By Magnus Effiong
The governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Cross River state and the only female in the governorship race, Mrs Marikana Ibiang, has said she would be the first woman to govern the State due to her impeccable credentials, motherly dispositions and socio-political capabilities.
Ibiang, who said this in a chat with our reporter, noted that for the fact that men have so far failed in bringing socio-economic sucour to the suffering masses of Cross River people, she would bring her motherly disposition to bear in governance, change the narratives and restore the lost glory of the State.
“As a woman, I have come to effect a change in governance. Everyone knows that Cross River state is not working and that is why I have come to, by the grace of the Almighty God, cause the State to work again and restore its lost glory.
“A woman is a mobilizer, and once we are involved in any matter, we perfect it, we breathe life into it. I am in the race to demonstrate what women are capable of doing. We are Action Democratic Party and action we shall show.
“Our men have not given us what they promised us. Our people are passing through hell in the midst of plenty. In fact, Cross River needs a female governor, at this point of our history, to reposition our education sector, health sector, re-engineer our nfrastructure and bring hope to our people. I believe I have the capacity and exposure to handle this task well,” she stated.
On her party’s preparedness , particularly at the grassroots, Mrs Ibiang said, “we are on ground in Cross River and let me say that ADP is a force to reckon with. We have the capacity to measure up. We know how to mobilize our people to do the right thing which is having a clean break and rejecting the status quo.
“We are not scared because we have the people on our side and our party members in the field are already doing great work. I know that Nigerian politics has been greatly monetized but we are not scared.
“Our people’s eyes have opened to know that selling their vote for five cups of rice is selling ones birthright for a peanut which, at the end, will bring eight years of suffering as we are witnessing.
“We are ready and we are going to bring to an end years of dominance of the polity by the ruling class in APC and PDP, and give Cross River a new direction.”
Our reporter gathered that Lady Ibiang, who hails from Nko in Yakurr local government area of the State, graduated from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology with a Degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
She also has a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, with a PhD in view from the prestigious University of Nigeria – Nsukka.
An ADP Chieftain, Ekpenyong Archibong, who spoke to our reporter, described Mrs Ibiang as “young and dynamic, a politician of many years standing and a woman with a lion’s heart.”
Archibong disclosed that the female governorship hopeful had been a running mate to ADP governorship candidate in 2019 election and had represented, in many fora, Women In Politics, mobilizing and encouraging Nigerian women to rise and join politics for the sake of posterity.
