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The senatorial ambition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Cross River Central, Commander Solomon Esor (rtd.) received a boost at the weekend as scores of women rallied for his candidacy.
The women who are politicians in the district pledged to organize other women and groups to support the candidacy to represent them at the Senate in 2019.
Leader of the women politicians, Mrs Ikwo Ibiang explained that their decision to back Esotr was due to his public endorsement by former governor of the state now SDP presidential candidate, Donald Duke.
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Duke according to them, had expressed absolute confidence in the ability of the businessman and international consultant to make a good senator for Cross River Central.
According to the women group, the time had come for someone from the old Obubra area of the senatorial district, who has what it takes to represent them at the National Assembly, to be given the opportunity.
The leader stressed that such was the fair and just thing to do for the sake of posterity as the Senate seat belongs to everyone in the Central district of Cross River.
The women politicians explained that their pledge of support for Esor was not only guided by the need to respect the zoning arrangement but was based principally on their unflinching faith in the ability of the retired Navy commander.
“Donald Duke is our leader. His two-term as governor of the state was a golden-era for Cross River. We believe he has seen something great in Esor to be backing his senatorial ambition and we will join Duke in making sure that Commander Esor becomes our senator.
“It is not common to see His Excellency Donald Duke publicly identify with the ambition of politicians.
“There must be something special about Esor for him to have gotten our former governor’s support and that is one of the reasons we will vote for SDP all the way.
“They are fielding great presidential and senatorial candidates and we’re delighted about that.
She said that the women were happy that the people of old Obubra have put forward someone as qualified as Commander Esor to represent us at the Senate.
She noted that Esor always goes out of his way to promote the welfare of everyone in this district and had empowered many with his personal resources.
She argued that if the SDP candidate could do all of those with personal resources, then there was no doubt that he would perform better as a federal representative of the people.
“All of us here are grassroots politicians, we feel the pulse of the people on a regular basis and can assure you that those from old Ikom who are bent on retaining the Senate seat after having it for over 20 years are just wasting their time.
“We cannot have an ably qualified Obubra person throw his hat in the ring and still vote for the same persons who have been there before with nothing to show.
“Old Ikom and old Obubra are sisters and brothers; our people believe that now is the turn of the Obubra people so we don’t cultivate feeling of bad-blood in the Central district of Cross River.
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“It is in view of our desire to preserve the unity of our people that we have now taken it upon ourselves to ensure that an Obubra man, Solomon Esor of SDP wins in next year’s senatorial election.
“Not just because he is an Obubra man but because he is qualified and accessible. He has the interest of the masses at heart which obviously explains why he pitched his tent with the Social Democratic Party which is pro-masses.
“Come 2019, we are sending retired Navy commander Solomon Esor to represent us in the Senate,” the women said.
