C'River is ready for opposition, with the right candidate, APC will takeover - Upan Odey

APC governorship aspirant, John Upan Odey

By Eba Alobo Ishmael

Cross River State governorship aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Mr. John Upan Odey has said that he was convinced that the state was ready to vote massively for the opposition but urged the party to show readiness to takeover from the state by fielding the right candidate in 2019.

Odey who stated this while addressing party leaders and faithfuls at the state secretariat, Calabar on Saturday said that all the permutations ahead the party's primaries favours him therefore urged the party leaders to support him to win the ticket.

He maintained that it will be disastrous for APC to limit their chances of winning the state to just two senatorial districts by giving the ticket to another senatorial district other than the north.

According to him "APC as an opposition party cannot place itself in a disadvantaged position by donating one senatorial district to the PDP in an election that involves three senatorial districts. If the party gives to ticket to another senatorial district other than the north where the incumbent Governor comes from, the party would have donated a full senatorial district to the north but if it's from the north, the race will be competitive in the three senatorial districts".

He declared that he is in the race because he has a large heart that is yearning for a better Cross River state.

Odey said that what drives him is the passion for good governance which is presently lacking in the state as according to him "the biggest fuel that is fueling my governorship ambition is the anger arising from bad governance currently witnessed in our state".

The aspirant further affirmed his readiness to take over the pellegrino house come 2019 as according to him "Cross River is indeed ready for the opposition party but it is now the turn of the party to be ready for Cross Riverians".

While reeling out his blueprint decried the decadence currently witnessed in all sectors of the state's economy ranging from education, health, agriculture, job creation, lack of conducive business environment, the economy among others.

He offered solutions to these raging issues as he said "The system we are operating has collapsed and this collapse is what has brought me to the game".

He pledged to revamp the educational sector, provide an enabling environment for businesses to strive, equip the existing ministry of work with equipments that can enable them undertake road construction projects across the state thereby creating jobs for young people, set up a support fund for existing businesses and enterprises especially in partnership with churches around the state.

He called on the party leadership to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants while maintaining that the party's zoning formula instituted in 2014 by ensuring that the governorship ticket remains in the Northern Senatorial district.

He described himself as being qualified for the race as according to him "In this race I am the German machine".

Reacting, the state party chairman, Dr. Matthew Achigbe acknowledged that the aspirant is well prepared to take over the mantle of leadership if given the opportunity.

He assured him and all party faithfuls of a level playing ground in the race noting that " I am here to assess and evaluate all aspirants properly and I make bold to say that even the least qualified aspirant from our party is more qualified than any other aspirant from another party".