Our Grievance, our Position

The Mainland (Ikang) Bloc wishes to draw the attention of the leadership of PDP in Cross River State of the gross injustice on the Ikang people in recent times. In the first tenure of His Excellency, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade, the Ikang bloc was not favoured because almost all the appointment for Bakassi LG went to the Riverine bloc.

Bakassi as a Local Government has ten political wards. It is noteworthy that only one ward has continued to produce both the elected and the appointed in the Local Government. As we speak, the PDP Chapter Chairman, Gerald Esin is from Akwa Ward, the erstwhile/present Commissioner, Saviour Nyong is from Akwa Ward, the SSA (South) to the Governor, Ani Esin is from Akwa, the DG Investment Promotion, Rosemary Tutu Ekeng is from Akwa and now the anointed chairmanship candidate of the party, Iyadim Iyadim is also from Akwa. 

Before now, this same Akwa Ward had produced two Chairmen of Council. Is it that other wards are not relevant in the scheme of things? This is gross injustice.

The most recent case of injustice is the adoption of Hon Iyadim Amboni Iyadim of the riverine bloc, an evil in human form, as the Chairmanship candidate of PDP in the forthcoming Local Government polls. This, we totally and vehemently reject on the following grounds:

The MOU of Bakassi specifically sanctions rotation of chairmanship position between the two political blocs – Mainland and Riverine. We note that the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon. Edisua Usang Iso is of the riverine. So the next chairman should of necessity come from the mainland bloc. 

We recall that in one of his meetings with the Bakassi stakeholders, His Excellency the Governor had compared the political situation of Bakassi with that of Obudu where “the House of Assembly and the Chairman will come from the same bloc since it is their turn”. His Excellency’s statement was based on the fact that the second term bids of the House of Assembly members was a directive from the National Working Committee of the party.

In the last gubernatorial polls, His Excellency has declared “Operation Show Your Votes”. He stated strongly that only those who worked for the victory of the party in their various locations would be rewarded. Despite this directive of His Excellency, Iyadim and his group who were hell bent on disgracing the party in Bakassi because they hated the House of Assembly candidate, have been handsomely rewarded by the present government. 

This fraudulent art deliberately employed to frustrate the party was salvaged by the Ikang people. In other words, the Ikang bloc was solely behind the success of the party in Bakassi Local Government. All these were reported and confirmed by the party hierarchy in the state. It is however very surprising and appalling that Iyadim who, prior to the said elections, was appointed the Chairman of Security Committee for Bakassi and who, by the party strategy, was to take the lead in ensuring the party’s success in Bakassi rather worked against the party. It is, to say the least, very unfortunate that it is this same person that the party is fronting as its chairmanship candidate. Who knows what he will do this time? It tends to connote that the party is rewarding or encouraging anti-party activities.

To also make matter worst, the Iyadim group went ahead to choose a vice chairmanship candidate, Mrs Lawrencia Ita for the Ikang bloc. This is not only an affront but an insult on the sensibility of the Ikang people. There may be need to straighten records here. Mrs Lawrencia Ita is not known politically in Bakassi. Even if she was a politician from Bakassi LGA, what was the votes she got for the party in the last elections.

Politics itself is a game of number and the Mainland (Ikang) bloc has the voting strength as far as Bakassi politics is concerned. We fear that if the rotation principle as enshrined in the MOU is not maintained, the Ikang people may be forced to believe that this injustice is orchestrated against the party’s victory. Succinctly put, it is the turn of the mainland bloc to produce the Chairman of Bakassi. 

Therefore, we strongly appeal to the party leadership to please do the needful without delay and in the best interest of the party. We dare to conclude that anything contrary to our genuine demand will certainly not be in the interest of the party. We hope the party will accept in good faith whatever will be the consequences of its decision. We wish to state categorically that as loyal party men and women, our feelings have been injured. 

This notwithstanding, our loyalty to His Excellency and indeed our party leadership remains intact and without doubt.

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