The incoming Cross River government would have members of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and others playing significant roles so as to move the state to another height, chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Barr Alphonsus Ogar Eba, has said.
Barr Eba, who said this in Calabar, Thursday, while addressing journalists, noted that considering the commitment of various individuals and groups across all political divides in ensuring power returned to the southern senatorial district where the governor-elect hails from, it was only wise to bring everyone on board.
He said: “The March 18 governorship election was a referendum that ethnicity, which some people whipped up before the polls, does not have a place in our politics and that was reflected in the result of the election as everyone yearned for power to return to the southern senatorial district in the spirit of equity, love and unity of our people.
“In his acceptance speech shortly after being declared winner, our Governor-elect, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, waved an olive branch and called on all Cross Riverians to join hands with him to take the State to another height. We, as a party, align ourselves with this position.
“We shall run an all-inclusive government where people from the PDP, the Labour Party and other political parties shall be brought in. The best among them shall be recruited to join hands with the government to serve the interest of Cross River State. The Labour Party governorship candidate has already called to express his readiness to work with us.
“We will be magnanimous and will share this victory with every Cross Riverian. This is because what we saw during the election was a massive support for our governorship candidate from all Cross Riverians across political divides, particularly from the southern senatorial district, for the peace and unity of the State and we will reciprocate that commitment.”
The party chairman restated the determination of the APC -led government to ensure that zoning of the governorship position among the three senatorial districts of the State is not only sustained but legalised.
“The zoning principle which Cross Riverians have adopted shall remain. After Prince Otu is sworn-in, we shall sponsor a bill in the State House of Assembly that the eight years that is guaranteed for each senatorial district be maintained across party lines
“We will frame a bill that will make it criminal if any political party or individual from any political party from another senatorial district decides to truncate this lovely arrangement. Let me thank the people of the central and northern senatorial districts for upholding this principle of truth and unity,” he submitted.
