Ayade’s Family Ravages Revenue Contracts: Cross River State Turns a Family Affair

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Joseph Odok|12 January 2017

Earlier in my articles I have written on the source of funds for Cross River State Governor Ayade's lavish spending. I clearly and unequivocally said that the Federal Government funds for SUBEB had been released off front to some companies even before bidding and other due process of law. These said funds were released to companies owned by Frank Ayade the so-called co-governor and brother of the governor who now operate from the background after his humiliation by the EFCC.

I respect the government of Ayade and will always accord him due respect if he performs his constitutional duties in a transparent and accountable way. The respect for the governor in a democracy is tied to the discharge of his duties as clearly defined by the Constitution. An assault on the Constitution is an assault on the people and anyone who abuses the Constitution deserves no respect.

I have taken a careful study of those who come out to abuse critics that engage the government of Ayade; I found out that it is only the hungry people prepared to sell their future for peanuts that attack our persons without faulting our claims. Unfortunately, members of John Gaul Lebo led Cross River State House of Assembly have defined themselves in this category.

Information before my desk has it that the governor has recently approved revenue contracts worth millions of naira to his sister married to a River State's man. These contracts are;

A. Contracts for cocoa produce fees

B. Contracts for non cocoa produce

C. Contracts for Refuse Disposal

D. Contracts for forestry

There are so many other contracts to the sister that are yet to be revealed as investigation is ongoing.

Though Ayade claims to be committed to the youths, his appointees seems quite far when it comes to award of Contracts. Is Cross River State now a family affair?

Painfully, since the inception of the present administration, there is no contract undertaken by the governor that can be said to be free from some stains of fraud and lack of due process.
Categorically, there is no contract awarded in Ayade's administration that has followed a transparent bidding process.

My worry is the failure of our Cross River elites in holding the governor to accountability. Venatius Ikem, Rt. Hon Paul Adah and Ray Ugba Morphy seems to be the only elites ready to risk their bread to engage the governor and call him to accountability. More worrisome is the attitude of peasants who offer themselves as attack dogs of the governor once given some peanuts to quench their biting hunger. These peasants don't know the damage they are doing to our common future.

Cross River State is ravaged, who can bail the cat?

Joseph Odok
Social Change Agent