Emmanuel Ogar|17 July 2016|6:25AM
As usual, in our ordinary characteristic of airing out our opinion when occasion demands; having met and deliberated elaborately the current vicissitudes vis-à-vis security and environmental sanitation challenges ravaging the state, the Youth Alliance for Northern Cross River Dreams, YANCRiD have the following as her take on the subject matter referred:
Fore mostly, we sincerely wish to use this medium to laud His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Benedict Ayade for the effort recently put in giving the almost putrid environment a facelift. At least, our environs are gradually beaming with grudging smile. With constant effort such as this, if sustained, we hope to see serene environment.
For the past fortnight, our domain has been under brutal siege. More especially our dear state capital, Calabar and its suburbs where armed gangs of hoodlums; kidnappers, mobsters, ruffians, cultists and more worrisome, gangsters garbed in Police uniforms providing coverage for some of those antisocial perpetrators. While they derive pleasure to unleash awful and monstrous acts of urban terrorism and insurgency on Cross Riverians, it has within the watchful eyes of His Excellency culminated in the abduction of innocent and prominent citizens of the state.
Their avowed aim, is to create a state of Hobbesian mobocracy where life is short, nasty and brutish. They have almost succeeded in enacting a holocaust situation in the famous beautiful state— the hub of tourism in West Africa. We are pained seeing residents and inhabitants relocating in scores to safer climes. As we speak, fear is now the daily companion of Calabar residents.
Last week, a rampaging team of goons armed to the teeth caused gridlock in Marian on broad day light whilst they carried out their nefarious act. This they did in the full glare of the security personnel who took cover for reasons best known to them.
The other day, we woke up to our dismay to see that stealthy activities of cult groups were towering above the heavens and the state was overwhelmed with killing of humans and destruction of property. This was taking centre-stage when the governor was junketing around the universe signing preposterous Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs.
When His Excellency took the reins, we were happy. We did the little we could in our capacity to pull together with him so that he may pull through. Recent events has left us in Queer Street and in the state of tenterhooks.
This government has demonstrated in recent past in its actions and inactions that it lack focus, leadership capacity and political sagacity to govern the state based on the mandate entrusted and the confidence reposed on her. This incompetence of Ayade-led administration has climaxed into the state of omni-shambles and the state is reduced into semi-ghetto.
The trouble in the state, to us is not just politically motivated, it is an upshot of indolence. May we remind the governor once again that in business, even in governance, a rolling stone gathers no moss.
However, while we would not conjoin forces with those requesting for the governor’s abdication or impeachment, we want to state emphatically that for the time being, we have not yet loss confidence in the governor’s leadership dexterity as we believed that there is light at the tunnel’s end.
We need not remind anyone that there is palpable tension and apprehension in the state that could ignite and lead to a conflagration of spiral chains of unending commotion. As responsible civil society, we caution for calm. We sincerely plead with those invaders to quietly leave our state in peace. We also enjoin the governor to expedite sound action that would prevent future occurrences of these disturbances.
Finally, fire brigade approach and the nine days’ wonder of the armed forces and that of the governor would not have better effect in cushioning crimes. Act now, else you may be acted upon. Don’t say you weren’t told!
God bless YANCRiD!
God bless the governor!
God bless Cross River State!
Aluta continua, Victoria acerta!
Comr. Ogar, Emmanuel Oko
For Youth Alliance for Northern Cross River Dreams, YANCRiD