Nyok|20 June 2018
Cross River North Good Governance Forum, a non-political organisation with keen interest in politics has described the 2019 anticipated re-election of Dr Rose Oko, the incumbent lawmaker representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as akin to taking Biblical Israel back to Egypt having already been redeemed from age-long bondageNegroidHaven can report authoritatively.
The group made this known yesterday via her Coordinator, Hon Gabriel Bravo Oluohu, who doubles as Supervisory Councillor for Health at the Abuja Municipality Area Council (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. While addressing pressmen in Calabar, Oluohu who said that Sen. Oko has failed in all ramifications being the worst in the 8th Assembly, added that the lawmaker's performance in office thus far is nothing other than exploitation, wickedness, and nepotism. The Abuja-based public officer informed that accordingly his group will work against the reelection of Oko come 2019 referring to the latter as affliction shouldn't rise up the second time.
Oluohu's words, 'For us, the present Senator has not done well. She has failed in all ramifications. As a matter fact some of us consider her representation as an exploitation of the people: she's actually representing her immediate family and in-laws. I look at her as the Senator representing the south-east because most of the people benefitting are from the South-east who are her in-laws.
'The only option we as a group have is that, we will make sure we do everything humanly possible, she doesn't return back to that office again. We also believe by the grace of God that affliction shall not rise up the second time.
'For somebody who was voted in absentia, if I were to be her, I would have been a philanthropist and return more than 50% to the people. But, she's paying the people evil for good, she's actually exploiting the people directly.
'I have been privileged to know so many Senators, and when you compare what other Senators and what they are doing with our Senator from Cross River North, the difference is so clear, it's like comparing Central Bank of Nigeria and a yet-to-be-registered microfinance bank. She is the worst Senator in this 8th Assembly!'
While reacting against the perception that Oko is the best-serving Senator in comparison with other serving Senators in the state especially in respect of the number of bills, motions, etc she has sponsored and even the quality of constituency projects embarked upon in the senatorial district, Oluohu countered that while non of the said Senator's bills have eventually to become laws, all the sponsored bills don't have a direct bearing to her constituents in Cross River North. He particularised the Central Bank of Nigeria Compliance bill as sponsored by Oko, describing it as a blackmail against the apex financial institution aimed at negotiating job placement for her immediate family members only.
According to him, 'concerning the bills she has sponsored, we don't know how those bills have direct bearing to her constituents.
'For instance, she sponsored a bill called CBN Compliance Act, it was a blackmail against the CBN, she used that to negotiate for four slots of employment, and they gave her the four slots: she gave one to her biological daughter, another to her immediate younger sister's daughter, another to her Igbo in-law who married her daughter, and another to her Yoruba in-law whom her son married, and finally, a contract which she ceded to her son, Oko.
'How many people from the Northern Senatorial District understand that bill, how many of them understand the previous law she was repealing and the one she was sponsoring? We don't have any tangible development project even in her local government area. Those bills are like selling ice-blocks in Moscow, or Bibles in a mosque. Non of those bills have become laws. Besides, most of those constituency projects are contracted to her son.
Oluohu revealed his group, despite Oko's epic failure will not contemplate a recall process seeing that they may be misunderstood and for the pragmatic reason that it has not been successful in Nigeria. Rather, he explored the option of supporting a much younger aspirant for the same office of Senate: 'We don't want to start a process that will die on arrival, we know the history of recall in Nigeria, none has worked before. We thought that of Senator Dino Melaye would be successful, so that we could attempt something similar in the District. We do not want to sink our little resources into it, so that people don't think we are stretching it too far.
'Definitely, we will sponsor a younger person for Senate. Rose Oko's replacement will be a younger person. It's unfortunate, Rose Oko hasn't reciprocated the good gesture.
Concerning the race for office of Governor, Oluohu added that his group wants to ensure that all major political parties zone the high office to the Northern Senatorial District to allow for a fair level playing ground. However, he added that his group is wary of scaring a thief, but, welcoming an armed robber.
His words, 'The interest of our group is to see how we can pick grey areas where the governor hasn't actually performed better to see how he can improve. Again, is to make sure all political parties zone the governorship to Cross River North. Since the South has done their eight years, Central has done their's, now it's out turn. We can't abort that trend or throw our weight on other zones. We are also being very careful of driving a thief and bringing an armed robber.'
Cross River North Good Governance Forum is borne out of the desire to see a better representation from/for Cross River Northern Senatorial District. She's taken it upon themselves to fight for good governance.
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