By Ushang Ewa
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has described as defeatist, the media parley held by the Governor, Senator Ben Ayade on Wednesday in Calabar.
A statement signed by the party’s publicity secretary Mr. Bassey Ita and made available to CrossRiverWatch said Mr. Ayade had “already accepted defeat” from the APC which is a “superior army.”
The statement which said the Governor has received almost NGN500 billion with nothing to show for it, claimed his parley was full with “apologies” and “deceitful considerations” for Cross Riverians.
Ayade had in an hour long parley with journalists on Wednesday, expressed his concern over the narrative about his administration and stressed on the need for the media to tell his own story too.
And the APC said: “Yesterday’s (Wednesday) media briefing by Senator Ben Ayade, the second in over two years as Governor of Cross River State was pregnant with some implications.
“A careful bisect of the statement credited by the media to the Governor reveals the heart of a man who has already accepted defeat and is ready to go home to roost for bad like the proverbial chicken who won’t utilize such opportunity to make a name in the integrity hall of fame.
“The statement on one part, was a compendium of apologies and deceitful considerations for the people of Cross River State.
“Apologies are often made by those who have a stigma or aura of failure or disappointments over them as identity.
“His appeal for patients of the people whose mandate he holds and is desirous of keeping again reveals his acceptance of failure in the delivery of good governance and all of that.
“Oh! So the boastful Governor suddenly realised that the people exist! But the issue is that Cross Riverians have been committed to change and there is no going back on this. They are everyday inundated with empty promises and inexcusably bad administration of the State, brazen deceit and fraud to mention a few such dispositions.
“I am sure that if the people engage him, for instance in the area of circular flow of income in the State, having put the improvement of the local economy in perspective, there will be evidence of woeful failure.
“We dare to ask for instance when was the last time Cross River workers were promoted and their emoluments reflecting the promotion paid at all!? What about the emoluments of his appointees? Are there earning what is rightly theirs? How many MOUs have translated to tangible projects?
“Cross Riverians need to be reminded that for the past three plus years, the Ayade government has received from the federation account, over N480 billion as allocation to the State and the 18 local government areas but residents in most part of the state or local government areas are still crying out for roads, for water and for other basic infrastructure that would add value to his deceptive or weird prospect for improving our local economy. Yet, for all that he has received, no one industry is producing to the advantage of the economy.
“The story behind the ownership of the Garment Factory has equally tilted in a negative conclusion for the PDP Governor.
“His statement ‘I can give my right eye for the people of Cross River State. I will rather lose election than lose my name which is a legacy and it is paramount to me’ reveals the pregnancy of another weird thought. It is an acceptance of defeat by a man who sees the mounting disenchantment of the people rather than see a picture of acceptance and encouragement to succeed. The situation now in Diamond Hills is a replica of the many histories of military conquests in the last few centuries where conquered Armies make categorical statements that show acceptance of defeat.
“Our concluding take on this as a party that is ready to enact a political conquest of the Ayade’s PDP is that Cross Riverians should remain steadfast and or resolute in their resolve for change.
“As a superior army, our resolve is to conquer the people’s oppressors albeit politically and change the current narrative of our dear State. There’s an air of freedom around the corner!”
Ayade had spoken on issues such as the failure of Tinapa to resuscitate the State’s economy after it lost 73 oil wells to neighboring Akwa Ibom State; the Bakassi deep seaport, Obudu Mountain resort, tourism among others during the parley.
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