Goddy Agba Abandons Gov’ship Ambition, Issues Statement

By Mercy Nsa

A few weeks ago when front line Cross River online news platforms, www.crossriverwatch.com and www.calitown.com first broke the news that PDP gubernatorial aspirant, Goddy Jedy Agba, has abandoned his ambition to contest for and govern CRS in 2015, a bitter backlash from his supporters trailed that story with most of those who wrote in, describing both media as purveyors of lies. Agba’s next line of action has however been laid bare in a full page press statement carried on Pagr 47 of The Nation newspaper of Tuesday, December 30, 2014, www.calitown.com can reveal.

In the statement, signed by Agba, he expresses in the second paragraph that, “…following the recently concluded Primary Elections at the different levels across the State, I had cause to express my misgivings and dissatisfaction over the conduct of the exercise. My clearly stated grievances, which I succinctly outlined in an earlier statement, ranged from manipulation of the delegates lists to outright voter intimidation”.

He alludes to the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan in the political crisis in CRS, particularly “…against defection to other Parties on account of dissatisfaction with the conduct of the Party Primaries”. The “grave concerns and medical advice of my doctors, I have had to come to another painful decision”, he adds.

Agba goes on to categorically state that, “I shall not contest the 2015 gubernatorial elections on any alternative platform”, preferring instead to, “…work within the ambit of our Party to ensure that the PDP retains control of Cross River State at all levels”. There is also cheering news for the PDP gubernatorial candidate in CRS as the statement clearly states thus; “I shall work fully with our Party’s candidate, Senator Ben Ayade to ensure victory in the gubernatorial election”, just like he promised support for Jonathan.

He finally states that he remains “…a loyal member of the PDP”. His supporters were equally urged to throw support behind the PDP and Ayade and see his action “…not as a let down, but rather focus on the larger picture and perceive it as a collective sacrifice for the greater good of Cross River State”. The press statement finally puts to rest what was a seething political tussle between state governor, Liyel Imoke and a faction of the PDP led by Agba.