Joseph Odok|19 October 2015|5:20am
The desperation of PDP is an open secret. Their stock in trade remains impunity, lack of internal democracy, rigging elections and influencing the court process to sustain their unpopularity in the state.
In the 16 years of impunity that marked the Liyel Imoke and Donald Duke led PDP, the story of PDP, in it's treatment of the citizenry, is akin to a story of a beautifully adorned virgin that has been raped and infested with cancerous disease waiting for the final blow of death.
The myriads of problems that bedevils the state raging from poor road network, infrastructural decay, poor and mortalizing pension policies, poor educational policies, poor welfare for workers, and unemployment to mention but a few.
With it's nefarious structures, PDP in CRS gained prominence in her unrelented drive to rape CRS of the true principles of democracy thereby, creating facades that enrich individuals and impoverish the lagger populace. Walking the streets of CRS tells a story of the unpopular avenger of the people called PDP.
Having rigged themselves into power in the last gubernatorial and States/Federal Houses of Assembly elections, the PDP have taken to influencing the court process to sustain their stolen mandate. No wonder the governor was seen begging the APC gubernatorial candidate Odey Ochicha and Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo to withdraw their court cases conscious of the irregularities that characterised the election that ushered him as governor.
The story of the State/Federal Houses of Assembly revealed evidence of massive rigging in various tribunal courts. With a questionable and irrational penchant to influence court processes: Paul Erokoro relied on mere technicalities with an application that saw the disqualification of the chairman of the tribunal court on grounds that the court was not well constituted in accordance with constitutional provision. To the greatest dismay of Cross Riverians, a self-defeated court gave judgement dismissing the petitions of credible candidates like Dr. Alex Egbuna, Prince Bassey Otu, Dominic Aqua Edem, Stanley Afu, Amanke, Dr. Julius Oputu etc.
Thank God for a special petition against the President of the Court of Appeal, who is accused by many, to be the conspirator with PDP to occasion the miscarriage of justice against these candidates. It is worthy of note that before now the petition of Dr. Sandy Onor has been thrown out for very frivolous reasons.
The desperation of PDP seems not to end with the aforementioned plans to rig out the popular Labour Party candidates. Their next target is influencing the court process or resort to violence using state structures to disrupt judgements that may throw out some of its candidates in the state houses of Assembly election: particularly the APC candidates of Boki I & II State Houses of Assembly elections.
For purposes of an update, the cases of Hon. Ernest Eki Vs. Itam Abang and Busa Odu Vs. Hilary Bisong stands out. Busa Odu petition has survived to the point of address, the next will be judgement.
While Busa Odu prays for outright cancellation of the election, Hon. Ernest Eki prays for cancellation of results of 21 polling units and for the court to declare him as winner having polled the highest number of valid votes. Hon. Ernest Eki's case has survived so many intrigues and attempt by the PDP who have urged the court to throw the petition out on grounds of late filling.
Be that as it may, the court in its last ruling gave life to Hon. Ernest Eki's petition and dismissed the application by Hon. Attah Ochinke led PDP legal team on grounds of frivolity and of lack of merit. It is worthy of note that evidence before the court held that Hon. Attah Ochinke aided the rigging of the election and fueled some violence using a gang of cult boys. This strong allegation led the judge to advise Hon. Attah Ochinke to step down from his position as the lead counsel to PDP and thus save his reputation.
Contemplating the good counsel of the court, Hon. Attah Ochinke listened to the good counsel of the court and stepped down as the lead counsel.
With the fear of losing the case, Hon. Attah Ochike, made a two times visit to Hon. Ernest Eki in his private house soliciting for an out of court settlement. This move was frustrated by Hon. Ernest Eki's refusal to bow to pressure. The next desperate move was an attempt by PDP legal team to bribe the court bailiff to hid some sensitive documents. Through a petition and cross examination, the court bailiff was forced to return some documents that mysteriously disapeared at the course of the proceeding
The battle of Boki I & II State Houses of Assembly election petition is almost lost and won as the court will soon give judgement, but the desperation of PDP seems unending as information reaching me reveals that some desperate members of PDP-CRS are up again holding nocturnal meetings with plans to bomb and attack the court on the judgement day. Having failed woefully in influencing the court process, the PDP seems poised to use state security apparatus to disrupt court process and thus deny the people of their mandate.
I, therefore, call on the leadership of APC-CRS under Pst. Usani U. Usani to swing into action to defend the mandate of the people and the rights of its candidate. The Inspector General of Police should be immediately briefed of the nefarious plans of PDP to continually silence the voice of opposition in the state. In the same vein the people-loving governor most be seen to belong to no single party but protect the rights of all.
A stitch in time saves nine.
long live Boki nation!
long live CRS!
