By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Executive members of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the South-South geo-political zone of the country on Saturday expressed the confidence that the party will emerge victorious in the forthcoming Edo State governorship elections.
The members of the executive council, who include states party chairmen of Edo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Edo, among others, expressed the confidence while speaking at the just concluded stakeholders’ meeting which took place in Calabar.
The meeting, presided over by APC zonal chairman, Chief Victor Gaidom, subsequently conferred the leadership of the party in the zone to Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu.
In his remarks shortly after the conferment of the position, the governor of Cross River State, Prince Otu, stated that having been conferred with the zonal leadership responsibility, he would work towards sustainability, unity and peace in the region and ensure that the confidence reposed in him is not betrayed.
Otu stressed that he remains the only APC state governor in the South-South region, promising to take the APC to victory in the forthcoming Edo State governorship polls.
Otu, accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, to the meeting, averred that he is happy to host the APC zonal stakeholders in Cross River.
Otu said, “We need to come together to deepen the APC in the South-South. Today, Cross River State is the only APC state in the South-South.
“We want to increase that number before we go to the next general election.”
In his remarks the APC Zonal Vice Chairman, Chief Gaidom, stressed that the meeting, attended by states party chairmen across the South-South geo-political zone, unanimously decided to work in synergy with one another, strengthen the party to ensure that the party wins the forthcoming Edo State governorship polls.
Gaidom said, “We are using this opportunity to issue a warning to other political parties in Edo State, letting them know that the APC is ready to take back the governance of the state.”
He emphasized that having been conferred with the responsibility of zonal leadership, he would work very hard towards the sustainability of unity and peace in the region.
APC states chairmen in attendance at the stakeholders’ meeting include: Alphonsus Ogar Eba Esq, Cross River State; Chief Stephen Ntuk Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State; Chief Tony Okocha, Rivers State; and Hon. Jarrett Tenebe; Edo State.
Most of the elected zonal executive members were in attendance.
