Category: Opinion

Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr. Odey Ochicha has cautioned the state Governor Senator Ben Ayade against intimidation and harassment of members of the opposition APC in the state.

In a statement issued in Calabar by his media aid, Mr. Inyali Peter, Ochicha said that the recent report credited to Barr. Joe Abang, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General (AG) of the state that the government has declared one of Ayade’s fierce social media critic Mr. Ifere Paul wanted was not acceptable and warned that the APC will no longer tolerate further assault on her members.

The APC stalwart who was also a governorship candidate of the party in 2015 general elections in the state added that Ayade  must stop acting like a demigod or dictator and allow democratic norms to thrive in the state.

He described the action of the AG as a total show of shame, illegal and an abuse of the office he is occupying adding that he has no such right to declare any member of public wanted.

While calling on party members not to panic l, he said that Ayade should face governance and stop portraying himself like an emperor in an uncivilized empire.

Ochicha maintained that the way Ayade has handled opposition in the state is a test on their collective intelligence and so the party will not hesitate to petition the federal government in case of further assault again.

According to him, “Ayade should stop seeing himself like an emperor in an empire where he has absolute powers to determine what people say, do or don’t.

“What the AG did was completely illegal and show of shame because only the police has such right to declare anybody who’s under criminal investigation wanted. He has showed that he is ignorance of the law which means he doesn’t even have respect for the exulted office he is occupying”.

Continuing he quarrelled that, “Soon after Barr. Vena Ikem and Paul Adah left PDP, Vena was declared wanted while Paul’s house was attacked by hoodlums. Democracy allow for right to freedom of expression and association. How come is only the APC members that have been declared wanted?”.

He charged the state Police command and other security agencies in the state not to allow themselves be used as a tool to persecute opposition in the state.

“The Police and other security agencies should know they are not in the state to serve only the interest of the government but also the public. They must avoid being used as tool of vendetta by government”.

~Inyali Peter

Hey, I am Okoi Obono-Obla and I was pleasantly surprised as well as amazed when I read a statement credited to Senator Florence Ita Giwa alleging and accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of bias in his handling of the problems concerning the North Eastern Region and Bakassi!

In the first place there cannot be any comparison between the travails of the peoples of North East and Bakassi. The two issues are different and therefore any objective commentator must separate them and put or situate them in the proper perspective.

The travails of Bakassi Peninsula started in the 1990s during the era of General Abacha when he sent a Brigade of Nigerian Army to ward of an incursion by the Cameroonian Army. General Abacha gloriously created the Bakassi Local Government Area to ameliorate years of neglect of Bakassi by successive Federal /State Governments .

In October 2002 the International Court of Justice at the Hague delivered it’s judgment over a case filed by the Republic of Cameroon against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea concerning the maritime boundary between these three neighbouring countries and awarded the sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon.

Recall that in 2002, Sentor Giwa was an influential member of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Cross River South ( which Bakassi was an integral part).

What was role of Senator Giwa in all this? What was her intervention? In September 2005, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo signed the so called Green Tree Treaty at the instance of the United Nations and other Western Powers and the United States of America with the the Republic of Cameroon for the implementation of the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice on Bakassi. At that time, Senator Giwa was the Special Adviser to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo on National Assembly Matters!

What advice did she give on the matter? What was role on the matter? What was her intervention? Did she played the ostrich because she was then in the corridor of power? Was she aware that the Federal Government gave money to then Cross River State under the then Governor Donald Duke!

What role did Senator Giwa played to ensure these funds are judicious managed and applied to resolve the matter concerning re settlement of people displaced by the Bakassi.

I know that in 2008 or thereabouts, the Federal government in conjunction with the Cross River State Government constituted a Bakassi Resettlement Committee and Senator Giwa was appointed Chairman!

I know that a huge sum money was budgeted for the resettlement problem in Bakassi! How was this money spent? Was it judiciously used? Where is the Report of the Bakassi Resettlement Committee? Senator Giwa must tell us something about this Committee because she was in charge.

Under the Statutes of the International Court of Justice there is ten years window for review of its judgments by either party for one reason or the other ! These ten years window expired in October 2012 but Nigeria failed woefully to take advantage of this golden opportunity!

At this time, Senator Giwa was an influential Senior Member of the then PDP Federal Government under the leadership of the then President Goodluck Jonathan  in her capacity as a Director of the lucrative Nigerians Port Authority! Where was Senator Ita? Did she bring her clout and influence on the Federal government to bear to do the needful!

I know that the Federal Government made a grant of billions of Naira at the intervention of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to the government of Cross River State to alleviate the financial loss suffered by the State arising out of the loss of the sovereignty of Bakassi by Nigeria and the 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State!

Where was the intervention of Senator Giwa to ensure that huge amount of money is judiciously managed to cater for the interest  of the people of Bakassi? Did she played the ostrich because she was close to the corridors of power? Contrary to the position of Senator Giwa, the Federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari has undertaken  of diplomatic   engagement to resolve the issue of Bakassi.

~Okoi Obono-obla

All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State says the plan by the state government to set up caretaker committees in the 18 local government areas of the state is unacceptable to it. This is as it argues that it has the capacity to defeat the ruling People’s Democratic party in the state if the elections are held.

In a statement jointly endorsed by the state Acting Chairman,Sir John Ochala and the National Vice Chairman, South South of APC, Ntufam Hilliard  Eta, the party stated that it insist on the conduct of the local government elections which is due later this year in the state.

The party chieftains were quoted as alleging that the state Governor, Senator Ben Ayade was on the verge of setting up caretaker committees to run the councils instead of conducting elections. Ochala said “our intelligence reports have it that the state governor does not want to conduct local government  polls as at when due and off course  we have put into motion some strategies within the ambit of the law to check mate such moves”. He said, the party will move to puncture the existence of the caretaker committees

“If our suspicion is confirmed then Ayade will meet us at the appropriate point. In Cross River State we will not accept care taker appointments in councils, we will go for elections,”he maintained.

Also speaking on the same matter, the National Vice Chairman of the APC, Ntufam Hilliard Eta said the PSP was scared of the rising profile of the APC hence the plan to resort to caretaker committees as against the conduct of elections. According to Eta “We suspect that because of the rising profile of the APC in Cross River State, the governor is scared to his wits end on how to conduct elections. As I speak to you, if election is conducted today, APC will defeat Ayade even in his Obudu local government area.”

The APC chieftain furthered “We are prepared for the elections: so let the PDP put their popularity to the test by conducting local government elections. “
He maintained “I personally will like the Supreme Court to make pronouncement on this issue of local government caretaker committees because the constitution talks about elections clearly. It talks about elected local government.”

“I think that the Supreme Court should make a law, or make a pronouncement that the resources of Nigeria should not go to any local government with unelected administration. According Eta,”the Supreme Court should assert itself by making pronouncement in matters of that nature.

We have copied presidential system of government from the United States but refused to copy parts that could help us more.ln America, the Supreme Court has amended the constitution so many times without going through the legislature.”

The two APC chieftains also blamed Governor Ayade for the heightening insecurity in the state adding that there was complete absence of governance in the state that the criminal gangs have taken advantage of.

SIGNED
John Ochala,
Ag. Chairman APC CRS;

Ntufam Hillard Eta
National Vice Chairman APC South South

This is callous, wicked and the mother of all insensitivities  for Cross River State LGs to task teachers who are yet to be paid their June salaries the sum of N1000 per head before their image could be captured in the current verification exercise in the state.

The nagging question is: must Teachers who are struggling to put bread on the table for their children due to delay in the payment of their salaries be made to pay such amount? Where will it come from?

Is it justified for Goverment who ordered for vefification before payment to place the burden on the Teachers?

I am by this media appealing to who ever has link to Gov AYADE to pls bring this CORRUPT and HEARTLESS  practice to his knowledge. There is suffering in the land.

~Sonny King

The economic situation in the country is appalling. When kerosene now sells at 250 Naira per litre, fuel steady at 145 Naira per litre, where’s the hope for the common man?

I was driving through Edim Otop this morning, they were carrying out a pregnant woman dying of starvation and sickness. They put her in a Keke and rushed her for treatment. Assuming she survives, what’s the guarantee of living when the standards are below poverty?

The militants crippling the economy should be dialogued with, to ensure lasting peace.

Please improve living standards. President Goodluck Jonathan introduced measures to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

Please increase workers salary.

Daniel Oku
State Publicity Secretary.

Following the resignation of Special Adviser (SA) to Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Ray Ugba Morphy on the 18th of July, 2016, a concerned Cross Riverians who based in the US wrote an article concerning the matter which can be found here.

But, the saga goes wild as the comments on the post he posted on Facebook is causing troubles over the partisans and non-partisans. Peter Ofem Ubi posted his ordeal about the decision taken by the SA to resign, but the comments he got is what we’re writing about.

One of the comments from Paul Ojeka is as follows:
”Even though our leaders have no reason not to do their job well, as it’s often said on Facebook, there is indeed no reason too for the people to remain ungrateful to the extent of hurling hate speeches at our hard working leaders who deserve  encomiums. “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”. Here, through this admonition, Jesus the Son of God has given a word from the Heart of our maker on the need to take one’s priorities right.

“Our governor, prof. Benedict Ayade, we appreciate your efforts to make Cross River a better place for humanity through your numerous giant projects going on to industrialize the state. We are proud to have a solution architect of your type who feels the plight of the poor. No one would reserve his appreciation from you over the ongoing repairs on some parts of Calabar/Ikom highway except such a person has not seen the pictures of the state of disrepair of that road before now. Accidents on that road have led to loss of uncountable number of useful, children and all categories of great personalities in our state.

“Needless to mention the huge properties that the accidents claim every now and then. While we prayerfully await the successful construction of the 260km Superhighway from Bakassi to Katsina-Ala – one of your signature projects – the ongoing repairs will go a long way to tackle incessant loss of lives and property.

“Your constant speedy response to emergency situation, especially critical calls that pose threats to security and human welfare, stands you out as a leader with the agenda that has come to serve God and humanity. Your recent aggressive response against patches of cult activities, operations by hoodlums in Calabar deserves commendation.

“The Operation Show of Force which saw you display the full security strength of the state in full glare, gave instant psychological relief to some business men and woman in the state. Before your gallant display of your full capacity for management of social crises in the state, the sadly false news had gone round of porosity and loopholes in the security control system in Cross River State. Unfortunately, some of the members of the opposition party in the state were the ones in such a dastardly act of passing false information about the security situation in the state.

“The immediate implication of their inglorious activities against the glory of Cross River State in the Social Media and perhaps in real life has the capacity to scare away business men from Calabar. Even more to be taken seriously is the need to stop the actions of these “destructive members” of our dear state. If wishes were horses, they say, the poor would ride. In the same vein, in your appearance that day where you stood gallantly in the rain in your combat jeans expressing the combat-readiness to deal with the enemies of peace and security of Calabar, I could read in your mind the wish, one  where features and powers for a leader should include omnipresence and omniscience so that it would be easy for them to be at all the nooks and crannies of the state in order to provide 24hours security.

“May God supply you with unlimited material resources which you would need to develop infrastructures that would solve human needs to highlight the depth of your love for the people.”

Due the lengthiness of the comments, we’re going the present a screenshot of them below…

Above is part of the post in which you can find the full story HERE:

We the concerned citizens of Cross River in more recent time have called on the governor to reduce his large political appointees made to please supporters not worthy of government positions at best. Cultists given political appointment only because of how well they can attack and intimidate innocent cross riverians; appointment given out for the seek of giving…using state money to settle the boys.

The resignation by Mr Ray Morphy -the Special Adviser to the governor on Strategy & National Contact, his pointed words on his resignation letter makes the clear case many of us the critics have made on appointee doing noting…Ray Morphy points to the uselessness of appointments given without a job been done by the appointees. We the critics of the unnecessary appointment by the governor have been vindicated.

Why take pay for work not done? A man of conscience I call Ray Morphy, and I appreciate his courage to step up and speak the truth.

While the criminals on the Ayade administration will defend their hard tactics of intimidation, oppression of innocent citizens, and their hard ball cultists politics by referencing the gone killing days of Donald Duke to defend Ayade antics, they forget we are in a new Era of political knowledge with a wide spread of todays media technology. This new change does not stop Ayade and his team of thugs to implementing a tyrannical system upon the people. We see the wasteful spending on Industrial factories seating idol without usage; we see this set of elitist barons governing us by the rule of profits only to themselves while denying the rest of Cross River the basic democratic and social rights needed -especially to those who critic the administration the most…the needed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is totally denied as these criminal elements used intimidating antics on innocent Cross Riverians.

With the coming of the Ayade administration, Cross River entered a period of crisis in all honesty. The quality of life for most cross riverians is going from bad to worse. His administrative posturing offers no hope for a better tomorrow.There is no end to the crisis of going after honest people who provide constructive criticism —one deception after another is what we have seen since the inception of the administration. Ayade media rats have becaome a huge stockpile of dangerous weapons that are a constant reminder of the threat innocent citizens face in Cross River State. These people provide no alternative; they provide no ensuring ground for hope and the idea of togetherness, rather they are destroying the very peace Cross River represent. I have gotten inbox from people who are fearful of speaking out for fear of going missing and incommunicado.

Have the people not noticed the pollution destroying our environment due to uncleanness of waste around the state? -from the pollutant water we drink to the air we breathe -Cross River is a sad story under Ayade. The state economic crisis is worsening because of the many appointees been paid lots of money for doing nothing. This administration must be called to order -and the message sent by Mr Ray resignation is clear and loud and should provoke a new conversation …we must own up to our responsibility to each other.

My belove Cross River, as your governor travels the world seeking MOU’s and his sycophants praise sing for him and defend every action, it necessary that we be reminded to fight back and reassert our rights as a people of peace. And we need to broaden our demands of this rights to include the protection of working people on the economic level and against the threat of this new tyranny against constitutional rights of our people and the antilabor drives.

Ayade must be reminded that he promised jobs to the people not insecurity and a trashed filled Cross River. It is therefore, most important that our rights meet the present-day needs of the majority of Cross Riverians. Governor Ayade do your job rather than traveling all over the place -provide our people’s a right to a job; a right to an adequate income; a right to a worthwhile education; a right to a free state medical care; a right to a secured environment; a right to know the truth about our economic and the political policies that affect our daily lives; and finally a right of Cross Riverians to control their own affairs by deciding the economic and political policy that guide their tomorrow into a better life.

It is the obligation of government to guarantee all the above mentioned rights…

Peter Ubi writes from New York City -USA.