By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A business mongul and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Barr. Chris Agara, yesterday stormed the APC secretariat with thousands of his supporters to inform the party hierarchy of his intention to contest the Cross River State governorship position in 2023.
At the APC Secretariat, along Murtala Mohammed Highway Calabar, yesterday, Agara charged the party leadership to provide a level playing ground, so that the party can have a free and fair contest for the aspirants to test their popularity to enable the party pick the most qualified aspirant to lock horns with other candidate that the opposition Propels Democratic Party, PDP, would present in the state.
Emphasing on the unity and oneness of the party, Agara stated that party unity remains sacrosanct, calling on party women and men not to allow candidate from other parties to snatch the governorship seat and send it’s candidate to Government House in 2023.
Agara said, “I am a loyal party man. United we stand, divide we fall. Part of the reason why my team and I are here is to notify the house of my ambition to contest for seat of governor of Cross River State.
“I solicit your support, as no man goes to battle without members of his community and hopes to emerge victorious at the end of the battle.
“I am the only Cross Riverians with the capacity to do the job of governor of the state in 2023.
“I solicit for your support and encouragement. Make sure there is a level playing ground. Right from 1999, when political parties came on board, I was the highest supporter of the PDP.
The state APC deputy chairman, Prince Eka Williams, who spoke on behalf of the party chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Eba, Esq, said, “I thank the Iroko tree that visited us today.
“If the success of this political family is to be told, history cannot be separated from this family.”
Describing the business tycoon as one of the formidable force and financiers of even their former political party, the PDP, before they subsequently defected to the ruling APC.
Williams said, “Agara is one of our strongest pillars in the party.”
He stressed that Agara has all it takes to pilot affairs of the state to the next generation.
He added, “I want to charge you to admonish your supporters to play by the rules. Anybody who want to joke with Agara does that at his own peril.”
He also urged Agara to go to the field to canvass for votes as no election is won at the party secretariat.
The APC vice chairman urged Agara to moderate his utterances, especially now that the stakes are high.
He said, “Go to the trenches, go to the wards and local government to solicit for votes, I do not see the electorates as going to turn their back against you.”
