Peter Bassey|16 April 2016|6:45am
I decided in spite of my busy schedule this morning in the office, to write for the very first time a rejoinder to an article written by my friend and associate, Ekeng Inyang titled “CRS 11 NASS MEMBERS SOLD THEIR BIRTHRIGHT”.
I strongly disagree with High Chief Ekeng as fondly called, who wallowed jokingly in an issue as important as the Calabar – Lagos rail line project. To this end, the author either by commission or by omission exposes his party's negligence thinking he was belittling our NASS REPRESENTATIVES.
Report has it that the 60 million Calabar – Lagos costal rail line was removed from the 2016 appropriation bill and funds re-appropriated for Lagos-Kano railway line.
If this submission by front line activist and opposition stalwart in Cross River State Chief Barr. Obono Obla is true, then the APC led government should cover their face in shame, to have allowed the President's major project struck out of the budget.
Statistics has it that, APC have the leadership of the National Assembly and are also the majority in both chambers and even have the presidency all to their advantage. If not for negligence and lack of focus, how can a ruling party with all the political machineries at her disposal allow an opposition (PDP as accused ) to remove (or refuse to defend and uphold) a major project which in all sense of judgment is aimed to give their party a stronghold in the South South Region.
While it amazes me to hear in some quarters, that the state has the chairman Senate Committee on Finance in person of Sen. John Owan Enoh and Hon. Chris Agibe as member of House of Reps Committee on Appropriation, I ask and so what? Are these two positions as mentioned above bigger than the Office of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives who are members of the APC?
It is a pity that we have allowed factional politics in the name of party, to call our Representatives names and have even labelled them as selfish and self centered people, where in the real democratic sense of judgement 11 cannot out-number approximately 460.
I suggest APC in both chambers should settle their cabal differences and stop misleading Nigerians, especially their die hard fans, on issues as vital as the nation's budget.
Peter Bassey
Writes from Calabar.
