by By Elijah Ugani
The Obubra Traditional Rulers Council has pledged to support Sen Sandy Onor reclaim Cross River State from the maladministration of the present governor, having seen the two former governors, Mr Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke supporting him.
The traditional rulers made the disclosure at the consultative forum with the PDP Campaign Council, held at the Traditional Rulers Council Hall, Mile 1, Obubra Local Government Council.
The council recounted the good days of Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke as governors and berated Gov Ben Ayade for subjecting to sufferings.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, HRH, Vincent Enang-ere averred that “Like our former governors, Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke performed very pleasantly, if you have the two former governors moving with Sandy Onor, it is only natural that we have to support him, because he definitely perform like them.
“We are not politicians, we are only sympathizers and we sympathize with the party that will carry us along. PDP is not new to us. It is a party that have performed above average.
“When you become governor, we don’t go on retirement, please provide the platform and the enabling environment for us to serve our people better.
“The message we have gotten from you today, we will pass it on to our subjects. PDP is the only party that will take us to the promised land. With God on your side, all of seated here will win”.
Speaking earlier, Sen Sandy Onor told the traditional rulers that it was very necessary he informed and solicit their support to serve the state from collapse.
Onor noted that “Obubra nurtured me and very happy about that. When I become governor you will know that your son is governor.
You in Etung/Obubra are lucky because one of your sons will be governor.
This is the party you should vote for. Your son will work with me in the House of Assembly and he will support me to serve you better.
“Friday Okpeche, is tested and trusted, we are sending him to represent us. When you want to send people to Abuja, you send those who will be able to represent you. When I landed the senate, everybody knew I was there. Send catch fire, he is going to catch fire there, and everybody will know that he is around.
“When Donald Duke was governor, all us were happy. He served us well and Imoke came and consolidated on the gains of what Donald started.
And came the man who destroyed everything that was built.
“Thankfully, Imoke came here and apologized to you.
As traditional rulers, you are supposed to speak the truth. You are not supposed to be afraid us. You can only respect us.
“You cannot be generous with government money, you can only be accountable.
You pack money and give to young people without job description, you say you are generous. That is not being generous, it is foolishness.
“You the Traditional Rulers who takes a lots of pressure from your subjects, settle disputes and receive abuses, your stipends is a just #7,500.00, what is a mis-normal.
The APC lie a lot. When they come, ask them what they have done for you.
“When I become governor, one of the first thing I will do is to do a local government tour to enable me interface with you to understand your challenges and how best we can address them.
“None of the industries, none of the roads undertaken by this government is complete. The only road in the north they said they are doing, as they are working the road, it is piling as they move on.
“If you have been to Ogoja, you will realize that the guest house that was there, this government demolished it, now they cannot rebuild it. What they will have done was to build a new one.
“All the trees Donald planted, they have cut them down. The Calabar you use to know is very dirty. The local government has been destroyed. There is a relationship between the local government and the economy of the rural people.
“When you destroy the local government system, then all hope is lost. Now they are carrying someone to come and tell you to vote for.
If you go to government house, you cannot use the toilets there, they have destroyed everything we are known for. Please vote for PDP and bring us back. The respect you have for us, when we get to office, your stipends and allowances will be increased.
“Donald Duke didn’t lie, Imoke came, he never lied and I will not lie. I don’t believe in the politics of lies”.
On his part, former governor Donald Duke urged the traditional rulers to give the same support they gave him in 1999 and 2007 to emerge governor to Sen Sandy Onor”As you supported me in 1999, please support Sen Sandy Onor to become governor
It is a serious business. What happens in the next four years will determine what will happen to us in the next decade.
“Life is all about hope. Whoever gives you hope, is the person you will follow. If you trusted me, please trust this man. He has been in the system. Weather it is in the local government system, he has seen it, he even wrote a book on Local Government Administration.
When you’re commissioner for Agriculture and Environment. You have to move round the state. You don’t sit in the office.
“You also sent him to the senate. At the senate, just in three months, the Senate President in the opposition party declared him as the Orator of the Senate, to me that means a lot.
“The back to south is a mirage, let everybody go out and vote. Whoever does not vote, does not like this state, such a person is the reason why we are where we are”.
