Nseobong Okon-Ekong
A group of Special Assistants to Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade have passed a Vote of Confidence on their boss for his dogged fight against the dreaded Coronavirus currently ravaging other states and countries of the world.
The governor’s aides, under the auspices of Special Assistants Network (SAN) made the declaration in a communique rising from their last meeting in Calabar, where a new executive was elected to run the affairs of the body.
The communique, titled ‘On Ayade’s Leadership We Stand’ partly reads; “The forum of all the Special Assistants to the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sir. Sen. (Prof.) Ben Ayade in their last meeting have passed a vote of confidence on the Leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River and Governor of the State, Senator Ben Ayade for his pragmatic and purposeful leadership style which has fostered unity, and strengthened internal democracy within the party in the state.
They said the vote of confidence is deemed necessary, owing to his visionary and innovative leadership, which has positioned the state as one of the fastest growing economies in Nigeria, with a plethora of completed and ongoing developmental projects spread across the state, namely; the Rice processing factory, the Garment factory, the Paradise toothpick manufacturing company in Yakurr, the CRS cocoa processing Factory, The CRS rice seedling and seed Factory, The CRS rice mill at Ogoja, The CRS instant noodles Factory, The CRS frozen chicken Processing Factory, The CRS pharmaceutical Company (Calapharm), The CRS fertilizer company etc’.
According to the communique, “the forum also commended the Governor for his numerous human development/empowerment strides, especially the inclusion of so many youths in his cabinet, the prompt payment of salaries to civil/public servants in the state civil service and the G-Money revolution in spite of the lean resources of the state government.”
On the fight against the global pandemic, ‘the forum extolled the professional manner in which the Governor is handling Covid-19 pandemic in the state, thereby making the state one of the only two states (the other state being Kogi State) that has not recorded a single case of COVID-19 till date. The introduction of the novel ‘No Mask No Movement’ and the timely closure of all the state’s land and water borders are some of the measures which the Ayade administration enforced in a bid to keep the state safe and free of COVID-19’.
The newly inaugurated executive committee of the noble forum frown at the action of some disloyal and disgruntled elements within the party, who in connivance with some Cross River national members attempted unsuccessfully to hijack and alter the list of successful Chapter/Ward Executives of the party which was collated from the just concluded PDP Ward and LG congresses held in the 18LGAs of the state.
The communique was jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Special Assistant to the Governor on Entertainment, Mr Effiom Bassey and Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Office the First Lady, Beyin Adie respectively, asserts that all the Special Assistants have reaffirmed their unalloyed support and loyalty to their boss and principal, Sir. Sen.(Prof) Ben Ayade as the indisputable and indefatigable leader of the PDP in Cross River State.
The group issued a strict warning to detractors, ‘threatening to mobilize its members and electorates across the state to initiate a recall process of any National Assembly member who is disloyal to the leadership of PDP in the state, by invoking Sections 69 and 110 which provides for the manner by which a recall may be effected in the federal and state legislative houses respectively’.
