Senator disagrees with advocates of zoning in Cross River

Governoship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator representing Cross River Central in the Senate, Prof. Sandy Onor, has described those calling for zoning in the state as cowards and ethnic jingoists.

Recall that the Obong of Calabar, Edem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Out; the state Governor, Ben Ayade; elders of Cross River South, led by Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, among others, had called for zoning.

They insisted that for fairness and equity, since three Senatorial zones have occupied the governorship seat, starting from the South in 1999, it was proper that zoning or rotation should start again from the South, having gone full circle.

But in a press conference, yesterday, at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar, Onor said: “Zoning has never, and I repeat, zoning has never been practised in our state since the advent of the current democratic experience in 1999. We cannot afford to sacrifice competence on the altar of zoning, as we prepare to choose a candidate for the governorship or any other election.

“Those, who are promoting and spreading the message of zoning, are either cowards, who do not have what it takes to contest the party’s ticket under a free and fair process, or are ethnic jingoists who are only interested, in misleading our people in pursuit of their very personal and selfish interests.”

He claimed that in the course of consultative visits, party leaders were united in their resolution that the contest should be open for anybody that thinks he has what it would take to contest, no matter what part of the state the person comes from.

He underscored the role of every government in protecting the lives and property of citizens, describing security as critical to every society.

“Our state was once known to be an oasis of peace and that was why investors and tourists thronged every part of the state. Once upon a time, we used to have a vibrant civil service. We will get the civil service back to the path of growth and both active civil servants and retirees will feel it,” he said.