Senator Gershom Bassey (Cross River South) has boasted that he is the only governorship aspirant in the field with the capacity to lead the state come 2023 general elections.

So far, Sen Sandy Onor, representing Central Senatorial district, Rt Hon Daniel Asuquo, member representing Akamkpa/Biase federal constituency and Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, Chancellor Arthur Jarvis University, have also declared their intention to run for the governorship primaries in PDP.

Speaking while declaring his governorship ambition to the leadership of the PDP and thousands of supporters at the party secretariat at Mary Slessor, Calabar, Sen Bassey said, among all the individuals who have indicated interest to succeed governor Ben Ayade in 2023, he is the only one that has the capacity to take the state to the next level of governance.

He said with the wealth of experience gained over the years, he is capable of transforming the state into an industrial hub for employment creation for residents of the state.

‘I am one of the founding members of the PDP in the state. I understand the politics of the party and the state. I would do everything within my reach to ensure that the party wins the election,’ he stated.

‘We have never lost a governorship election in Cross River state. The PDP was built on truth, friendship, trust and friendliness. You are a chairman today because of the truth you stood for.

‘After Liyel Imoke completed his eight years tenure in 2014 under the PDP, we zoned the governorship to the north. And that after eight years it will rotate to South. Has that rule been overturned?’

‘In terms of experience, nobody has the kind of wealth of experience that I have. If you are doubting me I want you people to organize a debate for all the aspirants.

‘When you fail to treat an aspirant or candidate fairly the party loses elections. So, I know that moving forward is for the betterment of the party. As a person I won’t undermine the candidature of any of the aspirants,’ Bassey maintained.

Sharing the Christmas cake, which he tagged as “cake of truth” in the company of the PDP Exco, Bassey disclosed that in 2015 not one person from the south contested.

Welcoming Sen Gerahom Bassey to the party secretariat, the state chairman of PDP, Venatus Ikem, said the party would give everybody a level-playing ground and advised the aspirants to play by the rules and always bear in mind that at the end party decision would be Supreme.

He said he has heard all the complaints from the southern senatorial district on the issue of zoning of governorship a d that the party would do the needful at the appropriate time.

TodayNG