by crossriverwatch admin
As this year’s local government election and the 2015 governorship election approaches, politicians in Cross River State seem to have also upped their political activities.
Not a few of them have resumed oiling their political structures ostensibly in preparation for this year’s Local Council elections as well as the 2015 governorship pools.
Crossriverwatch gathered from sources within the ruling People’s Democratic Party in the state that Senate Leader Victor Ndoma Egba handed one million Naira each to local government chapter chairmen of PDP in the eighteen local governments areas of the state as new year largesse.
The money was said to have been provided by a 2015 governorship hopeful from Obudu who Ndoma Egba is said to be fronting for.
Our sources say the aspirant who recently received a national award does not want to be seen to be taking part in any political activity since he is still in the service of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
Having not built any political structure for his ambition, the aspirant is expected to rely on the Senate Leader’s political structure to actualize his ambition.
Some of the PDP chapter chairmen who spoke to crossriverwatch however denied that Ndoma Egba gave any of them money.
The Obudu Chapter chairman of PDP, Mr. Augustine Agba said though chapter chairmen of PDP got some goodwill during the yuletide, the largesse did not come from Senator Ndoma Egba.
“All those things are rumours. There are all rumours. Yes, we did get some goodwill this period but it came through the party and not from Senator Ndoma”.
Edward Achi, the chapter chairman in Yala LGA, Mr. Edward Achi told crossriverwatch that “I have been outside the country throughout the yuletide season. I just returned and I am even still in Abuja, I will return to Cross River tomorrow. May be when I return I will find out if any money was given”.
The state chairman of the PDP, Ntufam John Okon also dismissed the allegations as mere rumours “I don’t know anything about that at all. Those are just rumours. Let me even tell you Ndoma Egba gave the state secretariat N1.4m for the Christmas and New Year and we are about twenty nine exco members. So I cannot imagine how he would have gone to the local government chapters to give them eighteen million Naira.
“Infact, the Boki chapter chairman is here with me, find out from him if he collected a million Naira without my knowledge”.
The Boki Chapter chairman also debunked the allegation and said they were not given money by the Senate Leader.
But an aide to the governor, two chapter chairmen of PDP who did not want to be named as well as a former chapter chairman in one of the local governments in the northern senatorial district confirmed to crossriverwatch that Senator Ndoma did give the chapter chairmen eighteen million Naira and said it was an anonymous donation from a friend of the PDP.