By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The senator representing Cross River South senatorial district at the upper chamber of National Assembly, Senator Gershom Bassey, yesterday, while addressing PDP faithful boasted that with his wealth experience, he stands a chance of turning around the fortunes of the state.
Gershom stated that among the party bigwigs who have indicated interest to pilot affairs of the state in 2023, he is the only one with enormous capacity to occupy the seat of governor immediately Governor Ben Ayade’s tenure elapsed.
The parliamentarian made the assertion while addressing thousands of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, supporters who gathered at the PDP secretriat, Mary Slessor Avenue, Calabar on Monday evening.
Bassey, who spoke while declaring his governorship ambition to the leadership of the PDP, in Cross River State, stressed that his wealth of experience gained over the years in entrepreneurship and other areas of human endeavors gives him an edge over other aspirants jostling for the seat of governor in the 2023 general elections.
He said that if given the opportunity to lead the people of the state, he possesses the capacity to transform the state to an industrial hub, where plenty of job opportunities would be created for the army of unemployed youths, who roam the streets in search of white collar jobs.
Bassey said, “Because I am one of the founding members of the PDP in the state, I would do everything within my reach to ensure that the party wins the election.
“We have never lost a governorship elections in Cross River State. The PDP was built on truth, friendship, trust and friendliness. You are a Chairman today because of the truth you stood for.
“After Liyel Imoke completed his eight-year tenure in 2014, under the PDP we zoned the governorship to the North. And that after eight years it will rotate to the South. Has that rule been overturned?”
The federal lawmaker, while sharing the Christmas cake, which he branded as “Cake of Truth,” brought to the party secretriat by his team to be shared among party stakeholders, stated that not one person from the South contested when it was the turn of the North to govern the state.
He added, “In terms of capacity, nobody running for governorship in this state have my capacity. In terms of experience, nobody have the kind of wealth of experience that I have.
“If you are doubting me, I want you people to organize a debate for all the aspirants.
“When you fail to treat an aspirant or candidate fairly, the party loses election. I know that moving forward for the betterment of the party. As a person, I won’t undermine the candidature of any of the aspirants.”
Receiving the federal lawmaker to the party secretriat, the Cross River State PDP chairman, Barr. Venatus Ikem, averred that the party under his watch is poised to provide a level playing ground to all the gladiators jostling for the governorship ticket and charged the aspirants to play by the rules.
He urged the aspirants to have it at the back of their minds that at the end, party decision would be supreme.
Ikem stated that he has heard all the complaints from aspirants from the Southern senatorial district regarding the issue of zoning of governorship ticket, stressing that the party would do the needful at the appropriate time.
