Prof Sandy Onor, the Senator representing Cross River State Central District, has maintained that he has close political ties with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Onor stressed that he and Wike were also old time friends.
Onor fielded questions from journalists at the NUJ Press Centre, Calabar, where he was asked to clarify the strong speculation that Wike is behind his governorship ambition.
“I cannot run away from such question. I know that it was coming. It is true that I have closer political friendship with Gov Wike.
“There’s no politician who has serious ambition at any time that would not have key persons to give him political supports, and sometimes finance.
“Mr Donald Duke had Dangote. Liyel Imoke had Obasanjo. Gov Ayade had Tompolo, etc. It is not only in Cross River State. It is not a new thing. You want to go for the presidency, you must have international networks of friends and supports. So, if I have Wike as my old-time friend expressing happiness at my aspiration, what’s wrong with it?” He queried.
But Gov Wike few days ago denied that he has particular interest in Onor’s governorship ambition.
He, however, maintained that he will definitely give solid backing to any candidate which the PDP will eventually settle for during the election next year.
“It is not true that I am giving backing to Prof Sandy Onor to contest the 2023 election. But I can say that I will do all that’s legally possible for PDP candidate to win the Cross River governorship election,” he said.
Meanwhile, almost all stakeholders, traditional chieftains, community leaders in the district are reportedly in support of zoning of governorship to the South.
They are said to have frowned at Onor’s aspiration.
Chairman of the PDP in the State, Venatius Ikem has consistently said that they have yet not decided on which zone the candidate will come from.
Smartly, Governor Ben Ayade of the APC has quickly cashed into the seeming confusion in the PDP and announced for the umpteenth time that he would only hand over to one from the Southern Senatorial District.
