By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

The leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Cross River state chapter has explained that the decision to endorse the candidacy of Prof. Sandy Onor of the PDP was devoid of influence or any form of selfish interest.

They further revealed that their decision was taken in the overall interest of Cross River state by deciding to participate actively in the emergence of the political leadership in the state, particularly for the position of governor.

They made their position known in a press statement co-signed by the Chairman, Lawrence Ekwok Ph.D., General Sec., Aps Frank Umo, and State Director Politics & Good governance, Prof. Kyrian Ojong, and made available to newsmen.

They stated that The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (the umbrella body of registered Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria) in Cross River State decided to participate actively in the emergence of political leadership in Cross River State, particularly for the position of the governorship of Cross River State.

“It is important to note that this decision is devoid of any selfish interest or any form of influence. Rather, it is taken in the overall interest of Cross River State.

“A Strategy Committee made up of twelve members, with ten of them drawn from amongst the highest policy-making organ of our fellowship, i.e., the State Advisory Council, SAC, and a representative each from the women and youth wings of the Fellowship was constituted.

“It is important to note that this decision is devoid of any selfish interest or any form of influence. Rather, it is taken in the overall interest of Cross River State.

“The Committee was mandated to interview/interact/interrogate key or major governorship candidates based on specific guidelines which include character, capacity, competence and the policies and manifestos of the candidates and recommend to the fellowship the candidate that they are convinced will best serve the interest of Cross River State.

“They met five times and interviewed the governorship candidates of the APC, PDP and PRP and at their fifth meeting, the members of the Committee decided to vote individually based on the guidelines earlier stipulated for the governorship candidate the PFN Cross River State should support.

“At the end of voting by the Strategy Committee members, eleven out of the twelve members voted (with each member giving reasons for the vote) that the PFN CRS should support/endorse the candidature of the governorship candidate of the PDP, Senator Prof. Sandy Onor. One member abstained from voting for personal reasons,” they stated.

“In order to arrive at a collective and unanimous decision, an enlarged meeting of State Advisory Council, SAC; State Executive Committee, SEC; and all LGA Coordinators was held on Sunday, February 19, 2023 in which the entire 51 members resolved that the reports and recommendations of the Strategy Come
from the three Senatorial districts be adopted.

“A motion to that effect was formally moved and seconded, and consecutively the entire leadership and membership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PI, Cross River State formally and officially endorsed the candidature of the governorship candidate of the PDP, Senator Prof. Sandy Onor for the March 11, 2023 governorship election.

“We therefore hereby call on all members of the pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN in all our member churches across the state to vote massively for the PDP governorship candidate in the March 11, 2023 governorship election, as the endorsement is the collective and unanimous decision of the leadership
and membership of PFN Cross River State,” they stated.