By Alobo Eba
A leading aspirant for the Governorship position in Cross River State, Sen. John Owan Enoh has called on the state Executive and members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state to be united and provide all aspirants a level playing ground in the governorship primary election in the state.
He stated this on Friday, April, 8th, 2022. Declaring his intention to run for the governorship of the state on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, senator Enoh said : “I am here to offer myself to run for governor and I call on the party to give all aspirants a level playing ground. Let me also use this opportunity to formally invite the Exco of the party to Ogoja for my declaration. I am going to work with the state organising secretary to work out the logistics to cater for all Exco members”.
Addressing the state Exco, he further stated, “Your tenure as Exco will matter when you are able to produce the next governor of Cross River State. In my last election, I told my supporters that if you lose election with so much goodwill, then you’ve not lost the election”.
“In 2023, our party should be concerned with the issue of competence, capacity and goodwill. The election in 2023 is going to be keenly contested. Our ability to win is going to be based on our competitive nature. Let us avoid a candidate with baggage. Comparatively in the last elections, the central Senatorial remains the most competitive zone in the state. Let us not take a chance in 2023. Let us look for a candidate that has appeal and goodwill across the state. After my electoral loss, I remain one person who shoulders more the responsibility in our party”, he said.
He stated that “When you see an emerging big campaign, this is how it starts. As I stepped into this vicinity, the feeling became nolstagic. This building has over the years become the symbol of power and authority.”.
He congratulated the State Exco of the party for their victory during the state congresses and the governor for emerging victorious at the court, saying “Let me join everyone else to congratulate our governor for the victory in court yesterday. I have met with the governor before starting this journey. I met with the governor and I told him that in Cross River politics, we all came from the PDP and over the years, the party has been made popular by our political gladiators.”
He appealed to those who are emotional about his declaration to remain calm. “I call on them to be calm and not create division in the party. I think that our politics in 2023 is changing and the margins are going to be very narrow. We have tested it in the Akpabuyo and Ogoja/Yala bye-elecrion. There are issues that are going to be defining in 2023. Our past governors are exceptional excellent leaders. As a party, we must be concerned about who is to be counted to be of comparable stature to our opposition, the PDP,” he said.
Sen. Enoh stressed that in politics, you talk about name recognition. Who is it that has demonstrated resilience. 2023 is going to consider content, the ability to galvanise our people and show leadership. Let me say that what APC needs now in Cross River is a united house. The party now can least afford any division.
Advising the State EXCO, he said “Let me urge the state Exco that to avoid any distraction, we should be forge a common front. I think for example that we need to begin to look at who has the ability to run an independent campaign. We need someone whose commitment to party is total and not only when they have an interest.”
The Director General of Sen. Owan Enoh campaign organization, Chief Hulbert Ogar informed the EXCO that senator Owan Enoh has come to consult the state Exco. He said: “Here, our mission is simple. We are United in one house and because of that we will get the best candidate to fly the flag of the party in the 2023 general election. I urge all of us and the state Exco to maintain a level playing field, for by so doing, God will give us a candidate that will continue from where Gov. Ayade stops”.
On his part, the APC state deputy chairman, Prince Eka Williams who represented the State chairman assured the senator that the party is united and that the party received him with love. He advised him to play by the rules. “
The party is saying that constitutionally, every member of the party has a right to contest. We are just umpires here and at the end, we will all see those who have done well in the field. I want to say that, go to the field with no negative feeling. I enjoin our party faithful that if you have the chance, go round the state with the aspirants and see what they are doing. It is not wishful thinking that will take us to the next level. I urge all of you to play by the rules. Do not say any negative thing about any aspirant, he said.
He further called on supporters not to de-market any aspirant but to rather sell their respective candidates.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Abubakar Efoli commended the senator for his oratory prowess saying “We have seen you as a very strong aspirant in APC and we see you as a simple and humble man. I wish to notify you that the party is embarking on another round of evangelism, so I wish to use this opportunity to invite you to help us in that direction”.
One of the highpoints of the event was a support of 5 million naira donated by Senator John Owan Enoh to the state EXCO of the party.
