Ayade’s Achievements Will Spur Reforms in PDP Says Mantu

Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, has described the achievements of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River as inspiring reforms in the party.

Also commending the governor at the state executive chambers, Calabar, when a national chairmanship aspirant of the party, Prof Tunde Adeniran, paid a courtesy call on the governor yesterday, was a chieftain of the party and former minister of information, Prof Jerry Gana.

According to Mantu, “You have turned this state into a role model, getting the least allocation yet paying salaries on or before the 25th of each month, a feat which only good governors and prudent managers of resources can guarantee.”
Applauding Ayade for initiating the deep seaport project which benefits will be extended to the northern part of the country, especially the North-east, as well as the establishment of the garment factory which will save the state and nation billions of naira, the former lawmaker said: “The new chairman of our great party must be born again, remorseful and repentant to do what is happening in Calabar, if we must succeed.”

Continuing, Mantu intimated that “when we arrived in Calabar yesterday (Monday), the aroma of the air was unique, the air smells love, the air smells unity, the air smells excellence and we indeed are grateful with your election in Cross River State.”
On his part, Gana said: “We are proud of this governor that is focused, directing, mobilising and governing very well and we want to repeat this in several states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The former Information Minister who noted that the gift of “two professors as governor and deputy governor was a clear demonstration of the beauty of anointed brain power,” disclosed that “we want to ensure that we bring in more men and women of integrity and substance so that Nigeria will be transformed and rich instead of being impoverished.”

For another PDP chieftain and one-time senator, Ugochukwu Ubah, while addressing Ayade, said: “We are impressed with your landmark achievements and I believe that we can extend it to other parts of the country. Your digital experiences in the state should help us get a digital chairman and from there, the nation will go digital.”
Continuing, Uba admitted: “You have done well in our party, use that advantage in you to ensure that our party succeeds, as what we need now is to rebrand PDP and to rebrand PDP, we must do things differently. This is not the time to manage things but to get things right.”

For the chairmanship aspirant, Prof Tunde Adeniran, he described Ayade as a highly resourceful, visionary and intellectual guru who is focused and backed by another guru as his deputy.
Adeniran who said he was in the state to canvass for support in the December 9 National Convention of the party averred that “God has done it for you here, please let it spill-over to other states, so that our party will be managed and led by someone who will build good synergy, work hard and do the right thing at the right time.”

Responding, Governor Ben Ayade, commended his guests for choosing Cross River as one of their core states for the visit, affirming that, “the only thing you leave behind is the value you bring to humanity.”
The governor reminded politicians that “when you take an unsound mind for leadership, you are bound to fail,” urging political office seekers to “rise above the principles of power, because power is like a wind, it will soon blow away, so use it with the fear of God and the fear of tomorrow.”
Highpoints of the visit were the presentation of a copy of the candidate’s manifesto to the governor, Prof Ben Ayade.