As the local government elections finally come to reality, the Coalition of CRS LGA Chairmanship Candidates arising from their sixth general meeting have resolved to work together to support a new Cross River State Local Government Administration.
In a meeting that took place in Calabar today, the 1st of November, 2024, the leadership of the Chairmanship Candidates Forum commended the governor, Senator Prince Edet Bassey Otu for ensuring speedy approval of logistics to the CROSIEC to ensure early movement of voting materials to different LGAs. They equally commended CROSIEC for not altering any of the decisions reached with political parties and their candidates ahead of the all-important elections.
Briefing newsman at their temporary secretariat after the meeting, the Director General of the Forum, Engr. Emmanuel Bobby Ekanem, Chairmanship candidate for Calabar Municipal Council on the platform of Young Progressives Party, YPP charged CROSIEC to conduct a free and fair election to minimize post elections litigations.
On his part, the Secretary of the Forum, Hon. Prosper Monaku, SDP Candidate for Ogaja LGA, called for an all inclusive polls. He stated clearly that the opposition candidates will not accept a one-way traffic poll where only one political party sweeps the state as such a situation is capable of diminishing the credibility of the polls.
Also speaking on the sidelines, the Director of Organization and Planning, Hon. Pastor Linus Asuquo, candidate of the APP and Chairmanship candidate in Akpabuyo LGA, urged the electorates to come out enmass to vote and protect their votes. His position was reechoed by Hon. Henry Njar, the APM candidate for Ikom LGA and Director of Contacts and Information of the Forum.
Hon. Raymond Agbor Nsor, the Labour Party candidate for Ikom LGA and Deputy Director of the Forum appealed to the governor as well as the electoral umpire to reduce post election tension by flowing the part of accommodation and political inclusivity like what happened in Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State, Delta, Jigawa, Adamawa and a few other states where the ruling party demonstrated magnanimity in an election that is largely hijacked by the ruling party.
The Forum assured their readiness to support and work towards a prosperous Cross River State where everyone has a role to play as stakeholders