DESPERATION IS NOT THE BEST STRATEGY IN THE QUEST FOR ACQUISITION OF POWER – RT. HON. ETABA

NASS Correspondent

The Member Representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba has said that desperation is not the best strategy in the quest for acquisition of power.

This was stated in post made on the Facebook page of the SSA Communication and Advocacy, Ms  Beatrice Akpala where the House of Representative member representing Etung and Obubura disclosed that the notion about all national assembly members being at war with Governor Ben Ayade is incorrect.

He said that some of the National Assembly Members under the able leadership of Sen. Stephen Adi Odey are standing solidly behind the Governor till 2023.

Rt Hon. Mike Etaba reiterated that a few National Assembly members who constitute the team desperation faction are the ones that declared war against Governor Ben Ayade Because they felt undermined based on the congresses that were conducted for the ward and Chapter Exco delegates.

According to him, after the congresses when the National Assembly Members Raised Their Concerns, Governor Ben Ayade called them for a meeting and he apologized for the irregularities and he delegated Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo to interface with the 11 National Assembly Members And To Harmonise The List but before the harmonisation could be carried out the National Assembly Members replaced the list and altered it completely with impunity. Adding also that by virtue of the fact that the Governor apologized for the discrepancies, it was enough for all Members of the National Assembly to collapse their support for the Governor as the leader of the party and work with him to resolve all differences without rancor.

He noted also that desperation and the quest for acquisition of power ahead of 2023 is the reason why the issue has aggravated to the level it is today. Noting that desperation is not the best strategy because if the issues develop in to a full blown War the various agitations for 2023 will be an effort in futility
because no meaningful progress can take place in an atmosphere of crisis.

On the way forward, Rt Hon Etaba stated that the National Working Committee Of The PDP that is supposed to be an unbiased umpire did not fulfill their obligation as expected. Adding that their inability to handover the party structures to the Governor as the leader of the party as specified by the PDP constitution is questionable. He reemphasised that at this rate as foot soldiers of the Governor they are waiting for him to take his routes and wherever he decides to go they will follow him. He stated emphatically that what is the essence of being a part of a family that can not protect your interest or watch you get insulted by your subordinates and chooses to do nothing until they are practically threatened. Adding that Governor Ben Ayade must be allowed to take charge in all ramifications as the leader of the party, anything less Will Not Be Accepted.

He further declared that they can not continue to live in deceit or pretence that all is well. He decried the unfair treatment his colleagues meted to him as a fellow member of the National Assembly. He narrated how in his own ward and the entire Obubra Local Government Area where he comes from the delegate list was swapped without his consent nor involvement as their representative. Adding that his colleagues handed to him an already elected executive that they dubiously constituted behind closed doors without his acknowledgement as a follow Member of the National Assembly.

He threw a rhetorical question that between the Ben Ayade led administration that involved party stalwarts and opinion leaders in the various Local Government Areas in an open congress and the dubious faction of the National Assembly Members that replaced the list that was submitted after a duely certified process and doctored the list completely in Abuja, Who then is better off? Is it Governor Ben Ayade who appologised for the discrepancies committed by his foot soldiers in his absence or the National Assembly Members Who Were Complaining Bitterly Of Sidelining but ended up ridiculing the credibility of the political process by making Cross River State a laughing stock in the committee Of Nations? He also called on Cross Riverians to make a practical decision between the Ben Ayade Led Administration And The Desperados In The National Assembly Faction Who is better off? And Who Is Deceiving Who?

He added, that if the Governor so decides that he is staying in PDP to take charge, all his true supporters will stand by him solidly to flip the situation and impunity will not be allowed to reign supreme in Cross River State. Noting also that Governor Ben Ayade has the capacity to recalibrate to build the Cross River State of our dream.

Speaking on the Sen.Bukola Saraki’s led reconciliation and strategy committee, Rt. Hon. Etaba said that after the 18 Local Government Chairmen stormed the PDP National Secretariat to serve the notice of defection should the PDP not order a fresh congress and ensure that Governor Ben Ayade as the leader of the party controls all the party structures in the State. He affirmed that the National Working Committee mandated the Bukola Saraki led reconciliation and strategy committee to wade into the matter and ensure proper reconciliation of the crisis in the state.

He revealed also that the committee met with the Cross River State PDP National Assembly Caucus, listened to their concerns as legislators, discussed strategies to unite all leaders and key stakeholders in Cross River State. Adding also that the National Assembly Members were adviced to work hard to ensure that the fortunes of PDP particularly in Cross River State are sustained.

Summarily, Rt. Hon. Etaba called on leaders to rise to the occasion irrespective of how they feel about Governor Ben Ayade as an individual, that the powers associated with the Office of the Governor cannot be insulted or debased to score political points.

He urged all Cross Riverians to pray for the Ben Ayade led administration and leaders at all levels. Adding that the God factor is paramount in all of the orchestrated confusion in the Cross River State political landscape.