Chief Edem Duke, a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River, has promised to work with non-indigenes in the area to develop the state if elected governor in 2019.
Speaking on Monday in Calabar when a delegation of Yoruba Community in Cross River paid him a courtesy visit, Duke lauded the ingenuity of the Yoruba nation, describing the people as the engine room of Nigeria’s economy.
He said that there was hardly any sector of the economy without a Yoruba as front runner and acknowledged their foremost contributions to the development of the State.
“I salute the Yorubas in Cross River for their hard work and peaceful nature. Since I was born and lived here in Calabar, I have never heard that the Yoruba community in Cross River had any problem with the natives.
“If I become governor of this state through your vote, I am assuring you that I will work with you and other non-indigenes to develop the state and take it to a higher level.
“I will create an enabling environment so that you can carry out your daily routines without fear of molestation, ‘’ he said.
The former Minister for Culture and Tourism restated his resolve to restore the tourism potentials of the state by embarking on aggressive tourism drive.
“I will make sure that Cross River becomes the tourism hub of the sub Saharan Africa because we are endowed from the Northern hills of Obanliku to the southern waters of Bakassi and we have barely harnessed these potentials.
“We will ensure that the business atmosphere, leisure and hospitality Cross River is known for is completely re-branded and brought back to life,” he said.
The Cross River governorship aspirant said that his aspiration was driven by a burning desire to re-position the state and turn around its fortunes, having seen clearly that the state was not on the path of progress.
He acknowledged the strengths in other aspirants, but noted that, as a humble individual with the fear of God and with wealth of experience, he has all it takes to provide good governance to the people.
He expressed gratitude to the Yoruba community for the visit and described it as a bold and unusual step.
Speaking, Leader of the delegation, Mr Ishmaila Osho, said they were proud to identify with the aspirant whose record was “commendable and enough to attract the desired progress to the state’’.
Osho said that the Yoruba community in the State have given their support to him because of their belief that he would use his position as governor to create an enabling environment for peace to reign and business to thrive.