Efio-Ita Nyok|12 July 2016|7:45AM
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress-APC in Cross River State led by its south-south National Vice Chairman and Cross River state Chairman, Ntufam (Prince) Hilliard Eta and Sir John Ochala respectively, has called on the Cross River State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo to impeach the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade.
This information was communicated in a press briefing which held yesterday. The call on the impeachment of the governor was premised by the insecurity challenge which spates of communal wars, kidnappings, brazen armed robbery, etc posed and the failure of the state government to contain the challenge.
They both highlighted four areas that necessitated impeachment, namely, poor waste management of the state capital, violation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended in venturing to execute projects exclusively ceded to the purview of the Federal Government like Police, Deep Seaport, etc through the Exclusive List; neglecting projects like Health, Education, Agriculture, etc ceded to the state and federal government through the Concurrent List, etc and failing to transmit power to the Deputy Governor when travelling out of the state.
What follows is a full text of the speech:
CONDEMNING THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF GOVERNANCE IN CROSS RIVER STATE AND THE CALL FOR AYADE’S IMPEACHMENT BEING TEXT OF A PRESS BRIEFING BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) CROSS RIVER STATE FOLLOWING SURGING INSECURITY AND MISGOVERNANCE BY THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY LED GOVERNMENT OF SEN. BEN AYADE. MONDAY, JULY 11, 2016.
Gentlemen of the Press.
Our beloved state of Cross River which as you all know, used to be a safe haven for foreign investors and Nigerians from all walks of life going by her phenomenal peacefulness and tranquility today bleeds. Tears and blood of its inhabitants flow in the land, taking the place of infrastructure and agricultural fields. The sobriquet “The Peoples’ Paradise” which further expressed its accommodating and obliging capacity has today been literary reversed. It can as well pass for a “Lion’s den”. Peace has been elusive and its hospitable people now live in complete fear of wanton attack by criminal gangs who unfortunately have capitalized on the complete absence of governance at the instance of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government of Senator Benedict Ayade in the State.
Within the past one week, three prominent sons of the State have been seized by dare-devil kidnappers who have taken control of parts of the State – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Patrick Ani was abducted in his farm in Akpabuyo Local Government Area last Wednesday; Chief Ededem Ita Edem, former Special Assistant on Labour Matters was also seized a day after Senator Ani’s abduction and only yesterday Mr. Patrick Obasse, a Local Government Management staff in Etung was also kidnapped in Calabar. These are all sad narratives about our once peaceful State.
Only recently, dare-devil armed robbers and cultists held the peace of the state by the jugular. While robbers even operated in broad daylight, the wake of high scale cult clashes had all left a river of blood on the streets of our towns.
Equally, as we speak, communities in the state have been engaging themselves in internecine conflicts, resulting in massive destruction of lives and properties. Incidentally, all of these are happening with impunity and ignominy because of the complete absence of governance in the State.
As a party, with the time-tested concern for responsive and responsible governance, we are sad that our people in Cross River state can no longer be guaranteed the safety of their lives and properties and so while we condemn these nefarious tendencies of the criminals as well as communal violence by some rural communities in the state, we call on Senator Ben Ayade to show us governance or better still resign in the overall interest of the people of Cross River State. We do not have the least comfort in the present state of affairs in the land.
Incidentally, this present state of affairs has caused us to think in different directions. Firstly, that the lack of governance exhibited by the Ayade’s government could possibly be a smoke screen about a criminal agenda that targets chieftains and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to undo the party of its rising profile which has given the PDP sleepless nights.
All of Ayade’s 30 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have failed the tangibility test, and because this will reduce further, the popularity and credibility of his government, the 31st option is now being applied. The 31st MoU endorsed with criminal gangs of kidnappers, robbers and cultists is to ensure the annihilation of APC members to pave the way for the actualization of his second term ambition. Indeed, what has started as the kidnap of a mix of APC and PDP chieftains is actually a smoke screen; its aim is to dislodge eventual doubts and speculations about the involvement of government when APC members will be captured in the long run.
Except we have other ways of understanding this ineptitude of government, it would not be out of place for us to think in the direction we have. In the second instance, we are constrained to argue that this complete lack of governance is driven by crass comicality and or infantile petulance of the Governor himself. And that speaks of lack of capacity, charisma and political will to lead. We make bold to predict that of all the 30 MoUs so far endorsed by Ayade, none will pass the tangibility test.
For emphasis, we wish to point out that areas of critical developments that Sen. Ayade has decided to delve into are those found on the Exclusive Legislative List as enshrined in the Part 1 to the Second Schedule of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). One wonders why Ayade will take so much interest in deploying personnel for foreign mission (envoys) attempt the establishment of a Deep Seaport, set up the Police and the Homeland Security and others that are exclusive preserve of the federal government whereas the Part II to the same Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution allows the state the leeway to legislate and develop Health, Education, Agriculture, Housing for its citizens? We know and very soon Cross Riverians will all know that he will push or attribute the blame on his failure to the federal government’s refusal to grant him the leeway to delve into those areas of development. This also will reveal the delinquent pranks of Ayade to deny Cross Riverians access to better living conditions in their state.
Gentlemen, the lukewarm attitude of the present leadership of the state over serious matters of public concern including security of lives and properties is just one aspect of the failure of the PDP led government in the state. The other aspect like we predicted will certainly manifest in the long run and only then will some Cross Riverians realize that this government which they trusted with their mandate is not worth their trouble.
Indeed, as we would not take lightly the ineptitude of the Ayade’s government in the state, we urge that the State House of Assembly rise above their party and parochial sentiments by doing the State the favour of impeaching the Governor.
If the House of Assembly do no find areas for which to indict and consequently impeach Ayade, we wish to point to them that the Governor has consistently stayed out of the State for a period longer than what the constitution prescribes, without duly transmitting the reins of governance to his Deputy as prescribed by the relevant statutes.
Also, he has acted contrary to the provisions laid out in the Second Schedule of the Constitution by attempting to among others create a Police Force in the guise of Green Police, Homeland Security which are the exclusive preserve of the federal government.
The House of Assembly should realize that such development projects as Deep Seaport etc which he has attempted to establish are also enshrined in the Exclusive Legislative List to be handled exclusively by the federal government.
Equally, the various security lapses in the state which raise pertinent questions about the responsiveness of the government to the citizens are enough indictment that should lead to the Governor’s removal by the Legislature.
Issues related to Education, Housing, Agriculture and Health which are captured in the Concurrent List and allow that states and the federal government shared responsibilities are completely ignored by Ayade.
In fact, as we speak, Ayade has further proven his complete lack of that sense of aesthetics and hygiene as reflected in the poor sanitary condition of the state, thus negating that old tradition of cleanliness which the state had hitherto been known for.
All of these failures clearly reveal the fact that Senator Ben Ayade was and is still not prepared for governance. This therefore informs our call for his impeachment by the House of Assembly in event of his refusal to resign from office.
With this scenario in mind, we call on Security Operatives in the state to ignore Ayade’s infantile tendencies and do their bid of protecting lives and properties of all Cross Riverians irrespective of tribe or religion. We urge the Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and other relevant agencies to expedite action in the release of the abducted Cross Riverians. We also urge Cross Riverians to be vigilant in the wake of this orchestrated criminality and report all appearance of such tendencies to the security agencies for prompt action.
Let me use this opportunity to state that Cross Riverians have to learn great lessons from this lack of governance in the state and consequently do a reappraisal that projects a better, secure future for all as the next democratic dispensation approaches. And in doing this, they should always remember that under no government in this country has Cross River State been so favoured in terms of appointments and development projects/programmes than in the current leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
I thank you all.
Signed by
Ntufam Hillard Eta
APC National Vice Chairman South
&
Sir John Ochala
APC Acting State Chairman CRS