By Ike Uchechukwu

CALABAR—Ahead of December 9, 2015 Supreme Court ruling on the perjury suit against Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, by a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in the 2015 governorship election in the state, Mr. Joe Agi, youths of the state have vowed to resist any attempt to remove the governor through the court.

Agi had approached the apex court to nullify the March 28, 2015 governorship election that produced Ayade over alleged age falsification by governor.

The youths, under the aegis of National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, who made their position known during a solidarity visit to the state’s Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, said that any attempt to steal the peoples’ mandate from Ayade through the backdoor would be resisted at all cost.

Speaking, state Secretary of NYCN, Ndifon Victor, noted that it became imperative for youths of the state to speak out after the recent twist in the case which saw counsel to PDP adopting the application of Agi that Ayade should be removed from office.

He said: “We want to warn that we will resist any attempt by anybody to steal the mandate of the youths and people of Cross River State through the backdoor. We are proud and happy with the developmental strides of Ayade’s administration and will not tolerate any form of distraction from any angle.”

On his part, National President of National Association of Cross River Students, NACRIS, Obaji Caleb, said that Cross River students across the globe will not accept any governor outside Ayade.