A non-governmental organisation, Association of Widows in Cross River, has endorsed the state Governor, Prof Ben Ayade for a second term in office.
The association commended the governor for the recent election of one of its members, Mrs. Abbey Ukpukpen into Cross River State House of Assembly to replace her late husband, Hon. Steven Ukpukpen.
The over 10,000 widows across the state made this stand known in Calabar, the state capital, through their President, Mrs. Grace Otu during a solidarity meeting with the governor to thank him for Mrs. Ukpukpen’s election.
According to Otu, “We sincerely thank Prof Ayade for thinking it wise to support the election of a widow to take over the seat of her late husband at the state House of Assembly, to represent the governor’s state constituency.”
She further stated: “Today, we have one of us who truly understands our plight and will ensure that our interest is duly protected at all times, and in appreciation of this mark of honour to widows, we, the entire widows numbering over 10,000 in the state hereby publicly declare our support for the second term bid of our Digital Governor to enable him complete the good works he has started.”
Otu described Ayade as God-sent, who has impacted positively on lives of widows since assumption of office in May, 2015, saying it would be unfair if they failed to pull their weight behind his second term ambition.
Ayade, she said, was the only Cross River State governor in recent history that has shown so much interest in the welfare and wellbeing of widows as evidenced in the establishment of garment factory with over 80 per cent widows and their children in its employ as well as the creation of a dedicated office and a personal assistant to interface with the widows.
The leader of Cross River widows urged the people of the state not to waver in their support for Ayade’s policies and his re- election bid.
Responding, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Stella Odey, who described the election of Mrs. Ukpukpen as a demonstration of Ayade’s magnanimity, love and passion to the welfare of widows, thanked the widows for reciprocating the gesture through their endorsement of the governor for a second term in office.
Odey, who stood in for the governor, said: “Ayade is a governor with a human face who is always seeking ways to better the lot of widows across the state through initiation of several empowerment programmes.