Presidential Aide calls for impeachment of Governor Ben Ayade of C’ River

Okoi Obono-Obla with President Muhammadu Buhari

Efio-Ita Nyok, 26 August 2016.

In a 25 August article titled ‘The Soul that Sinneth shall Die’, the Senior Special Assistant on Prosecution to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has called on the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) under the leadership of Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo to impeach the Executive Governor of Cross River State on the premise of ‘gross misconduct’ arising from financial misappropriation amounting to the sum of N2.7 billion.

The presidential aide cites Section 188 subsection 11 & 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) for support.

Excerpt:

*The Soul That Sinneth Shall Die! —By Okoi Obono-Obla

I received the news of the arrest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of, one Dr. Frank Ayade the younger brother of Cross River State’s Governor, Senator Ben Ayade which involves a contract fraud/scam perpetrated against the Government of Cross River State amounting to the sum of N2.7 Billion with great sadness and astonishment.

It is disheartening and confounding that at these austere times, a sibling of Governor Ben Ayade would have the mind to perpetrate such massive fraud on the good people of the State.

I have all along drawn the attention of the people of the State that it was dangerous, abnormal and an aberration for Governor Ayade to abdicate his responsibility of governing the State to the whims and caprices of his brother who was not elected by people of the State; neither is he an official of the Government of Cross River State.  

The Chicken has truly come home to roost. The arrest of Dr. Frank Ayade is a sort of climax for the impunity that has characterized the government of Cross River State under the leadership of Senator Ayade which culminated in his illegal and unconstitutional appointment of his brother as ”Co Governor” of the State.

I think the blame for these sins committed by Dr. Frank Ayade must squarely fall on the shoulders of Governor Ayade.

In the Book of Ezekiel (18:20) it is written thus:
” …the soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him”.

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor will the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him alone, and the wickedness of the wicked shall upon be upon the wicked.

This is despite the biblical injunction and admonition that the soul that sinneth shall die; this case is a one that Governor Ayade should bear the consequences of the sins of his brother, Dr. Frank Ayade. When a Governor deliberately allows his sibling access to the public till of his State to loot with reckless abandon, then, such a Governor has betrayed the truth place on him by the people.

It is well settled that a Governor who commit such an act of ”gross misconduct” is liable to be removed from office by the House of Assembly. 

Section 188 subsection 11 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) define thus:
”gross misconduct” thus: “gross misconduct” means a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion in the House of Assembly to gross misconduct.

I therefore urge the Cross River State House of Assembly to invoke Section 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra) and initiate impeachment proceedings against Senator Ben Ayade for gross misconduct arising as a result of the arrest of his brother, Dr Frank Ayade, on alleged contract scam and fraud against the people and Government of Cross River State amounting to N2.7 Billion.”

*Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroidhaven.org (Negroid Haven)