By Magnus Effiong
As the Cross River state governorship race gathers momentum, the member representing Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Daniel Effiong Asuquo has declared his intention to take over from Gov Ben Ayade in 2023.
Making his governorship declaration at the State Secretariat of the PDP in Calabar, Thursday, Asuquo said he would continue with the Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Ben Ayade visions for the State as well as partnering with the people for result-oriented administration.
He said “the wealth of our state is encapsulated in the Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Ben Ayade’s visions and we shall run with those visions. No vision is useless.
“We shall partner with Cross River state people to ascertain their immediate needs. Our 6-point agenda is the pillar on which our administration will be built on. It is a project for continuity, it is a project for partnership and we shall ensure a Public, Private Partnership model that will take Cross River to a lofty height.
“I intend to transform the state to an agro processing hub that will create the needed employment thereby turning the food on the table philosophy to food for the table.
“As I said earlier, we will govern through partnering with critical stakeholders and in the partnership, we will revamp rural and urban infrastructure across the state.”
Asuquo believed that it was the turn of the Southern Senatorial district of the State to produce the next governor and that non Efik speaking people in the South should be encouraged to do so for equity and fair play.
Recall that he had earlier made his declaration last weekend at his country home, Akamkpa where he reasoned that since the Efik-speaking people of the southern senatorial district had produced a governor in the person of Mr Donald Duke between 1999 and 2007, it was only fair to give the non Efik-speaking part of the senatorial district the opportunity to produce same in 2023 after the tenure of the incumbent.
Asuquo who is popularly known as ‘DANSUKI’, said “Cross River State and PDP has over the years operated a rotational leadership style, under a family arrangement. Let me echo here loud and clear, it is the turn of the south to produce the next governor.
“It is also the turn of the non Efik speaking people of the southern senatorial district. I have a dream, like Martin Luther Kings once said, to build a robust, prosperous, peaceful and secured Cross River State, through continuity and partnership’.”
