You do not deserve second term, Christian forum tells Ayade. 

  By Eje peter 

Christian leaders under the aegis of Cross River State Christian Leaders Forum have said that Governor Ben Ayade does not deserve a second term in office because of what they described as leadership failure.

President of the forum, Bishop Josef Bassey, who addressed journalists in Calabar on Friday alongside the Secretary-General of the group, Pastor Mark Ochi, and a member, Pastor Gabriel Joseph, said no visible development had taken place in the state since Ayade assumed office in May 2015.

Bassey listed insecurity, relocation of businesses to other states, balkanisation of civil service and inability to unveil projects as the governor’s setback.

Bassey said that there was an urgent need for stakeholders to hold town hall meeting to find a way out of the situation.

The bishop, who is the General Overseer of God’s Heritage Centre, said churches across the state had become complaint centres for citizens.

He said, “Never in the history of the state has the civil service been so bastardised. Yes, salaries are paid and we commend him, but there are lots of worries. When you pay salary without imprest, there is big problem because they cannot operate. When the legacies of civil service are being destroyed, then there is something wrong.

“The House of Assembly is not functioning. They do not even have water in their quarters. If that is happening to them, you can imagine what is happening to the ordinary people. Even in the northern senatorial district where he (Ayade) comes from, there is no development.

“Things have gone from bad to worse. Someone needs to tell me if we are getting it right or wrong. We are calling on stakeholders to rise up; government is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians alone. Ayade does not deserve a second term in office.”

When contacted, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, denied the claims, adding that Ayade had in three years built a garment factory that employed 3, 000 widows, built a power plant and roads in virtually all the18 local government areas of the state.

“How can you say he has not done anything when you have a garment factory with over 3,000 widows as workers, a power plant, a rice seedling mill that President Muhammadu Buhari is coming to commission on Tuesday, among others,” he said.

(TEVB)