LP Senatorial Candidate, Sandy Onor returns to PDP

Dr. Sandy Onor

A major hurricane yesterday swept through the camp of opposition in Cross River State following the return of Ntufam Sandy Onor to the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Onor, a former Commissioner in the state, was the candidate of Labour Party for the 2015 senatorial election in the central senatorial district of the state.

A grassroots mobiliser who is fondly called Irunandu (star) and Original Caterpillar, Onor was formally received back into party at a colorful ceremony at the Transcorp Hotel in Calabar.

Addressing party faithful that included former Deputy Governor of the state, Bar. Efiok Cobham, former state chairman of the party, Ntufam John Okon, his successor, Ntufam Edim Inok and Dr Frank Ayade, Onor likened the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade to the biblical Joseph.

"In America now, to be President, they will check you out properly. Did you attend one of the ivy league universities? From George Bush Snr to George Bush Jr to Clinton to Obama etcetera; these are outstanding people, tested and proven in leadership. It is not a question of where you come from, whether the person is my brother or sister. Have we checked out Professor Ben Ayade's story? If we have checked his story, we should trust him.

"If we look at the story of his personal life, there is no reason why we should not be confident and optimistic that he will do well in public space. After all as Colin Powell tells us; perpetual optimism is a force  multiplier.

"Like Ben Ayade like Joseph, he dreams big, you doubt him, the manifestation of his dreams will come and hunt you. The point I am making is that if you are not a dreamer like Ben, please at least believe him, cooperate with him, give him support. That is all that I am asking of Cross Riverians.

"If we give him support and the right  encouragement, I trust looking at his private life that he will be able to transform these dreams from the podium of idealism to the mountain top of actualization."

Blessed with a gift of the gap, Onor dismissed any chance of the opposition causing an electoral upset in the state.

According to him, "In this country, even now, there is only one party that is very big and great and that party is the PDP.

The other party is a mere conglomeration of disparaged groups that were forced to come into a marriage in 2015. A marriage of opposite forces, united against a common enemy. Little wonder that once they achieved their purpose, they receded back into the crevices from whence they came. So today they are as as broken China ware in the sun."

He said as the 2019 elections approach, he assured that with proper organisation, the opposition will be routed in the state.

"As we proceed towards 2019, be rest assured that properly organized, our party shall be coasting to victory because the Egyptians you see today, you shall see them no more."

He said he was not returning to the party to derail anybody's ambition and pledged to work in sync with the leadership of the party.

"I will cooperate with the leadership in the central senatorial district under the great Governor Liyel Imoke and other leaders of the central. I will cooperate of course with the leadership of the party in the state," he assured.