By Declan Ogar Genesis
As it stance, it will be an eye-service position for one to posit that "the political weather is gathering momentum" even in Cross River State or any other states across the nation - Nigeria.
Whereas, the general notion in politics remains that, "there are no permanent friends, and no permanent enemies". Let alone, if the notion is a consensus, it therefore means that, the 2019 general elections particularly, in Cross River State will be a tumultuous one. Tumultuous in the sense that, no 'hasty generalisation' practitioner would come up to say "as usual, it's going to be a walkaway affairs", or "these other people are inconsequential ", or "are not important" as most people often times, when beggarly trying to convince their political benefactors at a given point in time, normally use in order to persuade and calm the foreseen challenges down in their selfish interest.
Although, a lot of alignments and realignments are going on separately. But the major ones which this article is focusing on, cannot be overemphasized. Hence, many have written other articles with a deliberate minds to educate the " ignoramus" and the doubting "Thomases", long time ago. And so, this might be part of the ice on the cake. Whilst, some opines that the forthcoming general elections will no longer be determined by the usual popular (dominant) political party as it were. Rather, that it will be radically based on the individuals under whichever political parties out of the 92 registered political parties in Nigeria. Some are criticising in strong terms, the zoning methodology. The proponents of this stands holds that zoning remains the only yardstick that is guaranteeing mediocrity, nepotism, and ineptitude in a position of authority politically in Cross River State today. Many therefore, are advising public to disregard zoning and queue firmly on anyone who they believed have the capacity of transforming the state to the height of eldorado. And so on and so forth.
Giving that, Cross River State (since the magic carried out by Mr Donald Duke) has been described as a People Democratic Party (PDP) state, and things are rather going downwards. Which is roughly due to the propensity, loyalty and supports it has enjoyed by the good people of Cross River State these years, there ought to be a rethink and possibly, a change of gear, method, and approach in all spheres, especially in the political realm.
Unfortunately, and regrettably too, in Nigeria nay Cross River State, the general views remain that, the more the people becomes loyal to a particular political party, the arrogance such political party's leaders become, and also, the more corrupt the system becomes. And the more nepotistic the dividends of such politics turnout to be directed. Hence, the more deteriorated the whole situations are becoming, all to the detriments of the people. What a pathetic situation.
Going by this background therefore, it appears that the 2019 shall be a turning point for the good people of Cross River State nay Nigeria.
Like it currently the case in many other local government areas, Yala Local government is not an exception. It will be worthy of note that, Cross River State PDP as it stands, has few or no recognised 'elders' who are matured enough to control things anÉ— makes it work the way it used to, exception of Sen Liyel Imoke. Unfortunately too, Sen Liyel Imoke in his wisdom understood the challenges (roughly caused by his successor) ahead of him. Imoke also believed (and still believing though) in the elders so much such a way that, he constituted Cross River State Elders Forum during his reign as governor. A platform that helped him in no small measure, to sustained the momentum and retained powers even to the level that, he swingled power to the people of the North with little or no stress as against the laid down plans.
All of these challenges are keyed towards. So much such a way that, the only way Imoke can remedy the burdens and perhaps, woo more elders of the state back to his side, is to who the ticket of the party would be given to, in the forthcoming PDP primary elections to contest the governorship election.
In all, although there are pockets of verifiable allegations that the government of the day has already bribed some of these "strong politicians" (who may be seen as not in conformity with the current administration) with jumbo and jumbo contracts in order to hoodwink them over their possible opposition stand in the forthcoming elections for the interest of the masses. By these developments, you can't undermine or take-for-granted the decisions of some of these tough people, like Hon Fidelis Egoro, Julius Okpotu, Larry Odey, Tom Agi, Gabe Ugor, Jude Ngaji, to mention but few whom loyalty to the PDP are no longer guaranteed (owing to an individual Imoke handed over to). And their monmouth crowd with capacity of turning politics of the area around anytime, anyday. Not to talk of the emerging political gladiators like Declan Ogar-Genesis, Francis Ekpo and a few other consistent, determined and dogged young politicians who are springing up around the area by day.
No doubt, there are pockets of protests against the current administration in Cross River State State which began by the team of the members of the National Assemblies from Cross River State right from the onset. Ever since then, there have been protests from all angles and all strata of the Cross River State society. All against the administration of Sen Prof Ben Ayade without no visible change in response to the protests, exception of the recent declaration of the AUTOMATIC RETURN OF ALL THE ASSEMBLIES MEN AND WOMEN in Cross River State under PDP. Questions arising from this mimicked declaration are: to whose benefits? And to the detriments of who? Why this declaration now?
Take for instance, Hon Fidelis Egoro was a former Yala LGA Chairman. He garner political relevance in Yala LGA, particularly at the Ukelle axis till tomorrow. Hon Tom Agi is of the Okuku ward. He has represented Yala state constituency 1 in the CRSHA for two terms before. And then, has been one time this and that. Hon Gabe Ugor remains a shining star of the Yache - Gabu axis including Yala speaking axis, and a Chairman who has not got his replicant in terms of his sterling performance in office as chairman of the council in Yala LGA. Mr Jude Ngaji was a state publicity secretary in PDP before, and then deputy chief of staff, and then became the chief of staff during Imoke's era. Jude just resigned from a revered office as the state security adviser (SSA) to pursue the political career of his choice.
Imagine the young Declan Ogar-Genesis. A guy who acted like "John the Baptist" in favour of the current governor of Cross River State, Sen Prof Ben Ayade, and the one who just consulted (and still consulting though) for the position of Yala LGA Chairmanship (even though, Ayade bluntly refused to conduct the Chairmanship elections unlike his predecessors, all to his personal gains and nobody seems to be questioning him on that, while many have expended so much money towards the scheduled elections which he never bother to conduct), and remains an influential young personality both in social, political, media, etc, etc, waves, not just within the Yala nation, but across Cross River State and beyond.
These political juggernauts like in all other local government areas of Cross River State cannot be taken for granted, and assumed a usual political runaway in terms of permutations, divide-and-rule practice, and hooliganisms that have characterised and bedevilled the political scenario of CRS in the past.
And so, basically, the onus now lies on Sen Liyel Imoke to redefine the direction of Cross River State with the instrumentality of who carries the PDP flag for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Cross River State, and how to reunite the "family" for the interest of the people and the progress of the state in general.
Should Ayade dramatically clinch the PDP ticket in Cross River State during the primary, it will not be the uhuru.
No comments:
Post a Comment