2023 Guber: Options before Cross River voters

 

Registered Political parties have started the processes towards presenting the electorate with standard flag bearers for the various positions that will be contested for in the 2023 general elections. According to the time table released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the political parties have between April 4th and June 3rd to submit names of the candidates. In Cross River state, observers are already looking at the governorship race and the options for the electorate, particularly, the race between the two frontline political parties; the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

APC is the governing party in Cross River State since May 20th 2021 when Governor Ben Ayade defected to the party from the PDP. His movement handed him the leadership of the party in the state. The governor will no doubt be interested in who emerges as his successor. It appears he is already moving to influence where his successor may emerge. He recently announced that it is the turn of the southern senatorial district of the state to produce his successor. That has not gone down well with some party stakeholders outside the southern senatorial district.

Governor Ayade is from the northern district. Expectedly, not much is heard from aspirants in this zone following the governor’s announcement. But in the central senatorial district, some aspirants are not hiding their desire to succeed Governor Ayade. For the likes of Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, the former minister for Niger Delta, Senator John Owan-Enoh and Chief Chris Agara, a friend of the Governor, the central senatorial district should not be excluded from the race.

According to them, it is their constitutional right, and they argued that APC, the ruling party has its biggest support base within the central district of the State. But the clamour for governorship position to be zoned to the southern senatorial district in the state seems to be across party lines and Ayade has argued that it is the right thing to do. Vowing to stand by the zoning arrangement, he recalls that from 1999, the south started and handed over to the central in 2007 and the central handed over to him from the north in 2015, “it is only natural that the rotation starts again from the South,” the governor said.

The State Chairman of APC, Alphonsus Eba has recently disclosed that the APC will soon formally announce a position on the matter after a caucus meeting that will some hold. Eba will most likely not go against the governor’s support for the people of southern senatorial district of the state, but the party will have to convince other stakeholders on why the zoning arrangement should be retained.

 

Contenders in APC

In spite of the uncertainty occasioned by the disagreement over zoning arrangement, some chieftains of the ruling party are already showing interest in the governorship ticket of the party. Some of these include;

Etutom Arch. Bassey Ndem

He is from the southern district favoured by the governor and he is experienced in administration, governance and business. He is highly respected across the state. Besides having the financial war chest to prosecute the race, he has been privy to the government of business in the state from the various administrations from the period of former Governor Donald Duke to the incumbent, Governor Ben Ayade. Bassey’s advantage also includes his philanthropy, his administrative and management depth, both in government and in his private businessmen. His being a first timer in politics is however seen as a minus for him in the race.

 

Senator Prince Bassey Otu

Bassey Otu enjoys huge popularity across the state even after leaving office in 2015. He lost election twice to incumbent Senator Gershom Bassey of the PDP. In 2015, Otu contested to return back to the senate under Labour party where he had defected to when lost the PDP ticket to Gershom Bassey. In 2019, Otu had changed political party again and moved to the APC. He got the APC ticket for the same senatorial seat but lost against to Senator Gershom.

In 2023, Prince Otu is said to be interested in the governorship position and he looks up to getting the support of the incumbent governor this time around. But will the governor support him? Observers are also wondering whether he still have the financial muscle to run the race.

 

Edem Effiom Ekong Esq

Edem Ekong has been around since 2003 while in his thirties. He contested as governorship running mate to the governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He later moved to the PDP and was appointed Commissioner for Lands, later Commissioner for Local government Affairs. He also served under Ayade as Special Adviser, Department of Public Transportation.

 

Asuquo Ekpeyong Jnr.

Asukky as he is sometimes called by friends, is currently the Commissioner for Finance in the state. He has served under Ayade and he is young and intelligent. He comes from one of the elite families in the state. His father has been a power broker in the state right from the days of former Governor Duke till date. Incidentally, he got married to one of the daughters of Donald Duke. Nonetheless, he has the advantage of purportedly being on the governor’s short list.

 

Ben Akak:

Abak was barely known in politics and in the state political circle. But he suddenly emerged under Ayade’s administration and started by presenting himself as a philanthropist. He has carried out some community project initiatives and is always urging support for the governor. He moved from PDP to APC in obeisance and loyalty to Gov. Ayade. Little is known about his depth in administration.

Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong:

He is a veteran politician who was outwitted since 1999 when he was denied the ticket of the defunct All Peoples Party. He has tried a couple of times after then to be governor of the state without success. But as a veteran politician, he needs little introduction across the state. He is deeply experienced in matters of administration and governance. No one will doubt his capacity to handle the state but opponents hastily refer to his age as a challenge.

 

Ntufam Hilliard Eta

Ntufam Hilliard Eta is the former Vice Chairman of the APC South-South zone under the tenure of both Oyegun and Adams Oshoimoile. He says he is interested in governing Cross River State in 2023 and has committed himself to it. However, he is currently disadvantaged because he has a case in court against the party which is yet to be dispensed with. He was also suspended from the party at a time.

 

Chief Chris Agara

Agara is a business man and an industrialist. He is better known as friend and business ally of Governor Ayade. He tried to be elected a senator for his central senatorial district in 2019 but he was shot down at the PDP primaries. Ahead of 2023, it is believed that he is interested to succeed his friend who has rather expressed his wish for his successor to come from the southern senatorial district. He has not been in government but he has the financial ability to go into the race.

 

Usani Usani:

Usani is the former Minister for Niger Delta. He is from the Central Senatorial district and has been a foundation member of the APC. In 2019, he was a factional and controversial candidate of the APC in the polls.  He is still interested in the ticket of the party. He does not have the same advantage he had in 2019 when he was a federal minister.

 

Senator John Owan-Enoh

Owan-Enoh was the certified governorship candidate of the APC in 2019. He was a rave at the time and created so much impact and followership. Many believed he would win the election in 2019 before Governor Ayade, who was a PDP candidate at that time played up the zoning sentiments at the last minutes by assuring key stakeholders from the southern senatorial district including the Obong of Calabar, that he will support someone from the south to succeed him.

 

PDP

The PDP has been the ruling party in Cross River State since 1999 until May 20th 2021 when Governor Ayade decamped to the APC. So the PDP can best be described as a formidable opposition in Cross River State. For instance, all the three senators of the State are still members of the PDP. Out of 8 House of representative members, the PDP has 4 and the APC 4 as well.

So the Governorship race in 2023 will be close to call because to the strength of the PDP across the state. So far, about seven aspirants have bought forms and shown commitment to vie for the position under the PDP.

 

Sen. Gershom Bassey

He is currently the Senator representing Southern Senatorial district. He has been a major player in the kitchen cabinet of all the state governors since 1999. He is one of those putting pressure on the party to remember that there is a subsisting caucus decision of the party which had zoned governorship to the south after eight years in the northern senatorial district.n He has the financial muscle to fund the race and his aspirations. He is a close friend of former Governor Imoke.

 

Sen. Sandy Onor

Senator Sandy Onor is from the Central senatorial district of the state. His declaration has caused tension to many in the party because it is believed that the same way he used his friendship with governor Wike of Rivers State to ensure he emerged the senatorial candidate of the PDP in 2019, he will do same with the influence of Wike to get the governorship ticket. It is believed that only the implementation of a zoning arrangement in PDP can stop Sandy from getting the party ticket.

Other serious contenders who have the uphill task of outwitting the two leading aspirants of the PDP are as follows; Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo, Sir Authur Jarvis Archibong, Barr. Effiom Cobham, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, Mrs. Imah Nsa Adegako and Pst. Eyo Okpo-Ekpe.