Sociopolitical Group Rejects Zoning, Seeks Competency
The request for competency to be sacrificed in the name of zoning of the 2023 Cross River gubernatorial race has been labelled as an “aberration” by the sociopolitical group Biase Front.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prof. Sandy Onor, was visited by the Sons and Daughters of Biase Local Government Area of Cross River on Friday.
Since the beginning of the current democratic regime in 1999, there have been calls for the gubernatorial seat to return to Cross River South after the three senatorial districts have had their turn.
The Southern senatorial district’s Biase Front claimed that zoning would not advance the state’s goals for growth if competence were sacrificed.
The event, according to the group’s leader, Mba Kanu, was intended to formally declare that the PDP candidate is the preferred candidate of the Biase community for the state’s governorship.
His words: “After a careful and holistic appraisal based on the sincerity of purpose, competence, capacity, academic prowess, antecedents and charisma, Biase people have opted to pitch tent with Senator Sandy Onor of the PDP.
“Our choice is devoid of ethnic colouration or parochial considerations; we can’t afford to extend the rot in our beloved state under any guise.
“We need a man with the temerity and intellect needed to stem this unfortunate tide with a view of restoring our lost glory. Senator Sandy Onor of the PDP is that man.”
In order to mobilise all eligible voters and ensure the PDP’s win at the polls, he gave the assurance that the group would travel to all parts of the local government.
Sen. Sandy Onor responded, praising the organisation for putting the state’s interests ahead of personal interests and sectarian concerns.
“As a people with peculiar commonality, we must never allow myopic sectional interest to preponderate the wider interest of our beloved state and our people.
“I am happy that Biase Local Government has keyed into this formidable coalition to dismantle this octopus draining our resources and glory merely for family aggrandisement.
“The present challenge in our state today is similar to a medical emergency where competence, experience, guts, and capacity are crucial, vital and essential in addressing the problem.
“Once medical personnel possessed the requirements to handle the case, ethnic background is too insignificant to raise an eyebrow.
“What matters is the overall outcome, this is the scenario we need to understand if we must navigate our state out of this inertia,” he stated.
If elected to office, Onor vowed to collaborate closely with Austine Aidam of Akamkpa Biase in order to maximise the region’s enormous economic potential.