The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benue state

  • Ortom restates call for Intelligence gathering

    Governor Samuel Ortom has restated his call on the people of the state to assist the security agencies to fight crime through intelligence gathering.

    He said this in Chito, Ukum Local Government Area at the late burial of Pa David Ashaver, father of his former Special Adviser on revenue and taxation, Mr. Benjamin Ashaver.

    The Governor lamented the spate of criminality including assassinations and kidnapping in the area and blamed it on some wayward youths whom he said had become a clog in the wheel of development of their communities.

    He noted that he, in collaboration with religious and traditional leaders had done everything under the law to ensure peace in the Sankera axis and Benue at large including disarming those in possession of illegal weapons.

    Governor Ortom however regretted that some of the youth who willingly returned their arms later returned to the wild and were perpetrating various forms of atrocities in the society.

    He urged people of the area to be bold and volunteer information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of criminals in their communities, stressing that it was only by doing so that they could complement government efforts towards addressing insecurity.

    Governor Ortom condoled his former appointee and the entire Ashaver family over the death and described the chief mourner, Dr Benjamin Ashaver as a trusted ally with whom he a good working relationship.

    Read Also: Prove your claims, Ortom challenges Oshiomhole

    Former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, represented by member of the State Assembly, Dr Kester Kyenge, Senator Barnabas Gemade, represented by for Logo council chairman, Mr Mike Kondoun, in separate orations extolled the virtues of the deceased.

    Member representing Sankera Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Udende, prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Royal fathers in the area, Chiefs Orkaa Kaave and Demekpe Ijah, as well as Chairman of Ukum local government council, Mr. Iber Logo, while praying God to console the bereaved family, also appealed to Governor Ortom to consider the grading of Sankera-Chito-Vaase road to ease movement in the area.

    In a funeral service, Director NKST Media Services Mkar, Reverend Terungwa Awen, charged Christians to obey Biblical injunctions in preparation for God’s judgment, while the chief mourner,

    Mr. Benjamin Ashaver, expressed appreciation to Governor Ortom and all those who found time to mourn with them in their bereavement.

  • Insecurity: NEC sets up panel to decentralize Police operation

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday set up a committee towards decentralizing the operations of the Nigerian Police Force.

    This was disclosed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno at the end of the NEC meeting chaired by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru and Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abuonu.

    Read Also: Osinbajo chairs NEC meeting

    Monguno said that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, will head the committee with representatives from the six geopolitical zones.

    He also pointed out that Nigeria is currently facing abnormal security challenges.

    The security challenges, he said, can’t be completely tackled within a short a time.

    He also said that the improvements in the security situations in the country has nothing to do with the forthcoming general elections.

  • Prove your claims, Ortom challenges Oshiomhole

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has challenged the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole to prove his claims of mismanagement of Benue bail out and Paris Club refunds.

    Ortom accused Oshiomhole of making “astonishing, unsubstantiated, wild and wide allegations relating to the issue of allocation and payment of salaries, security votes expenditure and the insecurity in Benue State.

    The governor, who spoke in an August 6 letter written by his counsel, Samuel Irabor, alleged that the ex-Edo Governor Oshiomhole made libellous statements against him at a press conference on July 27.

    He demanded that Oshiomhole should write a “letter of retraction/apology addressed to our client in respect of the false, defamatory and libelous statement made against him in the sponsored press conference herein complained of.

    “That the said retraction/apology be simultaneously published in the Sunday edition of 10 National Dailies circulating within Benue State as well as a paid advertorial to the same effect on the prime time beats of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Channels TV, TVC News, African Independent Television (AIT), Independent Television (ITV) Benin, Radio Nigeria, Radio Benue and Harvest FM, Makurdi.

    “An undertaking not to indulge in any such false publication against our client in future, payment of N10Billion as punitive, general, exemplary and aggravated damages.”

    He warned that should the APC Chairman fail to meet the terms within seven days he should be prepared to defend a libel suit.

    According to the Benue governor, Oshiomhole’s statements were an attempt to “regain political mileage” following Ortom’s recent exit from the APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He claimed that since he exercised his “political freedom” by moving to a party that guaranteed safety for his kinsmen, Oshiomhole had embarked on a campaign of hatred and propaganda against him.

    Ortom described as false and offensive, “your allegations that our client has confessed to sharing Benue State money with party leaders and that despite collection of bail out and Paris Club refund monies.”

    Read Also: ‘Ortom’s defection won’t affect APC’s chances in Benue’

    He also took offense to a statement credited to Oshiomhole that “Governor Ortom has not and is not paying salaries… the vicious circle of poverty in Benue State has been deepened under Gov. Ortom”.

    Ortom added: “By deducible analysis, it is also your allegation that our client is responsible for the killings in Benue State, specifically the unfortunate killing of two Catholic priests and their parishioners in Mbalom community which sad event occurred on the morning of 24th April, 2018.

    “It is noteworthy that in the entire web of false accusations that you weaved against our client, you could not bring yourself to mention a single Benue person or any other person for that matter from whom you sourced your false narratives. For the records, the principles of law grounding liability for defamation and libel do not exculpate tale bearers from liability for the reason that the tales they bear are not original to them.

    “It is the complaint of our client that the false and offensive publication has deeply injured his reputation by portraying him in literal, unequivocal and unambiguous terms as a dishonest, fraudulent and violent person who has not only diverted the various intervention funds meant for salaries and arrears by sharing same with party leaders but is also an accomplice to the killings in Benue State.

    “It was in this parlous state that the Samuel Ortom led administration applied for the said N69 billion as bailout funds but it received N28 billions of which N12.5 billion was meant for the state and the balance of it was meant for the Local Government Areas. After carrying out staff verification, the State paid four months arrears for January 2015 – April 2015 and was able to save N1.6 Billion as a positive consequence of the verification exercise. Unfortunately the N1.6 billion saved from the verification exercise was garnished by the workers of Taraku Mills Ltd who had earlier secured judgment at the National Industrial Court before our client became Governor.

    “On the issue of Paris Club refund, the expenditure profile by the Benue State Government is also in the public domain as our client, in the spirit of transparency, probity, honesty and accountability, has variously engaged the Benue people through several interactive sessions entailing phone-in programmes vide the state media. The records show that the first tranche of Paris Club refund amounting to N12.7 billion was received in December, 2016 and used in facilitating two months salaries across board. The second tranche came in June 2017 amounting to N6.4 billion and was also used to offset salary, pension and gratuities while the Benue State Government in agreement with the Labour Congress in Benue State took an overdraft of N8 billion in anticipation of the third tranche which was also utilized to settle indebtedness to workers.”

    According to Ortom, the only inference to draw is that Oshiomhole’s “unproven allegation was informed by a dangerously cultivated, albeit unwarranted malice” against him.

     

  • Benue youths challenge Ortom to public debate on achievements

    Young stakeholder of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State have challenges the state Governor, Samuel Ortom to a public debate on his achievements for the past three and half years, saying his new party, the PDP is aware that he has lost electoral value to get a return ticket.

    Addressing a news conference in Abuja, Convener of the Idoma Young Stakeholders Forum Dominic Alancha said the Governor was aware that the people of the state will reject in the 2019 General election, and is doing everything possible to blame his non-performance on other people, including President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He also said that Nigerians should not be surprised at the decampment of Senate President, Bukola Saraki because he was never a true member of the APC and has consistently worked against the interest of the party.

    “In the build-up to the 2019 elections, some politicians have taken to the social media and traditional media to concoct tales that are outlandish and capable of throwing the country into chaos.

    “In Benue State, we are shock with disgust in the way and manner of some of our former associates who recently defected to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, would want to stand logic on the head in a bid to mislead and misinform the people.

    “Here, we are talking about the State governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom whose freedom to associate with any political party of his choice is never in dispute, but it behaves on him never to assault common sense and good judgement in the process. What we are at a loss about is his desperation to concoct, twist, malign and like a bull in the China shop want to break valuable as he ramble about to justify his move.

    “Our governor whose despicable and unresisting utterances have made allusion to the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is responsible for his travails. At any rate, Nigerians are mindful of the comportment and decency of Mr. President and his well-known aversion for under the table tactics in settling political differences.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has maintained and showed exemplary leadership even in the face of provocations and harassment by people who misconstrue opposition politicking with daily embarrassing the President, yet, like an elder statesman who harbors no bitterness, he has continued to discharge his duties with commitment and resolute determination to birth the country we all can be proud off. The task of building an enduring county where peace, stability and justice shall prevail is his constant concern. He would not falter on this note.

    Read Also: Police chief: we maintained peace at Benue Assembly

    “We respect Ortom’s right to move out of our party but we ask, must he set the state on tire because of his primordial appetite for power? He must always remember that power comes from God and he freely endows it on whom it pleases Him. We encourage him to leave the President out of his troubles and readily give account of his stewardship and justify his recent political move as an adult.

    “The APC has maintained that his departure does not have any negative effect on our patty, a liability that he was, but for the admonition of the leaders of our party such as Senator George Akume and the Honorable Minister for Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Ortom ought to have been long impeached for gross dereliction of duty.

    “A total failure would have a zillion excuses for his none performance. Like a drowning man that he is, he has stalted to makes damnable lies as reasons for his lackluster performance in office. Well, we assure him that his days of reckoning are fast approaching and he must give account to the people of our state.

    “We are not ignorant or easily deceived. Ortom’s can continue to lament and peddle cock and bull stories-The truth is sacrosanct and he will answer to the people before long.

    “As for us in Zone C, we remain resolute under the amiable leadership of Chief Audu Ogbeh. We declare our unalloyed support for President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of state. We declare that we shall deliver block vote for him come 2019 that much we owe him.

    “We proclaim our continued membership of the APC. We are truely sorry for the embarrassment called Ortom. We promise to remedy the mistake in the next election as we promise to once again deliver our Zone 100° to Mr. President we stand with you-go on with the giant strides which we are proud to be associated with. Before long, the truth shall prevail even if it is under a barrage of attack-we shall prevail.

    “We reaffirm that Benue APC respect Ortom’s right to freely associate as he wishes, but come to think of it who in his right thinking mind in Benue whether in APC or PDP believes that Ortom is reselectable. That is the dilemma before them in the PDP which he has defected to.

    “So, for the APC it is indeed a relief and we wish him and the PDP best of luck. But nothing can be more fortuitous than his voluntary departure because every APC member in Benue and Nigeria have been in agony for the man who has been an albatross.

    “What we are looking forward to is how PDP intend to field him and win the election in the state. The people of Benue know of his endemic failures and would reject him. Benue has never had it this bad, Ortom is a failure. We challenge him to say otherwise as we are willing to engage him in a public debate.

    “On the Spate of defection generally, one is sad to say that greed, reckless ambition and not principle and national concern seems to be the driving factor. Virtually everybody running out of APC to PDP want to be a president.”

     

  • Ortom’s exit from APC a blessing to us – Oshiomhole

    Says Governor making political capital on the graves of Benue people

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said Friday that Benue State that the exit of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom from the party was a blessing in disguise to the APC, saying his three and half years as governor in the stage was a waste as he had no single project to show for the mandate given to him by the party.

    Addressing a news conference at the party secretariat, Comrade Oshiomhole said even though the party leadership had attempted to wade into the conflict between the governor and leaders of the party in Benue State, he could not successfully defend the weighty allegation leveled against him by the leaders of the party in the state.

    He said that at the instance of the Governor, the National leadership of the party had arranged another meeting to bring north Gov. Ortom and party leaders in the state to a round table with the meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, July 24 only for the governor to turn governance to “nollywood”.

    Oshiomhole said “Within the last 48 hours we have watched the unfolding events in Benue State particularly the decision of Gov, Ortom to leave the party. Ordinarily, we would not have responded having already responded to the decision by the Publicity Secretary.

    “As you all recall, Gov. Ortom had said that the APC in Benue State gave him red card to leave our party and that they will not field him in the governorship election in 2018 and that because the door had been shut against him, he had no choice than to leave. Without going into investigations, we invited him to speak to us on the issues and we also invited our party leaders in Benue State to also brief us on what the issues were.

    “From the point of view of our leaders in Benue State, their position was clear that field Gov. Ortom On APC platform in 2019 can only lead to electoral defeat for a number of reasons.

    “They reminded us that inspite of the allocation accruing to Benue State, the bail our fund amount to over N20 billion and the huge sums of money collected from the Paris club refund, he was not paying salaries to Benue workers, including teachers, local government employees and civil servants. He owes some of the as much as 12months salaries.

    “So, the entire economy of Benue State that survives on civil servants salaries is to that effect compromised. What is not obvious is that those who live on rents paid by civil servants cannot collect their rents with which to survive, thereby having effect on the commercial live of the people. This explains a vicious circle of poverty in Benue State that has been deepened under Gov. Ortom.

    Read Also: Ortom appoints BIRS chairman

    “The second is that Gov. Ortom has complicated, by his own actions, and poor judgment the security situation in the state. They draw our attention to the fact that some of those that have been arrested as a result of the killings are people who have been associated with him, including people in his employment, especially a guy known to have been involved in Boko Haram whom he recruited to manage what they called forest guard.

    “These people have been arrested and are in police custody. If an appointee of a Governor is involved in a heinous crime, including killing that will be enough for a governor to worry about. Instead, he played up the ethnic dimension of criminality, even though some of those killed were killed not by Muslims, but Christian of Benue State origin, including those he employed.

    “These people have been in police custody, so, his attempt to explain away criminality by playing the ethnic card is unhelpful to what he should as governor to manage the situation better. After all, those in Benue State have always been there and his predecessors, including Suswam had found ways to manage these diversities. So, Ortom’s incapacity to manage it and even seek to make political capital of the death of Benue people is unfortunate.

    “It is important that Nigerians understand that the condemnable killings of two Reverend Fathers and some Christians in a church, those who have confessed to these crimes include people who have worked with Gov. Ortom an these killings were done few weeks after one of them was extremely critical during his sermon about the governance of the state and the style of governance of the Governor.

    “His price obviously was to pay with his dear life and not a few thought that the governor would celebrate that. I am not about to suggest that Gov, Ortom might have asked anybody to go and kill anyone, but that some of those involved in these killings are Benue State originated are Christians.

    “That is not to deny that some herdsmen have also been involved in the killings. But the responsibility of any government is not to seek to manipulate this, but to confront it.

    “There was also the fact that for three and half years that he has been in office, he cannot point to any concrete project that he has carried out. He cannot point to any major project that has been completed.

    “When we asked him these questions and allegations that why the Vice President and the President has visited other states to Commission projects, in Benue, they have only paid condolence visit. It is okay to lament the absence of federal presence, but what is the excuse for the absence of state projects in the state.

    “His argument is that he has diverted a lot of the resources to security issue. That raises the issue. Can you be spending N22 billion on security and the people are increasingly insecure? So if you accept that he spent money on security, it meant that he realizes that he has a responsibility to secure life and not pass the bulk.

    “So, I felt scandalized watching him saying he had to leave the APC because he did not feel secure. To be honest, I am relieved as National Chairman and the leadership of our party in Benue State are relieved that he has returned to where he came from.

    “So, we now have a clean platform to search for a credible Benue citizen that can provide the kind of leadership that the Benue State deserve and not one who seek to make political capital out of human graves and celebrating the death of his own people.

    “As a party, we condemn any life that has been wasted by criminals and we accept that government responsibility is to protect live and property. But I condemn anyone of us who seek to make political capital out of these killings because we have shared responsibility to protect their lives regardless of their religion or location. So, we are re lived that Ortom has returned.

    “When you look at it, he got our ticket on a platter of gold because he was never a participant in the building process of the party. He became a candidate by accident. The lesson to learn is that never again should people become candidates by accident.”

    On the allegation that he was being victimized for refusing to share state resources with the party leaders in the state, Oshiomhole said “If a governor confessed that he shared government money to party leaders, is that the reasons he will be re-elected?

    “Then if he has shared the government money with party leaders then the party leaders should try to keep in in office by guarantee him the ticket since he shared the money with them. If on the other hand he claimed that he refused to share the money, good therefore what have you done with the money?

    “You couldn’t pay the workers salaries with the money you refused to share, have you built more roads for the people of Benue state? What have you accomplished with this bailout fund and the Paris fund?

    “So let me assure that what I do promised, and please mark my word each time I speak, those negotiable and verifiable grievances we would address. And I said we won’t deny somebody ticket on account of a conflict between him and any other person if he is at home with his people, even yesterday I emphasized that.

    “When people say automatic ticket, does it guarantee automatic victory when people are against you? I said so. Because we didn’t give you departure ticket, so how are we going to gice you a return ticket?

    “So, I couldn’t assure gov Ortom that we will overrule the posution of our members and leaders in Benue state that come 2019 we will give him ticket. I wanted to simply cross chect with him in the allegations made against him and he was to come by Wednesday that is why he organised that drama.

    “And that tells you the quality of reasoning, with all due respect to Governor Ortom, how can you reduce governance to Nollywood, saying hen I wanted to go to Abuja to meet with the National Working Committee but my people have blocked the road that I will not go. When has it become a case that when a governor want to travel it is on the radio that he is travelling and this is the purpose.”

  • Benue House of Assembly under lock and key

    A detachment of Mobile Police men have put Benue State House of Assembly under lock and key on Friday.

    The menacing look heavy armed mobile policemen took over the Benue State House of Assembly complex as early as 9am and positioned themselves in every corner of the Assembly.

    At about 10 the new speaker Hon Titus Uba led some Lawmakers to resume sitting but were barred from gaining entrance by policemen.

    Read Also: Benue PDP welcomes Ortom

    The speaker and Lawmakers attempted to gain entrance into the chamber through the back gate again as they jumped over the fence which shares fence with Government House Makurdi but met a brick wall as the chamber was blocked by heavy policemen.

    The Nation gathered that the Lawmakers later sat in an undisclosed location in Makurdi and suspended the impeached speaker Teekimbir Ikyange for six months for alleged gross misconduct.

     

  • Defections, indication opposition is set to rescue Nigeria – Okowa

    Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has said the gale of defections from the ruling All Progressive Congress to the opposition PDP is an indication that the party is prepared to rescue Nigeria from the present state of affairs.

    He welcomed the defection of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmakers to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),

    In a statement in Asaba, on Thursday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Gov. Okowa congratulated the National Chairman and leadership of the PDP for the proactive steps taken so far in repositioning the party.

    According to the Governor: “I congratulate members and leaders of the PDP on the defections and abandonment of the APC by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom and the members of the National Assembly.

    “The defections have clearly shown to the entire world that the APC lack the capacity to manage a political party, and indeed a government and this explains why the people now look up to the PDP to rescue the country and put it on the path of good governance for our people.

    Governor Okowa commended the defectors for the courage they have exhibited in abandoning “the sinking ship.”  He stressed that the defections signify a vote of no confidence in the APC-led government and that the 2019 election will be a referendum of how the APC shattered the expectations of Nigerians.

    Read Also: Okowa denies backing Atiku’s Presidential ambition

    He added: “The decision of a significant number of members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to leave the APC and decamp into the PDP clearly indicates that there is hope that the country will be rescued from the misrule of the APC government.

    The Governor congratulated the PDP for positioning itself as a suitable alternative for the defectors. He emphasized that the choice of the PDP as a preferred destination for them is an affirmation of the kind of leadership the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has provided since assuming office.

    Okowa further encouraged other Governors, lawmakers to consider joining the PDP as the party is set on a mission to rescue Nigeria.

     

  • PDP welcomes Ortom, urges others to return

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, back to its fold and has urged all its members in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return back to the party.

    Ortom had on Wednesday announced his defection from the APC to the PDP.

    In a statement on Wednesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party commended Governor Ortom for “showing patriotic courage and boldness” in the face of brazen dictatorship.

    Tye statement said, “The return of the Governor to PDP confirms the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led-administration and the APC do not have the welfare of Nigerians at heart.

    “They have continually offered flimsy excuses over the mindless killings that have caused untold sorrows across the country, particularly, Benue State.

    “PDP recalls that the Buhari-led federal government has failed in its basic responsibility of protecting live, property and territorial integrity of our nation.

    “Painfully, Nigerians are being slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, nearly on daily basis”.

    Read Also: Ortom finally dumps APC for PDP

    The party accused the APC-led administration of continually pleading for accommodation of persons who have been repeatedly fingered in killings in the Benue valley rather than take decisive and concrete actions to preserve lives of Nigerians.

    It hailed the governor for standing firm by the people of Benue State and refusing to mortgage their welfare to a government that has consistently demonstrated cluelessness.

    “We urge the governor to be rest assured that he will be accorded his dues and rights as a member of the PDP.

    “The return of the Governor Ortom to our party, which is a reflection of his people’s desires, further confirms the rejection of the Buhari -led APC administration by Nigerians.

    “It also buttresses the fact that PDP remains the viable platform for all Nigerians that are desirous of rescuing our nation from the gross misgovernance and authoritarianism exhibited by the APC-led administration”, the statement added.

  • Ortom’s defection surprising – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it was surprised by the decision of Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom to dump the party after efforts by the national leadership of the party to resolve issues raised by the governor concerning the politics of the state.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said in a statement that while the party respect the right of every member to make their choices, it was surprised that after giving his words, Gov. Ortom will do the opposite of his promise.

    The statement said despite the defection, the party will not relent in it’s efforts at reconciling aggrieved members of the party who keeps their mind open for reconciliation.

    The statement said “The Party recalls efforts made by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to address some of the grievances raised by the Benue State Governor pertaining to the local politics in Benue State.

    Read Also: Ortom finally dumps APC for PDP

    “The Governor had left the meeting saying he was satisfied with the assurances given by Party leaders. We are still working on giving effect to the resolutions from the meeting. Therefore, we are somewhat surprised by Governor Ortom’s decision.

    “The Party reiterates its earlier position that it respects the rights of every citizen to chose their political affiliation but expresses hopes that those who have left the Party will rescind their decisions.

    “Even with this development, we don’t think it is too late for reconciliation. We have to continue to talk. As long as people keep their minds open and have the courage to put the real issues on the table, reconciliation is still possible.

    “The Party once again call on members across the country to remain calm as the Party leadership continues to work hard to position the Party strongly for the next general elections.”

  • Cross River youths protest against Ayade joining APC

    The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday stormed the national secretariat of the party to protest against the alleged plan defection of the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade to the party, saying there was no vacancy for the Governor.

    The protesters were however stopped from successful carrying out their protest by security personnel and some staff of the APC secretariat, saying while nobody protested against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom leaving the party, they were protesting against another governor joining the party.

    The protesting APC youths from Cross Rivers state said there were plans by the governor to join the party, adding that Gov. Ayade wants t9 join the APC because he has been rejected by his own party for failing to deliver on his campaign promises.

    Read Also: Ayade vows to rid Cross River of crimes, seeks FG’s support

    Spokesperson of the group. Sankara Unung told journalists that party stakeholders in state are not comfortable with the antics of the governor and as such is kicking against his proposed entry.

    He said “Ayade is a man with grand scale skimming techniques. APC does not have any space for him and his ilk. For a man whose party has roundly and unprecedented rejected for his very poor and abysmal performance, APC cannot be and should never be his safe heaven.

    “Ayade is running Cross River State like a fiefdom where he designated his younger brother as the co-governor with state powers. A man who is aiding and abating corruption using his direct sibling as proxy should not be allowed to identify with a party with a decent pedigree like our great party, the APC.”

    According to the group, the governor always laying claim to phantom projects which he uses to deceive the people, adding that with the level of poverty and suffering of the people, Ayade does not deserve to be given a space in APC