Cross River Women show Solidarity to Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke (15/8/2008)

It was unprecedented. It started in trickles and exploded into an over whelming flow of women who came to show their love, solidarity and support to a man – Senator Liyel Imoke - a man they acclaimed as a great achiever in the 14 months that he was on the saddle of leadership as the Governor of Cross River State.

It was an event that truly expressed how the women in the State felt for their candidate – their Governor in waiting, Senator Liyel Imoke.

All the 18 Local Government Areas were represented in large number and even the various ethnic groups residing in Calabar such as the Hausa Community, Igbo Community, Yoruba Community and others from the neighboring South-South States.

The women who organized themselves under the umbrella of POWER waited anxiously to receive their mentor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, wife of the PDP candidate for the re-run election, Senator Liyel Imoke.

The women who spoke through their leaders pledged that they were solidly behind Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke and her husband and will revalidate their mandate which was thwarted by the Court of Appeal ruling.

Addressing the women, the PDP State Chairman Ntufam Ekpo Okon thanked the women for their solidarity. He assured them that PDP government in the State will always carry them along and advised them to go back to their different wards to sensitize the women on the need to conduct themselves in an orderly manner so as to have a peaceful election on August 23 rd 2008.

Speaking, the PDP National Trustee, Dr. (Mrs.) Stella Attoe, urged the women to be ready to do it again, what they did on April 14 th 2007.

Others who spoke in the same vain included the Acting Governor’s wife, Mrs. Iwi Francis Adah, the SSG’s wife, Mrs. Ann Ugbo, PDP State woman Leader, Mrs. Teresa Ezama, the South-South woman leader, Mrs. Angela Effiom and a woman activist in the State, Rev. Mrs. Grace Ekanem.

The women were educated on the procedure of voting so as to go back to their various communities and also educate the women in their localities.

When she came out to meet the women the PDP candidate’s wife, Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke who was overwhelmed by the presence of such a mammoth crowd of women, thanked them for their support in the April 14 th election which was cancelled by a Court verdict, urged the women not to relent in their effort, or be demoralized, but rather come out enmasse to consolidate their mandate.

Mrs. Imoke used the occasion to inform them that the prayer organized by Cross River Pray has done wonders to the effect that all the obstacles that militated against the take off of Tinapa have been removed.

She advised the women not to be intimidated by trouble makers but to remain resolute in their resolve to prove that Cross River State is entirely a PDP State.

While still speaking, her husband Senator Liyel Imoke walked into a roaring and explosive ovation by the women who busted into songs urging their candidate to remain focused to reclaim his mandate as would be expressed next Saturday when the election proper, will be conducted.

Responding to the encomium poured on him by the women of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke assured that in the 14 months that he was Governor of the State he was able to carry women along and assured them that more opportunities awaits the women, adding that he was ready to continue from where he stopped after the election.

He called on the women who have not collected their voter’s card to do so, so as to enable them vote in the rescheduled election on Saturday August 23 rd 2008.

Mrs. Nancy Irek &

Elder Emmanuel E. Okon

Press UNIT - Governors's Wife's Office