By Ifere Paul
As his judgement day 9th December approaches, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State is swimming in the pool of the unknown. The Governor who was disowned by the PDP lawyer in the case of Ayade vs Joe Agi, the lawyer averred that the issues against the Governor as brought before the Supreme Court by Joe Agi were nothing but true. The lawyer went further to beg the apex court to adhere to the prayers of Joe Agi SAN. Saying that “the governor was not qualified to stand elections as he has broken the set down roles and regulations of the primaries of his party (PDP).
The denial of a candidate or a governor standing trial by his Party through the party’s lawyer, is an aberration. This act alone will the substance that will influence any basis of Supreme Court judgement. Notwithstanding, the precedence of the case in the lower courts.
It is in this light that the Governor Ben Ayade has become restless, sleepless, and utterly senseless.
Governor Ben Ayade who hired crowds to welcome him at the airport also hired members of the Ogboni Fraternity who came to the airport with a coffin with an inscription “RIP JOE.”
A video was made and even posted online for Cross Riverians in the Diaspora, Nigeria and the international community to watch. It is the first time in Cross River State nay Nigeria that a sitting executive governor will direct his appointees to pay for a hired crowds, groups, cultists, and demonic groups who moved around the city with a coffin chanting the death of Joe Agi SAN.
It is a shame, that the governor will even allow a commissioner serving under him to make this assertions: “…that before December 9th, 2016, Joe Agi SAN who is out to become a governor through the back door, will be dead and buried before 9th December.”
Quite unfortunately, Governor Ayade was there clapping and nodding his head like a lizard.
Responding to my question how he felt of the actions of the governor parading a coffin with Joe Agi’s name on it, Chief Okoi Obono-obla retorted thus: “it is uncalled for, uncivilized, satanic, devilish, dehumanizing, unethical that a governor of a State like Cross River State will encourage devil worshipping and spiritual sacrifice. “Never in the in the history of Cross River State have we seen such display of clanishness and childishness.”
In his own responds the Director General of Joe Agi Campaign Organisation, Ntufam Edet Asia described Governor Ayade “a child that must be shown the way out. He concluded that the speech by the commissioner does show the level of childishness in play in the government house”.
John Ochala, the Acting APC summed it up that “Cross River State has never had it as bad as it is now. Where a governor will not pay salaries but will go all the way out to pay 3000 naira each to a crowd of thousand supporters at the airport.”
“Governor Ayade craziness is second to none was the reply I got from Joseph Odok, who is one of the persons championing the social change discourse in the State.”
One lady from Cross River State who does not want her name mentioned, submitted that “Ayade was supposed to be submissive to God. Humble with the highest humility rather than involving in a show of shame. I pray that the Supreme Court boot him out for such display of professional senselessness.”
“You cannot eat your cake and have it at the same time” one respondant on Facebook submitted on Ifere’s platform.
“The coffin thing is the lowest form of satanic and devil’s worship. The whole State needs deliverance. Parading a coffin along the streets of Calabar is ungodly and has spiritual consequences. This is like asking for the sacrifices of souls. Not just that of your assumed enemy. My church will be going on a three days fasting and praying to overcome such satanic spirit engagements in Cross River State”, one pastor Effiong Peter of Redeemed Christian such Calabar responded.