2023 election: PDP groups drum support for Senator Bassey

PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –

Over one hundred and eighty-eight support groups from the three Senatorial District of Cross River State has drummed support for Senator Gershom Bassey’s ambition to take over from Governor Ben Ayade in 2023.

Speaking at the State Secretariat of the PDP in Calabar, where he met the state working committee of the PDP, Sen. Bassey charged the State Executive Committee of the PDP to stand by the truth in very decision taken towards who flies the flag of the party in the 2023 elections.

According to him, “it is the truth that will make PDP win back the state, since it is currently governed by the All Progressive Congress after the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade who was elected into office as a member of the PDP decamped to the APC”.

Sen. Bassey, however, said he was at the secretariat to pay Christmas homage and to also inform them that he will start consultation across the state for the governorship race before taking the decision to make a formal declaration.

The lawmaker, who represent Cross River South Senatorial District, noted that he is a foundation member of the PDP in the state and because of that fact, he understands the traditions of the party in the state.

His words; “I understand that the party was built on good conscience, it was built on brotherly love; it was built on togetherness, it was built on aspirations; it was built on truth. This party was not built on lies. It is that truth that made it possible for the PDP to win every single governorship election in this state till date. We have never lost a governorship election in Cross River State. it is the truth that will make us win back Cross River State in 2023”.

“I came to wish you Merry Christmas and to also wish you a rancor free New Year; A new year where you will stand on the truth so that the New Year will be sweet and happy. “

He narrated the governorship succession history of the state under the PDP, noting that the governorship had rotated from Southern Senatorial District with Donald Duke as Governor from 1999 to 2007.

“To the Central Senatorial District with Liyel Imoke as Governor from 2007 to 2015; and when it was to go to the Northern Senatorial District in 2015 and Governor Ayade was eventually elected, there was a caucus meeting of the party where a motion was moved and the seat was formally zoned to the northern senatorial district with a provision that after eight years it will return back to the South”, he said.

The lawmaker made a strong argument on why it is the turn of the southern senatorial district to produce the next governor.

According to him in 2015, the PDP did not just elect Ben Ayade as Governor but it zoned the ticket to the northern senatorial district. He maintained that there is a subsisting motion where the PDP caucus had zoned the governorship to the South and the State working Committee of the Party must stand by it without wavering.

He however, said his point on zoning has been made and he is not shy nor afraid to face a challenge in the governorship race from anybody from anywhere.

Responding, the State PDP Chairman, Venatius Ikem, thanked Senator Bassey and his groups of supporters for coming to the state secretariat to wish the state exco a happy Christmas.

He said the PDP in that state has remained strong with or without a governor, adding that he will stand by the truth without any doubt.