Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has pledged to work harder in his second term in office in his bid to ensure the total transformation of the socio-economic landscape of the state.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the preinaugural thanksgiving service held at St. Charles\u2019s Lwanga Catholic Church in Calabar, Ayade who was full of praise to God for a successful end of first tenure reiterated his commitment to banish poverty in the state.<\/p>\n
In his words, \u201cI committed myself by expanding government to ensure that at least a member of each family was represented in my government to earn salary. I kept faith in spite of daunting challenges. It was not by my might nor my power but God saw me through, which is why we have come to return all glory to God almighty. We are also here to thank the Almighty because in anticipation that He will see me through in the next four years.\u201d<\/p>\n
While pledging his unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people, he assured that his \u201ccommitment to the people of Cross River will be stronger as we begin the second journey of transforming the state from a third-class world to the first class through aggressive industrialization drive.\u201d
\nHe acknowledged the dedication, understanding and commitment of his wife in the last four years, saying \u201cshe has been the source of my strength as her prayers have kept me going. The inspiration that I have to put food on the table was driven by the circumstances of her own history.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the governor, \u201cToday we have come together as a state to thank God for his unending love and show of love in spite of our short comings in the last four years.\u201d
\nOn his election victory, Ayade said, \u201cNever in the history of Cross River State has a governor won every single polling unit in an election. For the first time we had a fantastic result. It was not by our power but by the power of God that we recorded such a landslide victory and I must once again thank the good people of Cross River State for the show of love and confidence in my capacity to transform the state.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cThe whole world knows that I took over the mantle of leadership at a very trying moment given the economic recession, political tension and deep\u00a0 paralysis, yet we enjoyed absolute peace, ecclesiastic calmness and tranquility that allowed me to focus on my commitment that no child should go to bed with an empty stomach through the expansion of government.\u201d<\/p>\n
On petitions against his re-election , the governor called on his opponents to toe the path of politicians in Enugu State who withdrew their cases\u00a0 against the governor because they all belonged to the same Christian faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main contending parties in the tribunal are Catholics and I believe that the leadership of the Catholic Church in Cross River State has a duty to call us to a round table to settle the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me as a Catholic, I have extended my hand of fellowship and will never bear any grudges against anyone for what ever reason arising from the election or any other matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his homily,\u00a0 Rev. Father Bob Etta who spoke on the theme, \u201cPeace” drawing his text from the book of Acts 15 and Revelation 21, emphasized the need for political actors to follow the path of peace.<\/p>\n
He commended the governor for his developmental strides as well prompt payment of salaries despite the state getting about the least allocation from the federation account.<\/p>\n
The service which was attended by the state Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Edem, Peaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. John gall Lebo, Nattional Asembly Members and the enlarged members of the state executive council saw the governor\u2019s wife Mrs. Linda Ayade reading the first lesson while wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Omotala Ivara Esu took the second bible reading.<\/p>\n
REPS SPEAKERSHIP: AREWA YOUTHS ENDORSE NWAJIUBA<\/p>\n
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has endorsed Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba for the Speakership position of the 9th House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
A National President of the Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, who made this known in an interactive session with newsmen in Kaduna, said the group\u2019s support was purely in the interest of \u201cnational stability, fairness and balance towards our neighbours in the South East\u201d.<\/p>\n
Shettima explained that one of the best ways to strengthen national unity and cohesion was lending a hand of support and friendship across the nation.<\/p>\n
He described Nwajiuba as a broad-minded politician with several years of experience in legal work, administration and lawmaking, adding that he made significant impacts during his tenure in the House of Reps between 1999 and 2003, where he represented Okigwe South Federal Constituency of Imo State.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe performed wonderfully as Chairman House Committee on Land and Housing. While he was away gunning for governorship seat between 2003, 2007 and 2011, he lost by a narrow margin of votes, because of acceptability. Beyond being a professional lawyer with a Master\u2019s Degree and PhD in Law, he served diligently as secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee that produced the APC itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shettima disclosed that the AYCF believes in having \u201cyoung breed of politicians in strategic positions of leadership at the level of the higher law-making body in the country, insisting that on a scale of competence, the likes of Nwajiuba have all it takes to launch the country into the digital world and help the law-making business break away from the analogue world.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the current race for the 9th House of Reps Speakership would be based on a candidate that is naturally on consistent and a nationalist ,\u201cNwajiuba will be simply unbeatable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The AYCF National President then urged all the members-elect of the current House of Reps to rally round Nwajiuba \u201con grounds of years of experience and ability to deliver on his assignments.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has pledged to work harder in his second term in office in his bid to ensure the total transformation of the socio-economic landscape…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n