DAVID ODEY
Youths and some students of the University of Calabar (Unical) have called on the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade to declare his intension to run again as governor in 2019.
The students made the call in Calabar during the Children’s Day march past at the U.J. Esuene Stadium Saturday.
Students’ Union leader at the University of Calabar, Comrade Anthony Afufu, announced the endorsement of the Governor for 2019, saying “Cross River State students support you.”
The students carried banners with inscriptions such as ‘Ayade Declare for 2019 or Face Mob Action’ and ‘Industrialization is Our Future’.
Some of them who also carried red flags bearing the controversial red bull logo designed to replace the existing state logo, insisted the logo had come to stay.
Various women groups representing the 18 local government areas of the state as well as Hausa and Yoruba women associations in Calabar, took part in the march past after students from dozens of secondary schools in the state capital had concluded theirs.
The Children’s Day celebration was almost turned into a political rally as PDP flags were waved by some youths who openly campaigned for Ayade.
Thereafter, Governor Ayade addressed the youths and praised them for their doggedness and enthusiasm, promising to address their request in future.
He later announced a donation of N10 million to the youths and N5 million to the women.
One of Governor Ayade’s guests at the event, Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also announced a donation of N3 million in support of his host to the excited youths.