By Laureta Akpan
Senator Ben Ayade, the governorship flag bearer of the ruling PDP in Cross River state has decried the rising spate of violence in the state as next month’s election inches closer and called on Cross Riverians to resist those who want to introduce the culture of violence and smear campaigns into Cross River politics.
Senator Ayade who spoke with CrossRiverWatch earlier today said, if the violence which is being introduced now is not confronted with the total force of the law, it has the capacity to fester and get worse. He reminded the perpetrators that at the fullness of time, the full arm of the law will catch up with them.
According to Ayade, “Never in the history of Cross River state has politics degenerated to this extreme level of smear campaign, using extremely provocative and disgusting smears as a political strategy. It has never gotten to this and as we watch all of these degenerate even to assassinations, and attempts on people’s lives, I must reiterate that I have never known Cross River state to play that kind of politics.
“I will urge Cross Riverians to unanimously condemn this culture some people are trying to introduce into our politics. This is no longer politics, and that is why at the fullness of time, the full arm of the law must catch up with the perpetrators. We cannot sit back and watch this degeneration. If we don’t curb it, it will get worse. That is my message to the people of Cross River state. We must confront evil with the total force of the law. Campaigns have never gone to this extreme in Cross River and nobody can be allowed to go with it.
“For those who watch and propagate smears and violence should realize that it is not in the culture of Cross River State politics. I am appealing to all Cross Riverians that we have huge economic problems that require someone really sitting down undisturbed to concentrate on thinking about getting us out of the woods. People must at this point realize that violence and smear campaigns are not the right way to go.” He said.
It will be recalled that recently, the personal steward of the state governor was killed by assailants in his Calabar home and the home of the PDP senatorial flag bearer for Cross River South, Gershom Bassey was also attacked by unknown gunmen.