Stakeholders of Cross River Southern Senatorial District have demanded that the 2023 governorship position be zoned to the district in accordance with the “Calabar- Ogoja Accord.’’
The accord was signed by political leaders of the state in 1980.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Calabar- Declaration 2021’ which was issued after a town hall meeting on Saturday.
The statement was issued on Sunday. Those who attended the meeting include: political leaders, youth groups, religious leaders, traditional rulers, State and National Assembly members.
According to the stakeholders, Cross River South had waited for 16 years for the position of governor to rotate to the area as such they were no longer prepared to accept anything short of the slot.
The Declaration was signed by the Chairman of the event, Senator Bassey Henshaw and seven others, who represented each of the seven Local Government Areas that make up the district.
The stakeholders said they were ready to reject anyone from the zone who accepts to be running mate or coordinator for any governorship aspirant outside the district.
They said, “As the countdown to 2023 elections begins, we, the leaders, stakeholders and indeed the entire people of Southern Cross River State Southern Senatorial District find it expedient to speak with one voice and having met this day ask for the continued enforcement of the spirit of the Calabar-Ogoja Accord of 1980.
“Whereas, we are not unmindful of the inalienable rights of every citizen of the state to aspire to the political office of Governor; however, the principles of sequential rotation/ zoning will ensure equity and peaceful co-existence among the people.”
They also said that the principle applied in 1999 when Donald Duke, from the south, emerged as governor and in 2007 when Senator Liyel Imoke from the central district was elected governor and in 2015 when the incumbent governor, Prof Ben Ayade got elected from the northern district of the state.
