By BASSEY ITA
The massive turnout which attended the All Progressives Congress, APC campaign rallies in the Northern Senatorial District has been largely described as being 'beyond the ordinary.'
The Aura of victory which has always sorrounded the party's Candidates has been the interest and the attraction.
About the elections,public sentiments allude to the fact of the Electorate knowing and appreciating by now, the direction of the pendulum.
Beyond the turnout,the endorsement has been massive as well, especially as reflected in the mass defection into the APC from the main opposition PDP and other parties in recent times.
Interestingly,the Presidential Rally held recently in Calabar, threw up Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,the party's Presidential Candidate,and Sen.Prince Bassey Otu,the Governorship Candidate and Sen. Ben Ayade, not only as the State Governor but also as the Senatorial Candidate for the Northern Senatorial District as the main mystique(s) behind the party. It may not be about Physique but about their Psyche.
It was clear that their personality traits is what attracted the loud ovation and applause of supporters at the U.J Esuene Stadium.
Asiwaju Tinubu spoke like a Prophet. And like a Prophet whose depth of thoughts and vision are extreme,he poured out a rain of blessing on Cross River State.
"My Government will bring prosperity. God bless you. God bless Cross River State. Your Children will be greater than all of us.
"Since Morning,you have been waiting to see me hear what we will say. God will give you showers of blessing. He will bless your families; protect your families,give you joy,and defeat your enemies. God will give you happiness,and you shall prosper."
These remarks of the Jagaban of Borgu re-echoed the hope of a better Cross River State ahead.
Only an abiding faith in those 'prophetic declarations' is what should be seen of people during the polls proper.
In manifesting the disposition of a Prophet too,Sen. Prince Otu spoke greatly regarding Asiwaju Tinubu's leadership antecedents as a direct bearing to the state when he mentioned that Asiwaju has come to Cross River to establish the insignia of prosperity.
The presentation of flag to Sen.Otu at the instance of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu therefore represents a symbolic transfer of that insignia of prosperity to the state.
Excitingly,the development template of the incoming Federal Government of Asiwaju Tinubu promises to be prosperous for Cross River.
Recall is made in Asiwaju Tinubu's Blueprint for instance,of the planned modernisation of existing Seaports in the country and the development of new Deep Seaports to decongest the already congested ones.
This will also attract inter-agency and inter-governmental cooperation and coordination between key players in the marine sector to throw up development of the overall economy.
Interestingly,the blue economy is one sector Cross River has comparative advantage over other states.
During a consultative tour of the Northern Senatorial District last year,Sen.Otu had in Obudu specifically, announced plan to leverage the rich natural resource and human capital base of the state to create a private sector driven, production-oriented economy that would enjoy the privileges and benefits of evacuation corridors including Ports, Roads and Rails for export and import exchanges.
Interestingly,the "People-First" Manifesto of the Sen. Otu administration, incoming, has affirmed that earlier projection to build a production-oriented economy for the state through involvement in areas of comparative advantage.
This singular development has the potential of impacting robust economic prosperity for the state.
Recall that today Lagos State enjoys a huge Internally Generated Revenue,IGR,base of over ₦7 billion from ₦600 million because of developments in the blue economy which found expression in the deployment of innovative skills manpower and expertise for the growth process.
Thankfully,in borrowing the Lagos model,Cross River State is bound to experience massive deployment of similar manpower,skill and expertise which are in great abundance in the state to achieve massive domestic manufacture.
Where there's a yawning deficit,the People-First Manifesto has established that the proposed Ministry of Human Capital Development will address those challenges through equipping of more Cross Riverians with the necessary skills and competencies for the required growth.
At the Obudu rally,the State Governor,Sen. Ben Ayade had remarked that the Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had requested for a project to be done for Cross River after his emergence as President of the Country,and that he mentioned the Bakassi Deep Seaport. This remark by the Governor further corroborates Sen. Otu's planned expansion of the marine transport sector for the intended economic prosperity of the state.
Aside broad based development in social welfare, education,health, security of lives and properties, infrastructure,power,among others,a new reality of economic development berths the shores of Cross River with the planned overhaul of the economy as vividly captured in the People-First Manifesto.
Since "the unexamined life is not worth living," the message to all Cross Riverians is that a prosperous future has been presented for all to visualise,and having come from the All Progressives Congress,it behoves the mass of Cross River people to align this reality by voting the APC from "top to bottom."
Bassey Ita writes as Member of the Directorate of Media and Publicity,State Campaign Council,APC,Cross River State.
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