Senatorial aspirant receives financial support from ex-class mates

Prof. Oka Obono (left) receiving the cheque from Elder Oqua Edim Bassey at the event.

By Oka Ibor

The 1976/1977 Class Set of the Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, Cross River, has supported the senatorial aspirations of one of its members, Prof. Oka Obono with more N1.05 million financial contributions.

Presenting the cheque to Prof. Obono at the Principal’s Office in the school, Monday, the Global Coordinator of the Class Set, Elder Oqua Bassey Edim, said the gesture was the decision of the members to buy the nomination form for the Central Senatorial aspirant in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria.

 Elder Edim explained that the Hope Waddell Class Set has the tradition of encouraging their member through its welfare scheme irrespective of the members’ political inclinations.

“In Hope Waddell, what we have is not Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or All Progressives Party (APC), but the spirit of unity and togetherness.

The event is to support one of us who is aspiring for the Senate position of the Central Senatorial District of Cross River. Members of the same Class Set came together to assist him with the welfare scheme,” the Global Coordinator stated.

Elder Bassey expressed optimism that the school stands chance of benefitting a lot when the aspirant is elected the Senator of the Central Senatorial District in 2019, and assured him of the continued support and prayers of the members and the school.

Speaking, the Principal of the school, Elder (Prince) Samuel Asuabana Ikpeme sid the aspiration of Prof. Obono remained one of the greatest aspirations of the institution which has received his blessings.

Elder (Prince) Ikpeme stated that from his close interaction with the Senatorial aspirants he would remain the best whether of the number of aspirants to that position.

He said: “we are tired of complaining in this country, we need people who will stand up and act and I am very convinced that you will be a veritable asset in the Senate,” the Principal noted.

“I am vividly convinced that that you are going to make this institution proud when you are in the Senate,” he stated, and appealed to members of the Class set to continue to support their members without comparing notes.

“I stand here to say that your investment in this project today cannot go without results,” the Principal said.

Also speaking, the President of the Calabar Branch of the class, Elder Emmanuel Ewa, thanked the Global Class Set for their contribution and urged all alumni of the school to always remember it in anything they do.

He assured the Senatorial aspirant that God would not allow him to fail, “because this is the first time somebody will say let me go to my constituency in this journey I am embarking on.”

In his remark, the Campaign Coordinator, Dr. Odigha Odigha thanked the members of the Class Set for their gesture and appealed for more support to ensure his success.

Responding, the Senatorial aspirant, Prof. Oka Obono lauded the members of the Class Set for their contribution towards actualizing his aspiration and stressed the need for a stronger alumni spirit to make the school grow higher.

He assured them that if elected he would work with other Christian senators to enthrone righteousness in the hallowed chambers as well as work for the implementation of free basic education in the country as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

High point of the event was prayers for the victory of the aspirant and his presentation to the Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN), Rev. Nzie Nsi Eke.