…Says 2023 mistake must not repeat itself

The Minister of State for Industry and Director of Manufacturing & SME Mobilization of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator John Owan Enoh, has said the 2023 presidential result in Cross River where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won only 7 out of 18 local government areas must not repeat in 2027.

Owan-Enoh spoke in Calabar on Sunday while inaugurating the State Exco and Polling Unit structures of Project Beyond, a pro-Tinubu youth mobilization group.

According to him, the 2023 election was a wake-up call for APC in the state.

“In 2023, out of 18 local governments, our President only won 7. Atiku Abubakar won 10? 10 of Cross River local governments were won by Peter Obi. Are we ready for that again?” he asked the crowd.

He said Project Beyond has now joined Cross River to the committee of states with functional structures to correct that mistake.

“I thank the national leadership of Project Beyond for making Cross River part of other states with structures for mobilization of the President, Governor and all APC candidates. With this inauguration, Cross River has joined,” he said.

Owan-Enoh disclosed that the group originally planned to mobilize on November 20, requiring close to 1,000 buses to move 20,000 members of its support structure, but took last-minute decision to inaugurate now as prelude to Monday’s presidential campaign rally at U.J Esuene Stadium.

“So my appeal is everyone here and those not here should join us tomorrow at U.J Esuene Stadium after collecting T-shirts for the rally,” he said.

Charging the new executives, he said their assignment is simple: deliver 18 over 18.

“The determination of Project Beyond Cross River working with state APC leadership is to make it 18 over 18. It’s 18 over 18. For those inaugurated as Exco and polling unit structure, your assignment is simple — the 7 LGAs of Southern Senatorial District must all deliver Tinubu, and same for Central and North. And not slim victories — we are interested in quantity and volume of votes,” he stressed.

He revealed a polling unit strategy of planting at least five persons per polling unit with phone numbers to knock doors, open buckets, enter households, markets and farms to preach Tinubu’s second term, Governor Bassey Otu’s second term, and all National and State Assembly candidates.

“I hand all these candidates — our Senators, Reps for Calabar South/Bakassi/Akpabuyo, Odukpani/Calabar Municipality, Akamkpa/Biase, and all House of Assembly seats — over to you. Deliver them resoundingly for party, President and Governor,” he concluded.

In his remark, the Senior Special Assistant SSA to the President on Industrial Training & Development and Director of Strategic Communication, Project Beyond, in Calabar, Hon. Adamson Ayinde, urged Cross Riverians to support President Tinubu’s 2027 second term bid.

Ayinde, speaking for the pro-Tinubu youth group Project Beyond conceptualized by Tinubu in 2021, described Tinubu as a fighter for justice and said his administration is youth-focused, claiming 75-80% of the cabinet are youths.

He cited Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and other road projects, plus health sector jobs and hospital building, as achievements, saying Tinubu has implemented 65-70% of the group’s blueprint. He conveyed BOT Chairman Hon. Abiodun Yunusa’s goodwill and thanked the Minister for supporting the President.

In his acceptance speech, newly inaugurated Coordinator of Project Beyond Cross River, Dr John Ebokpo, pledged total mobilization in 3,281 polling units, 196 wards and 18 LGAs to defend President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and keep Cross River 100% APC.

He thanked leaders and Governor Otu as undisputed APC leader, said Project Beyond is a marching structure, not ordinary.

He unveiled a 3-point roadmap: total mobilization for all APC candidates, total evangelism of Tinubu’s reforms (agriculture, MSME, student loans, CNG, infrastructure) door-to-door in local languages, and total unity with state APC executive with no parallel structures.

He assured the Governor, Ministers and national leadership of 100% support for Tinubu and Otu, pledging to showcase projects and protect votes.