By Efio-Ita Nyok |23 July 2015 |5:52am
The most recent event relating to the legal suit between Joe Agi and Benedict Ayade took place Wednesday 22 July 2015. As it stands, judgement on the suit has been adjourned for a week. That is to say, on Friday 31 July next week, both His Excellency Senator Professor Benedict Ayade as well as Joe Agi (SAN) will know their fate.
Agi is challenging the candidature of the incumbent governor of Cross River in the last concluded general elections of 11 March 2015 on grounds of perceived forgery and misrepresentations. In fact, the incumbent is charged with having contradictory dates of births: The one on his gubernatorial nomination form differs with that on his international passport/drivers license.
There is an evident lull in government house and Ayade's camp, and this is to continue for seven days within which, all things being equal, the duo, that is Agi and Ayade will know their fates. This lull was initiated as the presiding judge adjourned the sitting further to Friday next week obviously buying into the plea by Ayade's lead counsel that his client isn't in a 'good state of mind' owing to the protest of taxi drivers numbering over one thousand in number to the governor's office. To my mind, this state-of-mind argument is more of being sentimental than scientific. It seems Ayade through his lead counsel is buying time and staying the hand of justice.
It has been held by some that the fear of Agi is the beginning of wisdom on the part of Ayade. Proponents of this inclination contend that the mouthiness and media hype that characterise the so-called Signature Projects and the appointment of 35 aides to His Excellency and the recent Asian/European tours for investors amongst others are attempt to garner support for His Excellency thereby giving the impression that Ayade may be the man for the moment. A look at the signature projects and the manner with which it was intellectually constructed lend credence to the fact that, despite the fact that it is a well thought out idea, the anticipated style of execution and other features related thereto are faulty.
For instance, Paul Ifere in conjunction with a colleague whose identity I can't precisely place a finger on in a well researched article published on Punch Online about two weeks ago or thereabout, had raised critical objections to some basic features of the proposed projects. These criticism suggest that Ayade's Signature Project was hatched unilaterally without the intervention of other parties. His Excellency may not be in 'a good state of mind'.
Again, the appointments of 35 aides to the office of the governor seem to my mind to be another testament to the reality that Ayade may not be in a good state of mind. Thirty-five aides devoid of commissioners of ministries, heads of government departments and executive secretaries of agencies!? There is a crack somewhere.
Now, we have another increase in taxes on taxi drivers in the state. Recently, I had published an article where I advised the governor to consider a downward review of the state's tax. However, His Excellency preferred an upward review.
From the above, one can reasonably glean that the legal suit ongoing between His Excellency and rival Joe Agi is having a negative toll on the former. This litigation is transfusing fear into Ayade. In turn, the fear-ridden Excellency evolves ideas and takes decision unilaterally forgetting that in a democracy despotism is strongly discouraged. John Gaul's House of Assembly has been converted into Ayade's rubber-stamp institution. When an informed public makes criticism we find a similarly fearful media aide, glaringly not in control of his wits, in the person of Inok Solomon bickering unjustifiably.
My take on the whole litigation saga is that should this suit continue without a final resolution in sight, His Excellency and his aides, in fact, the administration taken as a whole would seem to be misfiring. This is not going to be in the best interest of the state and her expectant masses.
They say, justice delayed is justice denied. The entire litigation should be given a final resolution. But, will Ayade be butted out of office by Agi? Will the Signature Projects die a natural death? Or, will there be a new approach to addressing Cross River's multifaceted challenges? Or, better still, would there be another adjournment? Only time would tell.
