IN SUPPORT OF ZONING IN CROSS RIVER

I wish to restate my commitment to work for the peace, progress and development of Cross River State and emphatically declares that it is well within my right and indeed I consider it my duty as a political and community leader in Cross River State to intervene at any time I feel that things are not going well in the state.

Indeed recent events within the political space in the state is cause for concern because if care is not taken the state could degenerate into a political war zone by one of the two major parties in the state.

The widely reported meeting that took place at my Calabar residence being one of such interventions. It is my view that the power zoning formular in the state is the only guarantee that numerically challenged groups in the state have against political marginalisation.

I am therefore of the opinion that nothing should be done to upset the arrangement in the state. I make no apologies for accepting my appointment as the official ambassador for the Cross River State Industrial Revolution initiative.

The meeting in my residence was to brief leaders of the southern senatorial zone of the viability of the Ayade industrial development initiative. Having been personally conducted on a tour of the project by Governor Ben Ayade, the senator is convinced that the initiative will fast track the development of the state and thus I invited the leaders in the zone to support the laudable initiative.

I also wish to state that we had no discussions about the deputy governorship ticket of the state and wishes to make it clear that I owe no one any explanations even if I did. As a very busy individual, I do not need the office of deputy governor to impact positively on the fortunes of the state or to support the governor in the development of the state. I am very comfortable using the political platform as a leader to advance my avowed desire to serve humanity.