Judex Okoro, Calabar

 

The Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayadw has  commended Independent National Electoral Commission INEC for conducting credible general elections.

 

Ayade, who gave the commendation at the Mike Igini Hall in the Commission’s head office in Calabar while receiving his certificate of Return alongside the 25 elected members of the Cross River State House of Assembly on Friday, said the victory is for all Cross Riverians and he will work with his fellow contestants in the quest to develop the state.

 

Professor Ayade said: “INEC did a very credible job in Cross River State and their actions deserve commendation.

 

“ The Commission was impartial, fair, just, articulate, intelligent and we commend them for their conduct”.

 

While promising to focus on the core objectives of his government, he extended an olive branch to his fellow contestants in the interest of the state and promised to further expand his government in order to accommodate more families in Cross River State.

 

“All political parties in the state are all Cross Riverians  and they must come together in the interest of the state.

 

“ We must come together as a state to bring value and elegance to Cross River state.

 

“Politics have come to an end and we must call our brothers on the other side, sit on the table and work together in the interest of the state.

 

“All the governorship candidates are meeting with me next week so we can distill their ideas and incorporate them in the transition programme”, he said.

 

He said in his first term, Cross River had over 8,000 appointees despite low allocation so as to ensure that every family is accommodated and this will be expanded in his second term.

 

He promised to show example and good governance to the state as a government that is led by professors and bring absolute value to the state.

 

Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Frankland Briyai commended all stakeholders for the success of the elections.

 

He said cross river state ranked among the best that conducted the elections as no life was lost.

 

He said the issuance of the certificate is one of the most critical mandates of the election as it confirms the winner of the elections and said with the certificate, they have a political mandate to render service to their constituents.