The Politics of 2019, APC, Ayade/Otu and other issues…—Venatius Ikem

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Venatius Ikem|11 January 2017

I hope I do not regret after posting this. I had resolved to keep my analysis to myself and for only those who seek my inputs. 2019 is ominously close. But after reading Gill's carefully drafted inside permutations, I cannot help but amuse myself in the little manner I can. Call it an indulgence if you like. And I hope that I do not contribute a solution to their debacle in the process…

I cannot speak for Prince Otu, but I do think he carries himself with some air of royalty that commands more respect than that permutation seems to allow. Whether his regal bearing is inherent or political I do not know but the Prince Otu I know respects himself. Thank God the writer never mentioned that he has been approached to explore this proposition.

Democracy by its very nature welcomes freedom of Association. Just as some of us moved freely to APC, as the writer said to fulfill unfulfilled ambitions, we pray that our brother moves seamlessly too to join us for Part 2! After all he holds all the aces now. As the writer says the Governor should be able to "walk seamlessly with little or toothless opposition…into his second term"… I only wonder why these long calculations. The problem though is that even this most ambitious of analysis carefully says "… if the Ayade camp are able to get it right…"! That's a big " IF" there…

The other day I was a little amused when Agba Jalingo posted a video where the Paramount Ruler of Obudu purportedly threw his weight behind Ayade's second term bid. I was amused because this came on the same day Agba had berated some people for bringing up politics too early in 2017, during the carnival 2016, when he thought Ayade should be delivering dividends on his first tenure. Also because the audio on the said video was simply not there! How Agba heard what Uti said on that occasion still baffles me!

This got me thinking. Gill's write up, complete with the well scripted official reaction of Mr. Ita, Chief Press Secretary completes the puzzle, if at all it is one. And of course with  Eric Akpo's "words on marble", to borrow the words of Unimke Nawa, The Launch of 2019 is official as indeed asserted by Gill. For some of us this has been the only Agenda of government since 2015 after we decided to leave the PDP. I had warned back then that if we were not careful the politics of 2019 will be the only agenda of the Ayade government. It has come to pass… The problem that remains : whither platform? 

Appointments have been coloured by this eventuality. Relationships have been curried or killed for same.

Why would a Governor now be anxious if indeed he has everything in the bag after all these efforts? I keep the answer to myself.

In the North, it's an open secret that family members or Obudu people are jostling for other elective offices despite Ayade's ambition! Adamade, Eric from the family for House of Representatives; KJ Agba for Senate or House of Reps! That can only come from a group that is very sure of itself not one still testing the waters! It's quite a baggage for people to take to a new party at that!

Unfortunately, Ita is far from speaking what Cross Riverians have come to understand : that the Governor is almost entirely engrossed with his second term ambition not their welfare or wellbeing. His address after the Supreme Court judgment, that was supposed to have been a non issue, but drummed up to such heights as to have shaken the very foundations of the government remain amusing but a reflection point for the Ayade boys in the face of a real challenge.(Certainly one will come soon.) Not a few lost hope! Has the high command asked the question, why? And how did this happen? 

On the whole, I love how political developments are coming up in our state. For an incumbent to be jostling for another possible platform ; for a party out of government not to be showing any enthusiasm for the possible inheritance of a whole Governor!; for the need for an incumbent to seek a buy in by other stakeholders; for the possibility of the old platform being reorganized either as it was or under a new party, mega or otherwise as is being speculated, raises real hope of a polity that promises to be engaging, exciting and holds the potentials to throw up surprises beyond the usual business of 'Governor has spoken' and break from the tradition of predictable outcomes, even for an incumbent,  which we pray ended with the last Governor. I believe that when the opposition truly unfolds in the state, most people will be prepared. It is only then that people will recall some of  our "words on marble"! And appreciate that in politics, tricks don't last, horse trading does.

Venatius Ikem
Is an All Progressives Congress stalwart in Cross River