2019: Group endorses State House of Assembly member for 2nd term

Efio-Ita Nyok|18 May 2018

Nigerian students under the aegis of National Association of Ogoja Students Worldwide (NAOS WW), Thursday, endorsed the Honourable Member representing Ogoja State Constituency at the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon Peter Odey, for a second term come 2019. 

The students numbering almost hundred stormed the House of Assembly Complex in the state capital, Calabar with placards carrying various inscriptions like, ‘Ogoja students say carry go to Hon Peter Odey’, ‘Odey 2019, ‘No vacancy except Odey’, etc. 

In an interview at the Assembly Complex, the leader of the students delegation, Comr Ogon Austin Oweh, told newsmen that they were there to plump for Hon Odey in view of 2019 general elections. Ogon hinted that this was the first instance they were experiencing a Honourable Member giving bursary to Nigerian students. He eulogised the fact that Odey has risen to the challenge of paying school fees of disadvantaged Ogoja secondary students and primary school pupils. 

According to him, ‘We just came here to endorse our Honourable Member, Hon Peter Odey, for his proactive performance thus far. He has been to caring to students. Particularly, during his first year in office, he gave bursary to Ogoja students in a ceremony that was adjudged successful and the first in the history of Ogoja. Also, he has paid school fees of Ogoja students. We appreciate his moral support, fatherly advice and are thus asking him to rerun. We are strongly behind him.’

While responding, Odey expressed shock at the supportive gesture of Nigerian students from Ogoja extraction. The Honourable Member charged the student to take their studies more seriously noting that their respective University/tertiary education authorities will not award them certificates for doing unionism but in character and learning. He said that, ‘You have to take your studies in the University seriously, when I left University of Calabar, I was awarded just one certificate, they didn’t certify me for being a unionist.’

Odey announced a sumptuous cash donation to the visiting student. Present at the occasion was the erstwhile president of National Association of Cross River State Students Worldwide (NACRISS WW), Comr Caleb Obaji, NACRISS WW President CRUTECH Chapter, Comr Abang Ogon and the EXCO of NAOS WW and other NAOS dignitaries.