Senators representing Cross River Central and Cross River North senatorial districts, Eteng Williams and Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, have stunned their constituents with the release of the names of 20 Cross Riverians, listed as beneficiaries of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, overseas study scholarship awards.
Williams who has serially come under attack by constituents for what they term as his “slow response to empowerment”, facilitated scholarships for 11 of his constituents and one other person outside his constituency. Shortly after the list he facilitated was made public, jubilant scenes erupted in the houses of successful candidates, just like some of his constituents were quick to punch holes in the none inclusion of anybody from Obubra LGA. Obubra, is one of the LGAs that make up CR Central Senatorial District.
After the list facilitated by Williams’ was released, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, who represents CR North in the Senate, came under orchestrated online attacks, especially from persons perceived to be apologists of a former Cross River State governor. They published snide remarks against the senator and boasted that he did not possess the pedigree to help facilitate scholarships to his constituents.
Jarigbe’s media handlers responded, not immediately, with a shortlist of eight qualified constituents, whose scholarships were facilitated by the senator. This list appears to have halted a swarm of petitions and political mudslinging targeted at Jarigbe who has only responded thus: “we had qualified applicants from Cross River North and some got enlisted, by merit and by my influence . We thank God and also congratulate the successful candidates.”
“This is just the beginning. I can assure you that in the days ahead, more things like this will come the way of our constituents”, Williams also told us.