Mr Hilliard Etta, the National Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), South South Zone, has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari as he seeks to turn around Nigeria’s economy.
Etta made the appeal on Friday in Calabar at a retreat organised by the state chapter of the party.
He noted that many Nigerians, including some APC members, were becoming apprehensive about the change agenda of the present administration due to the delay in the 2016 budget.
“But I urge APC members and Nigerians at large to be patient as the change is in progress,’’ he said.
He said that the 2016 budget as signed by the President was very important for the people of Cross River because of the inclusion of Lagos-Calabar rail line and Calabar-Itu road projects.
Speaking, Mr Odey Ochicha, the governorship candidate of the party in 2015 general election called for unity among party members in the state.
Ochicha stressed the need for the party to forge a common front and unite to take over the reign of governorship in the state in 2019.
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is success; and working together is progress.
“Consequently, for our dear state to progress, we must work in unity, cooperation, collaboration and partnership,’’ he said.
He blamed the party’s loss of 2015 election in the state on lack of unity among party faithful, adding that it is time both the old and new members come together and build a strong APC.
In his speech, Mr John Ochala, the Acting state Chairman of APC, said that the party was working towards taking over from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in 2019.
Ochala remarked that the PDP had out lived its usefulness in Cross River and needed to be shown the way out in 2019.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that former Senate leader Ndoma Egba was among party members from across the 18 local government areas that attended the occasion.
