People Democratic Party (PDP), Cross River State chapter, has presented a female to run as deputy governorship candidate in 2023 general elections.
This comes after 30 years that another female, Cicilia Ekpenyong, in 1992 emerged the first deputy governor of Cross River State. She was the running mate to former governor, Mr. Clement Ebri.
The party governorship candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, yesterday, presented Mrs. Emmana Amahwe to the party as his running mate.
Last week, some youths from Akpabuyo/ Bakassi/Calabar councils had protested over her choice as deputy governor.
Presenting Amahwe to the party at the PDP secretariat in Calabar, Onor said the decision was taken after proper consultations with all stakeholders to consider a woman as a running mate.
He said: “Since Cicilia Ekpenyong had a stint as a woman deputy governor in Cross River, we have not carried our women along again. We need to fill the office of deputy governorship with a woman; all the men we had in line for the office are adequately qualified.
“But we thought we shouldn’t be selfish, women cannot be just cheerleaders amongst us, they can also be integrated and given a pride of place. So, we thought we needed a double-barreled proposition, we need a woman that is young and we found a princess of Efik Kingdom.”
Amahwe thanked the party and Onor for finding her worthy to run as a deputy governor. She thanked women in her constituency, stating: “I will not stop to thank the PDP from the national to the state level for picking a woman to deputise as a candidate, it pushes a statement across.
“It is a big victory for my constituency, especially to the women, it is a victory for youths and the small girl out there,” she said.