By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial elections, the organized labour in Cross River State has endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Cross River, BasseyOtu as its preferred choice.
The endorsement was announced by the labour leaders during a courtesy call on the state Governor Ben Ayade at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar.
The immediate past state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ben Ukpekpi said the organised labour visited the governor to intimate him of their choice in the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
According to him, the organised labour cannot be insulated from political choices and participation because workers suffer more from bad governance.
The organised labour in Cross River, he said, “believes in equity, justice and fairness and we want it to reign in Cross River. That is why we support power shift to the Southern Senatorial District and for Senator Bassey Otu to be governor.
“During elections, we have never let you down and will not let you down this time too, therefore we key into the Back to South mantra and Otu for governor “.
Speaking further, Comrade Ukpekpi said: “So, Your Excellency, today we are not here for negotiations or for any labour related issue, we come here today to inform you that we wholeheartedly endorse Senator Otu as next governor of Cross River state. Like you, we know that Senator Otu will be a labour-friendly governor.
“I will want to say here that on two occasions Senator Otu visited the organized labour, so we believe in him and we endorse him”.
Responding, Governor Ayade expressed delight that the organised labour believed in and supports the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
According to him, “the NLC, TUC, all the various labour associations have a responsibility to guarantee that fairness justice and equality is not only done but seen to be done and that every single material person has the responsibility to guarantee that he is bound speak to the principles of equity.
“What is equity in this circumstance is that the Central and Northern senatorial districts have taken their turn in producing governor and that it is now the turn of the South. It is therefore, imperative that all of us support the back to South agenda.
“The endorsement of back to South principle therefore, means that everyone of us cast our votes for Senator Bassey Otu, who is the incoming governor.”
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