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Cross River state Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has described his re-
election as a reward for his achievements in office during his first term.
The governor who spoke to journalists at the Calachicka chicken processing
plant in Calabar during an inspection tour of the factory, explained that
he felt challenged by his victory, saying it was the reason he hit the
ground running by embarking on project inspections few hours after being
declared winner.
“Election has come and gone and the task of rebuilding Cross River must
continue; it must not be paused by election victory.That is why a few
hours after being declared winner, I am here, under the blazing sun
inspecting on going projects. Of course, this is Calachika chicken
processing plant,” the governor said.
Thanking the people of Cross River for re-electing him on the basis of his
achievements in office, the state number one citizen, said it would have
been strange if he had lost the election. “A governor that does not owe
salaries, that lifted embargo on employment, expanded government by
appointing 8,000 people into office; a governor that has industrialized
the state, why wouldn’t such a governor be re-elected? I won in all
polling units. It has never happened in the history of Cross River,” he
further stated.
Governor Ayade urged Cross Riverians to unite and join him in fixing the
state, saying his philosophy of politics with ethics abhors making or
keeping political enemies. “I don’t have a friend in PDP and an enemy in
APC or any other party. It’s against my politics with ethics philosophy. I
see all Cross Riverians as one.”
On the Super highway and the Bakassi Deep Seaport, the re-elected
governor described the two as key economic projects of his administration
that must be realised and called on the federal government to show keen
interest in them.
According to him, the Bakassi Deep Seaport is key to the economic growth
of Northern Nigeria as the Port, when completed will bring the North
closer to the Atlantic ocean than Lagos does. Governor Ayade disclosed
that the five South East states have already keyed into the project by
agreeing to sign a memorandum of understanding for
its realization with his government.