The People’s Democratic Party, PDP Cross River state chair, Venatius Ikem Esq has been schooled on ‘political inclusion’ in the state NEGROIDHAVEN can state.
One Vincent Effiong, while reacting to Ikem’s thread of last week which bothered more ethnic/tribal posturing in political representation said Nigeria is structured around wards, local government areas, state and federal constituencies, senatorial district and states, thus the equitable distribution of power follows this trend rather than ethnicity and tribalism etc.
Effiong’s words, ‘Vena As a State Chairman and an elder statesman, I do not expect you, under any circumstances to champion a course that challenges our mutual existence.
‘Politically, we are not configured along ethnic affiliations. Every State of the federation is configured into political Constituencies. There is no politician representing any ethnic group. If you want to represent an ethnicity, go to your palace. What makes the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the Ward, LGA, State Constituency, federal Constituency, senatorial district, and the 36 states. More so, if a concept as zoning is considered for any election, it is done so in respect to political Constituencies and not ethnic brouhaha.
‘Regardless of the gimmicks and propagandistic parlance sung by hypocritic school of thought, which you have suddenly belonged to, equitable distribution of values remains the panacea for sustainable development and mutual existence.
‘It is BACK2SOUTH – definitely for any credible person from the South. Your party, the perforated umbrella failed in this mutual love, whereby a number of you were bought with proceeds from the spoils in Rivers State. Lest, I forget, let me reiterate that the youths and every well meaning Cross Riverian will use their PVCs to make sure Cross River is not an annex of Rivers State.
‘Since the inception of the current democratic dispensation, Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency have not had the governorship seat. The seat having rotated to the South, it was only justified that it be thrown to the two Federal Constituencies in the South that have not had it (Akamkpa/Biase and Cal Min/Odukpani). By providence, a governorship aspirant emerged from Cal Mun/odu as the candidate of APC.’
Effiong went further to puncture the Ejagham narrative of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Cross River by querying why the PDP did not chose an Ejagham indigene from the south variously touted to produce the occupant for the office of governor but, preferred a candidate from the central senatorial district.
According to him, ‘Isn’t it ridiculous how YOU and others outrightly refused an Ejagham man from the South the governorship ticket, yet ringing divisive bell now after doing everything to truncate the zoning arrangement? If you so love Ejagham, why did you not support Daniel Asuquo, an Ejagham son from the South. Does it not reveal further your high level of hypocrisy and hatred for the entire South?
‘It is back to southern Senatorial District… Please begin now to practice how you’re going to console Sandy Sir… Because we will rubbish him with OUR PVCs.’
Vena’s comment which provoked Effiong’s reads thus ‘They define “South” only as it suits their selfish agendas. They shout “zoning” only as it suits their clannishness. There has never been a Senator of the South that is not Efik! Whither the zoning? Practice what you preach! In the north every LGA has produced a Senator for the District, just within this present dispensation: Chief Agabi (Bekwarra) Adede (Obanlikwu), Ngaji, Oko (Yala), Ayade (Obudu) and Jarigbe (Ogoja). We are more egalitarian.’
EDITORIAL
This story amongst others are reviewed on Sparkling 92.3FM http://mixlr.com/sparkling923fm–2 and FAD 93.1FM. Again, opinions expressed on NegroidHaven are exclusively the author’s not NH’s.
