Tag: Ugbo

For those familiar with the politics of Cross River State, the phrase, “three wise men” does not immediately conjure up the image of three sage-like figures riding on camels back from the East with gifts for the Holy baby Jesus on a cold winter night.

What comes to mind instead is actually the triumvirate of the sleek and suave-looking past governor Donald Duke, a calm and calculating present governor, Liyel Imoke and a behind-the-scene top politician and chairman of State Water Board, Gershom Bassey.

At a time, stories of how these three, under the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would wield power and control the state for 24 years one after the other before handing over to their cronies, could well be recited by the averagely politically conscious secondary school student in the state.

As speculated. Duke completed his eight year tenure as the state governor, from 1999 to 2007, and Imoke took over and is currently on his second term of eight years to expire in 2015. But somewhere along the line, it appears something must have gone wrong as it does not seem absolutely likely that Bassey would take over in 2015.

This is because of the speculation that the group had fallen apart, apparently because they may not have taken into consideration the political configuration of the state. Cross River State is made up of three senatorial districts which are the northern, central and the southern. The southern had produced Duke, the central, Imoke, and the agitation that power must be rotated evenly is threatening to put an end to the plot of the three wise men, as Bassey is from the south.

On the surface, these do not seem to bother Bassey, the last of the trio, as he seems content with his current position as chairman of the Cross River State Water Board.

Imoke, at different fora has said that for the sake of fairness he would hand over power to the north in 2015. It was on the basis on this promise that political stalwarts supported him in his second term bid. Also in a state where political enlightenment has heightened significantly, it seems unlikely that three people can just sit down and decide how everything is run.

Some observers believe him to be singing a different song at a time he was rooting for Victor Ndoma-Egba to return to the Senate last year, when he had said the best material should always be given the job and not on the basis of where one comes from. At the time Patrick Iwara, with the Action Congress of Nigeria, who wanted to wrest the seat of the central senatorial district from Ndoma-Egba, had argued that the Central Senatorial District is made up of Old Ikom and Old Obubra (Old Ikom consisting of Ikom, Etung and Boki local governments, while Old Obubra is made up of Yakurr, Obubra and Abi local governments) and that Ndoma-Egba, who is from Ikom, and then serving his second term should also let it rotate to the people of Old Obubra.

But in a recent parley with newsmen, Imoke had said, “Cross River already has three senatorial districts. Two senatorial districts (southern and central) have produced by the grace of God, governors. One has not. Would it be fair for us not to allow the other senatorial district a governor? This is just a question of simple fairness; just like we had president from the north, then, south-west, now from south-south, etc. There is no big deal. It is a natural sequence. That is why I support it openly. Some people have been asking oga to keep quiet over this matter; this is not how to do it. I say I don’t know how to deal with what is honest, sincere, correct and right. This is what I have always stood for in my politics. My politics has always been about uniting Cross River. That is why I started my politics by taking on the most difficult challenge. That was when they said no Efik man can ever be governor of Cross River State and I said no. So, there is a set of Cross Riverians that cannot be governor? So, I fought that. And then I wasn’t governor, I wasn’t anything, and by the grace of God we managed to win that battle that changed the face of Cross River. That united all of us. That thing that we used to be called an atavistic society perpetually at war with itself is no more. I challenged it. That I think is one of my greatest achievements – uniting our people. The final seal on that unity would be that the next governor of Cross River comes from the northern senatorial district.”

With his position, on where power should go in 2015, Imoke has declared the floor open for contestants in the northern senatorial district to get their act together to have a shot at the top job in the state under PDP ticket.

Among such people in the north, who are likely to run in 2015 is the former Secretary to the state government and current Executive Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Fidelis Ugbo, who is believed to have Imoke’s blessing. He is believed to be simple, well educated, mature, a team player and someone who would be easily accepted across three senatorial zones. A lawyer, he has served in many capacities within and outside the state.

It is alleged that with Imoke he shares strong opinions on issues. For instance, Imoke in a recent media parley had spoken strongly on the clamour for a Sovereign National Conference when he de-emphasized the call for the conference, saying what is needed is constitutional amendment.

Similarly Ugbo in an interaction with journalists in Abuja recently described the call for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference by a cross section of Nigerians as unnecessary. Ugbo had argued that from the legislative houses from the local government to the National Assembly comprised of the representatives of the people with mandates to advance the interests of their constituents.

The senator representing the northern senatorial district, Prof Ben Ayade, is another likely candidate. Believed to be very wealthy and independent minded and in a system where more often than not it has been shown that money can sway the polity, the powers that be in the state, appear to be wary of him.

Ayade had in last year’s elections practically bulldozed his way to becoming senator as he was believed not to have government’s support.

He has already started registering his presence in the state by introducing a fleet of buses running routes from the Calabar in the southern senatorial district through the central senatorial district to Ogoja and Obudu in the northern senatorial district, thereby reducing the stress and cost of transportation across the state. The ubiquitous presence of the white buses boldly inscribed AYADE MOTORS, observers believe is a sign of things to come.