Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has expressed confidence in the ability of the Adamu Abdullahi-led nine-member All Progressives Congress (APC) Reconciliation Committee to calm frayed nerves in the party.
The committee whose members include the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Betta Edu, was in Calabar on a visit to the governor.
While welcoming the committee members at the State Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar, Ayade said he was optimistic that the APC would emerge from its current challenges stronger and more united.
“Today, we have so many gladiators and today, we are the ruling party, but what I know for sure is that at the last minute, APC will always come together and win again and again.
“For those who have some complex permutations that perhaps this crisis or this tension arising from the congresses and perhaps, the potential national congress ahead of us will bring to an end the APC, they are just joking.
“In my short stay in the party, the warmth and embrace I have received, I know for certain that as soon as we are done with the convention, with the great work your committee is doing, the party will put its acts together and start preparing against 2023.”
Appealing to APC faithful to embrace the principle of give and take, the governor said: “I want to commend you and to use this opportunity to talk to our members who have so much strength by the positions they occupy to give us room to share power. It is only by sharing power that there is peace.”
Abdullahi, former Nassarawa State governor, commended Governor Ayade for the peace in the Cross River chapter of the party.