Ifere Paul|28 July 2016|8:40AM
In a bit to whip up sentiments, the Governor of Cross River State is in a big plan to do what he termed as embarrassing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The Governor is in a secret meeting with opinion leaders, traditional council members, and former Senator Florence Ita-Giwa to appear on television to insinuate that the President has not paid any attention to the plight of the Bakassi people.
According to a very close source to the governor, and as confirmed by another source close to Senator Ita-Giwa, the move is not actually to seek for assistance for the Bakassi people but seen as a move to project Governor Ben Ayade closer to the President and the presidency.
In a related development, unconfirmed sources in Bayelsa, and Rivers State has once hinted that Governor Ayade had been in touch with militants in the Niger Delta region in order to make him the Chief Peace Negotiator between the troubled region and the presidency. The militants were said to have rejected his offer on the facts that he had disappointed them in several instances including owing them several millions he borrowed from then for campaign financing.
Remember too that last week, in an opinion report published on Ifere Paul's Facebook timeline, someone from Akpabuyo had hinted that “it was the fallout of the meeting in Bayelsa that propelled militancy in Cross River State that over the last few weeks has recorded several kidnapping and arm robberies".
In a televised broadcast with his security chiefs, Governor Ayade was quoted as saying that “President Buhari should intervene to restore peace in Bakassi”. Earlier the Bakassi Militants were said to have granted interview to Channels TV asking for amnesty. An arrangement a source in Bakassi said the Governor wanted to use to win back his battered image in the presidency. It is on good record that Governor Ben Ayade seen on video abusing the President and calling him “a man without finese, without class, without education, and a dinasaur has angered many around Aso Rock".
So, attempts to sponsor Florence Ita-Giwa and others who in several occassions siphoned funds meant for resettlement efforts of the Bakassi indigenes is only a mastercard of last resort by Governor Ayade to attempt a PR on himself with President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration, and also to further whip up sentiments that may even tarnish the goodwill of the President in terms of appointment to Cross Riverians if not managed properly. In an attempt to put blame on the presidency, a very good source familiar with the story said that Governor Ayade has asked Ita-Giwa to report on Channel TV this coming Saturday that “the President has shown concern only to the Northeast region, which is affected by Boko Haram, Bayelsa State and Rivers State, and excluding Cross River State which is suffering the brunt of militancy lately”.
More details as the come in.
Ifere Paul
Is a Whistle Blower & Public Policy Analyst
