By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Cross River State, Mr. Effiom Okokon, has pledged to turn around the socio-economic fortunes of the state within the first two years of his administration if given the privilege to lead.
He also promised to end the 24-year circle of bad governance in the state within the first two years in office if elected.
The SDP candidate made the pledge in Calabar yesterday, during an interactive session with journalists on the postponed March 11, governorship election nationwide by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which will now hold on March 18.
Okokon stated that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state are one and the same, stressing that the fight put forward by both parties to lead the state isn’t in the interest of the people but for their personal interests.
The SDP flag bearer advised the electorate to come out enmasse and vote these two political parties out in favour of the SDP, given the fact that the forthcoming election is like a referendum for the survival of the state.
Okokon said, “My message to the electorate in the state is that they should come out and vote, because this election is a referendum for the survival of our state.
“Most people in the APC today were once members of the opposition PDP; so the PDP and the APC are the same party and what they are fighting for is not in the interest of good people of the state, but for their own personal interest.
“We have our plan for our state, which is Health, Education, Agriculture, Rural Transformation, Tourism and Security, but the people have to come and vote to ensure our victory, otherwise the same cycle of bad governance and leadership we have been suffering for 24 years will continue.
“We in the SDP represent something new, fresh and that’s why we believe our people are with us.”
The governorship candidate insisted that people that are in political parties compared to the registered voters are very small, but overtime they have been erroneously making people believe that they control the voting block.
He promised to give priority attention to the revival of the Cross River State library within the first 100 days in office and also promised to clear all backlogs of pensions and gratuities owed state workers once he comes on board.
Others areas which he promised to look into is formulation of policies that would favour the youths to give them opportunities to thrive, have access to education and also funding so that those who want to embrace agriculture can do so with ease.
The SDP candidate also pledged to initiate policies and programmes that would get young people empowered in order to stop certain deviant behaviors, including cultism among others, stressing that his administration shall get youths engaged.
The candidate maintained that the proliferation of cult groups in the state is worrisome, adding that the SDP agenda is to build a state free from cultism and have youths doing things meaningful for the state’s development.
