2023 Guber : Gershom Bassey Takes Swipe At Wike, Vows To Match Anybody Money For Money

Sen. Gershom Bassey, Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District 

The Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial district, Sen. Gershom Bassey has lifted the lid on his rumoured governorship ambition in 2023. 

Bassey, who recently in an interview with Sun Newspaper, canvassed that power should rotate to the South in 2023 said that with or without zoning, he was ready for the race. 

In a viral post on social media, Bassey was quoted as taking a veiled swipe at Rivers State Governor, Nysom Wike who's allegedly sponsoring Sen. Sandy Onor from Cross River central for the 2023 Governorship election. 

The Senator insisted that he was ready for the race and will match anybody from any part of the state money for money as the "Rivers shores bubbles don't last". 

"The  South do not depend on zoning, I don't want zoning and I don't  depend on zoning. I'm ready to match anybody from anywhere regardless  of the zone.  I have the guts, the contact, the grassroot support in every community and every zone to run the gubernatorial race. 

I have all what it takes to run. Zoning is just a moral suasion, which I felt  the south is due for. But if other zones feel otherwise, I'm  prepared to stand primaries  and election with anybody", Bassey was quoted as saying. 

He added that "I get so amused when I hear the insinuations that the south is not prepared, the south is lazy, the south  is broke and do not have the financial muscle to run. Tell them I'm ready. I will match anybody naira for naira, dollar  for dollar; if the run outside  to get money from Bill Gate to fight me, i will run to Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk to tripple theirs". 

He insisted that "let me tell you for free, the next governor  after Gov. Ayade will be from the south. The Rivers shores bubbles does not last, I have  swamped and threaded in bigger waters, i have the state blue print and I know where and how to turn the fortune of the state if given the mandate". 

He called on his supporters and members of his Senatorial district to "be calm. I will keep on engaging all those I need to engage; enough of the zoning swish".

It's rumoured that there have been cold war brewing in PDP among Cross River National Assembly members. While Senators Sandy Onor and Jarigbe Agom are arguing that the party's governorship ticket won't be zoned to any zone in 2023, Bassey and others from the South are opposed to their arguments, saying that the ticket be zoned to South.

Last week, Agom gave a clear sign that all was not well with the PDP when he issued a scattering statement on zoning. He argued that the Governorship was open for all zones and not just the South. 

The statement which came days after Bassey's Sun interview calling for zoning of the position to South is believed to be a subtle response to his Southern counterpart.