Senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, wants Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe former Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade’s eight years in office.
Jarigbe who took to his verified Facebook account to make this submission, maintained that, “It’s only in Cross River State that a governor will loot for eight years, without completing one known useful or functional project and walk away proudly without a probe.” Furthermore, the senator believes that it is the absence of a financial probe of any nature that “…gives him (Ayade) the impetus to be lobbying for a ministerial appointment.”
‘Do we know how many lives we have lost to maladministration and deprivation of the people to satisfy other people’s quest for primitive acquisition? How many of the food-on-the- table beneficiaries are sure of their next meal today ?It was just a manipulative ploy to distract our people because of the fear of hunger.”
He went on to say that, Cross Riverians “…compromised our future and development of the State for Rice and Beans. What was the percentage of the total income of the state, spent on food on the table? It was a very negligible percentage. Where did the rest of the funds go to? How is the new Government taking off? Was there anything left in the treasury of the state? The anti- graft agencies should answer Cross Riverians. It is time for us to ask questions and it’s time for answers to be given. What happened to the litany of petitions before EFCC?”
However, two of Ayade’s former aides, have swiftly responded to the senator’s call. Eugene Upah, commented on Jarigbe’s post thread, submitting thus: “Sir, you have always said ‘no man is God’. The former governor has played his part and left office. Let Ayade be.”
“In 2022 when he vied to be President, you were the first to come out and openly ditch him as a sitting governor. Severally, you spoke to the number one man in the state without regards. It wasn’t about the office again, but about your personal dissatisfaction with him. If there’s anything to go by, it should be the incumbent governor talking about state resources and writing to the anti-graft agencies. If the Governor who is in the best position hasn’t complained about missing funds who then should?”
“Anytime the man raises his head you will come with one of these staunts (sic). In as much as l understand, this is about the politics of 2027, Cross River North doesn’t belong to anybody. Let Ayade be!”
I’m the same vein, another former aide to the Ayade, Abang Ogon, wrote in to say: Distinguish sir (sic), you need to walk away from yesterday, It seems you are still living in the past, in your last post you already confined former Gov. Ayade to the dust bin of “Political Oblivion”, why are you so concern about a man you have already written off? (sic) As regards former appointees not being sure of their next meal, I have seen former Rep members and senators equally groping for survival after office, even salaries from the best jobs around town won’t last forever if not properly invested, you have defeated Ayade, just free yourself and move ahead else you allow activities of yesterday to get a better part of you, move ahead Sir, just move ahead.”
But Belong Ushie, submitted that, “I was privy to be part of a cluster that was set up by Governor Otu to review and assess the industrial projects of Ayade’s administration and I tell you, not one, I say not even one project could we say had a near 10 percent practicability. All Ayade’s mouthy projects ended in his fantasies, they were all a clear conduit pipe for stealing. It’s so sad that even projects that had prospects were knocked off because he wasn’t allowed to acquire the funds directly. The original power plant which had a 30million dollars PPP (public-private partnership) with the Indians, he knocked it off because they refused to give him all the funding upfront so he ended up building that diesel powered toy he dared to call a power plant. What a historic mistake of a Governor…Ayade of Africa.”
Senator Jarigbe is very correct. EFCC should step in and do the needful. Cross River state needs that kind of probe to happen. The state treasury in those 8 years suffered merciless financial rape..and reckless vandalism.
I don’t lnow what EFCC is waiting for. Ayade’s mis-governance os the worst in the history of the state, and definitely one of the worst in the country’s history.
Over 100 MOUs signed and government’s counterpart fundung paid (to whom???). Where are the high sounding projects??
Over N200 Billion stolen. And the man and his co-governor brother are walking free. What a country.