Cracks on PDP’s Wall Manifests as Atiku Causes Gridlock in Calabar

By Stanley Ekpenyong (South-south Bureau Chief)

The campaign trail of the Presidential Candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Monday stormed Calabar, the Cross River state capital, causing unprecedented  gridlock at the IBB way/ stadium end of the ever-busy Murtala Muhammed Highway.

At the campaign rally at the U.J Esune stadium, the cracks on PDP’s wall were quite visible as its Cross River State Gubernatorial Candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, state and National Assembly candidates, former governor Donald Duke and many chieftains loyal to the Governor Nyesom Wike-led G-15 faction of the party stayed away from the event.

However, the massive crowd at the stadium appeared unfazed by the development as they responded ecstatically to the former State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke’s speech.

The former Governor who is also the Deputy Director of General Operations of the PDP presidential campaign council, in his speech insisted that despite the defection of the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade and other prominent PDP chieftains in the state to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Cross River remained a PDP state and would deliver Atiku.

Earlier, Alhaji Atiku commended Cross River State PDP for its support and loyalty and assured that the party if elected will dredge the Calabar Port and develop the proposed Calabar to Port Harcourt railway line.

The former Vice President told the crowd that Calabar port will open up the Eastern business corridor when elected as President.

”I know the prospects that the Calabar port would bring to the economy of Cross River State and neighbouring states.

“My administration will come with a major policy thrust of bringing government and governance closer to the people through restructuring.

“To Recover Nigeria, we must restructure and make the people the centrepiece of socioeconomic investments,” he said.

Meanwhile, despite being an APC state, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Cross River will tilt toward Peter Obi’s Labour party in the presidential election.

Obi, the Presidential candidate of the party, is the preferred choice of the majority of eligible voters in the state.

In the markets, restaurants eateries, motor parks, football fields, viewing centres and even at campaign rallies of the APC and PDP, almost everyone is unanimous that they will cast their votes for Obi in the presidential election and then make individual choices based on other considerations in the other elections.

The Source (magazine) was among the media houses embedded with the APC’s campaign team during its recent electioneering tours of the Northern, Central and Southern Senatorial districts of the state and it was quite a sight to behold to watch many party supporters openly maintained they would vote Obi in the presidential election and the APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Bassey Otu in the governorship election.