Carnival: Ayade leads bikers’ dry run

Over 250 riders Akwa Ibom, Imo, Enugu and Anambra on Sunday participated in the power bikers’ dry run of the 2016 Calabar Carnival.

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River led the well-kitted crowd of bikers round the carnival routes.

Ayade said that the bikers’ dry run was to enable the riders to be familiar with the carnival routes ahead of Dec. 27 bikers’ show.

According to him, the carnival which has recorded 12 years, is getting better and bigger with innovation introduced.

Mr Akin Rickets, President of Metallic Nights Motorcycle Club of Calabar, said that the club was established early this year with the aim of getting power bike riders to imbibe safety measures.

Rickets, a former Commissioner for Information in Cross River, said that 46 of the club members participated in the dry run.

“Our aim is to take safety measures by establishing the routes the routes to be taken at the real bikers’ show on Dec. 27.

“We have distinguished personality in our club, including military personnel, royal fathers, politicians and others,’’ he said.

Mrs Ini Undonkan, a member of Millennium Motorcycle Club of Uyo, said that she led 52 of her club members to participate in the dry run.

According to Undonkan, riding a power bike is fun, while crashes can be prevented if safety measures are taken.

“Some people see power bike as a male -dominated show, but that is not true because we have over 10 females in our club who are experts.

“Riding a power bike is just like any other sport,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that major roads in Calabar metropolis were blocked, while heavy security presence was mounted in all the carnival routes by the police, army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.