C/River 2023: Monarchs back Sen Onor, seeks end to suffering

Traditional rulers of Nko in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State have thrown their weights behind the People’s Democratic Party, PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Sandy Onor, just as they charged him to rescue the community from sufferings and untold hardship if elected.

The monarchs, according to a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja, made the call on Sunday while playing host to the PDP Cross River Central Campaign Committee Ward to Ward Campaign in the community.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Obol Lopon of Nko, Obol Effiom Ayomobi, assured the candidate of the full support of the community but he should not forget them becoming the state governor.

He said: “You have no problem in Nko. We would go out enmasse and vote for you and see if you would come back to redeem us. When your party (PDP) was in power, things weren’t as bad as this. Your party must come back to power.

“Look at our community (Nko), we’re suffering. Look at my palace; the Palace of the Obol Lopon of Nko is burnt, that’s why I’m sitting here to receive your team. Our community is burnt, our houses burnt to ashes due to government insensitivity and poor handling of the crisis with our neighbours.

“We ‘re ready to give you all our votes, but remember, Nko is crying. We’re hungry, they carted away with our money, raped our wives. We’re suffering. Please, come and help us.”

Speaking on behalf of the PDP gubernatorial candidate at the rally, the Deputy-Director General, PDP State Campaign Organisation and DG Caterpillar Movement, Chief Joe Obi Bisong, said the state of affairs has become worse under the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“I feel like crying each time we talk about the APC because they have destroyed our state. See the roads, lights and all the beautiful things the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did and left, the APC has destroyed all.

“Our women can no longer carry two thousand naira to the market for soup condiments. The wrappers they usually buy for three thousand naira is about ten thousand naira as of today. A bag of rice that sold for nine thousand naira then is about forty-fifty thousand naira today.

“Today, we have to queue to buy fuel, queue to get new naira notes and queue to collect PVCs. Our people have been killed anyhow. The Ikom-Calabar Highway is no longer safe. The APC government has no regard for human lives.

“In the last seven and half years, there have not been any form of employment in Cross River State. Our children have graduated from schools and they are at home doing nothing; crime rate is on the increase.

“Our hospitals are dilapidating, our schools have no teachers and local government councils are understaffed, our people are dying of hardship. That is why we must sack the APC and reclaim our state. Senator Sandy Onor would reverse the negative trends and restore our state,” he lamented.