on a peace building mission and solidarity visit to Cross River North senatorial district ahead of the Ogoja/ Yala federal constituency bye-elections, scheduled for February 26, also advised residents of the state to conduct themselves peacefully through out the period that the bye-elections would be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Advocating for peaceful co-existence among the people of the local government area, who according to the monarchs, are aware of the fact that those coming out to cast their votes would definitely come from the two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the monarchs called for peaceful co-existence among the electorate ahead of the contest.
The monarchs also paid a courtesy visit to the residence of one of the kingmakers in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, High Chief Higgins Peters, in his country home in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area, where they emphasized on the need for a peaceful bye-election.
The state chiarman of the state traditional council, His Royal Majesty, Etiyin Dr Edet Okon Etim, also used the opportunity of the visit to express the gratitude of the entire Southern senatorial district of Cross River State to His Excellency, Governor Ayade for his decision to honor his promise of rotating the governorship position back to the Southern senatorial district, where it started in 1999 after the completion of rounds in the three senatorial districts of the state.
The paramount rulers prayed for peace and admonished everyone involved to eschew violence in the forthcoming bye-election and the general elections of 2023.
In his response, High Chief Peters thanked the paramount rulers for their concerns and for taking the pains to go round the five local governments, not minding the travel distances, their age and busy schedules back in their domains.
High Chief Peters also assured the visiting monarchs of a violence free election and also pledged the resolve of the Northern senatorial district to standing by their son’s decision and commitment in taking power back to the South in 2023.
He described the decision as sacrosanct, stressing that it was irrevocable in the light of the political realities and exigencies that exist at the moment.
He called on Cross Riverians, home and in the diaspora, to throw their weight behind the state governor.
High Chief Peters also asked the monarchs for more prayers for the state always, even as he thanked them for finding him worthy of their visit.
Monarchs in the delegation include: the paramount ruler of Bakassi, who doubles as the chairman of the state Council of Chiefs, Etiyin Dr Edet Okon Etim; the traditional ruler of Biase, His Royal Majesty Onum Nicholas Obim, JP; the paramount ruler of Yakurr, His Royal Majesty, Obol Ubana Eteng; the paramount ruler of Yala, His Royal Majesty, Clement Onah Ipuole, JP and the representative of the paramount ruler of Bekwara.
