All roads led, last
Monday, to the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar where
leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross Rivers State
turned up to receive the state governor, Liyel Imoke who was returning
from Port Harcourt, Rivers State with the party’s flag to confirm that
he is its gubernatorial candidate for the April election.
At 12.48pm, Mr
Imoke emerged from Arik Airline with the PDP flag and waved it
repeatedly to the applause of those waiting to welcome him. As he
touched the tarmac, his deputy and running mate, Efiok Cobham stepped
forward to embrace him. But notably absent was the state chairman of
the party, Ekpo Okon who was not also at the Port Harcourt,
presidential rally of last weekend.
The crowd that
showed up turned the airport into a carnival of a sort, as there was
singing, drumming and dancing by various support groups that gathered,
with each drawing attention to itself with large banners as backdrop.
While the women
came clad in wrappers with the inscription “Cross River State
Grassroots Forum’’, the men wore T-shirts with messages such as ‘Let’s
do it again’, ‘Consolidating the gains, Guaranteeing the Future.’ The
governor and his army of supporters left the airport in a motorcade
that drove through major streets of Calabar to the Calabar Cultural
Complex where a reception was organised for him.
Mr Imoke commended
his supporters for finding him worthy to serve them again for the next
four years if he wins. He also called for a one-minute silence in
honour of those died in the stampede that followed the PDP rally in
Port Harcourt.
“God was good to
Cross River delegates to the rally as no one from the state was
involved in the incident,” he said, “a development which speaks volume
of the good intention which the government has for the people.” He said
the flag was not for him because governance is for the people.
Show love
He called on those
who left the party to come back “because there is love, peace and
accommodation in this party as every one in the state has a feel of
government through the provision of social amenities and infrastructure.
“People within and
outside the country look up to Cross River as a leading state in peace
and tourism. It is necessary for us to set the pace by showing love and
eschewing bitterness, hatred and ethnic difference,” he said.
The governor
advised the crowd not to allow anyone to make away with ballot boxes
during elections, but to stay put and watch events, including
announcement of results. He also called on opposition parties in the
state to go out and campaign rather than wait to go to court after
elections to challenge results.
“Some of them have already gone to court claiming that PDP did not
organise primaries in the state,” he said. “We challenge the opposition
to prove where they conducted their own primaries. Work has commenced
with the arrival of the flag in the state. We are set to enter the
field.”
