Just when the Cross River State Government conceived and has gone ahead to make a Ford Ranger each, available to the 18 Chapter chairmen of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state as a gift, sources within the party say rather than become a unifying factor for the party, the cars have torn several chapter Executives of the party apart.
Investigations by www.calitown.com show that a groundswell of criticism is trailing government’s action. First, chapter secretaries, treasurers, youth and women leaders are crying foul over their obvious exclusion from this political spoil. One chapter secretary, on condition on anonymity, fumed that, “just like the chapter chairmen have one vote to cast at the state congress, we also have one vote and let it be known that all the 18 chapter chairmen cannot decide how we will vote, it will be every man for himself”.
At the PDP secretariat, late Thursday afternoon, scores of people could be seen discussing what one observer describes as “a gift gone wrong”, even as some persons close to government insist that “those raising dust should relax and see how they will be accomodated”. It is a line that many are not listening to. As one source reacted, “those who say we should watch and pray have been paid to do so and they can do that till tomorrow, please tell them to let us be, we need our democratic dividends too”.
Perhaps unknown to many, “we are yet to be told about the identity of the persons who supplied the vehicles and if we are reasonable, we will begin to question this bazaar instead of greedily embrace this systematic rip-off”, one Cross Riverian was quick to say. While many people are not looking in this angle, www.calitown.com sources are alleging that the vehicles are another conduit used by an unnamed influential woman to settle herself, relatives and friends. Those who cling to this allegation are wondering why this purchase was handled by a few individuals “who are not of Cross River origin. You have a government that tells us it is pursuing creative funding, in principle, but in practice it is encouraging capital flight and I must say that this is regretable”, a source concluded.