2 October 2018
In the past 15 months, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani was made to look like the sole architect of the crisis brewing in the Cross River State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Many party members like myself thought that he was the single bane of everything wrong with APC in the state.
Oh how wrong we have been all along!
During the congresses, we were committed to ensuring that he doesn't take control of the party structure because of his then rumoured ambition to contest the governorship against the gentleman agreement that the north should retain the governorship ticket.
Although, many have argued that Usani's aspiration gave others from other senatorial districts reason to also want to aspire, but the desperation coupled with the insults some party leaders and an aspirant have shown against the north is a clear indication that with or without Usani aspiring to be Governor, nothing significant would have changed. Their minds were already made up to contest.
During the national convention, Chief Clement Ebri in a meeting with the now national Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomohle said that Usani was fighting him because he was against his governorship aspiration. He explained to Adams that he was against Usani because the north is supposed to retain the governorship for 8 years as the central where Usani comes from has held power for ten years (himself two years and Imoke 8).
During the ward, chapter and state congresses, Usani hijacked materials and we all slammed him. We accused him of destroying the party because of his personal ambition. He was always on our social media wall for the wrong reasons.
But today, the governorship primaries of APC has exposed the hypocrisy in all those who told us Usani was a dare devil.
Usani was vilified for having governorship ambition but those who where everywhere inciting people against him surreptitiously joined the race even after promising north of total support in different fora.
Ebri and the National Vice Chairman, South South, Ntufam Hilliard Eta who said they were fighting Usani because of his governorship ambition became the very people at the forefront of another aspirant from the central. What a hypocrisy!
Usani was accused of hijacking materials but today, the same click of self-centered leaders hijacked the governorship primaries materials. What a shame? Usani was called bad because the materials he hijacked didn't suit their narrative.
The Minister was accused of working with Governor Ben Ayade and PDP but today, those same people handed over materials for northern senatorial district to Jude Ngaji whose status as an APC member is still in doubt. Those same people have Tom Agi who is yet to register with APC as he still takes instruction from former Governor Liyel Imoke as coordinators.
They hold meetings with PDP at night but come out to pretend to be APC in morning! They don't have conscience. They are not different if not even worst than Usani.
If not that I've made up my mind to win or loose with the north, with what has happened, if I'm in a position to choose between Usani and them, I'll not think twice before going for him. This is because, unlike others who came deceiving us that they had our interest, Usani was clear that he had no northern interest as far as the governorship is concerned. When you know your enemy, it's easy for you to deal with him. We knew how go deal with Usani who told us openly that he was an enemy to any agenda for a northern governor.
Other who came pretending to be our friends but turn back to bite us really hard are our worst enemies.
They allowed people bought governorship forms, spend money preparing for primaries but have refused to allow people express their thoughts through the ballots. They said Usani hijacked materials because he wasn't on ground yet them that claimed to be on ground with all the money have also hijacked materials.
Note that this is not my endorsement of Usani's aspiration or his actions but when you compare him to those who vilify him, there's no significant difference therefore, I think we all owe him apology for making him look like the only problem of Cross River APC. In fact, I apologize to the Minster for ever thinking that these people were better than him.
Notwithstanding, I want to reiterate that only a northern governorship candidate can win APC the next election. A candidate from South too may win but we will continue to appeal to the south to support us for four more years.
However, like I've always said, if the APC ticket is sold to anybody from the central, I'll win and loose with my people from the north.
CAVEAT : This post conveys my personal opinion. It does not reflect the position of my campaign organization.
Inyali Peter
Writes from Calabar, Nigeria
