I engage the Government of CRS more than CRS House of Assembly -Barr. Joseph Odok

Joseph Odok|19 December 2016

The 8th Cross River State House of Assembly is to be blamed for the political abortion witnessed in Ayade’s government. Leaving their statutory functions, the Cross River State House of Assembly have become a house of sycophantic opportunists lost in their crave for peanuts from Ayade’s table.

Never in history have we witnessed an assemblage of clowns like the present day Cross River State House of Assembly known to be bought and pocketed by the Ayade’s government.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confers the House of Assembly with oversight function besides the duty of legislating and  plenary. Have the Cross River State House of Assembly utilized it’s constitutional powers? The objective answer is to the negative. The cloning of Cross River State budget from the public goes to tell the extent of ineptitude of the Cross River State House of Assembly.

Cross River State House of Assembly has been defined as a stooge in Ayade’s government. John Gaul Lebo is the Chief sycophant and the greatest embarrassment.

It is pitiable that the Cross River State House of Assembly has failed to engage the ineptitude and illegalities of the Ayade’s government. Nothing has been said of the creation of a co-governor and the relegation of the Deputy Governor to a stooge position. Nothing have been said of the rape of Cross River State citizens of their lawful lands by the Commissioner for lands, Dr John Inyang. It is pitiable that the Cross River State House of Assembly has acted as conspirators with the government that continually confiscate the right of occupancy of legal land owners of their lands without due process and payment of compensation.

Today the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development exist to confiscate Cross River State lands duly owned by legitimate lands owners to the Ayade’s family. Being an in-law to Ayade, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development exist only to create a reserve of lands for the Ayade’s family.

No wonder the increasing strife in the Ministry of Land with the Cross River State House of Assembly standing aloof. The Surveyor General of the state is in conflict with the Commissioner of Lands, the Attorney General of Cross River State is in conflict with the Commissioner for Lands, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development is in conflict with the Commissioner for Lands; yet the Cross River State House of Assembly is quiet in the midst of the illegalities perpetrated by the Commissioner for Lands.

Many projects not initially captured in the budget have been executed today under the government of Ben Ayade. Worrisome is the fact that most project executed by the Ayade’s government do not follow due process of law, nor do they have credible contractors selected after an open bidding process. The Cross River State House of Assembly has currently become an embarrassment to democratic ideals.

At no point has the Cross River State House of Assembly engage any Ministry, MDAs, or agency on any issue. The common practice is the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly colluding with the other members of the house to rob the citizens of the dividends of democracy.

That Cross River State House of Assembly is an assemblage of ineptitude is no news. How could you imagine the Speaker preparing bills for house members. Exception of bright minds like Hilary Bisong and a few others that have independently sponsored some bills, most legislators inclusive of Mathew Olory have been seen with no bill till date. What a gathering of inept assemblage of people as legislators.

The Cross River State House of Assembly must rise to duty and redefine the political abortions in the state. The Cross River State House of Assembly must rise to it’s oversight function of engaging the government.

Enough is Enough.

Joseph Odok
Social Change Agent