Elder statesman, politician and philanthropist, Ray Ugba Morphy, has taken to his verified Facebook page to declare that Godwin Offiono, who represents Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State, will not be supported to return to the House of Reps.
While Morphy insists the decision “is not personal”, he, on the post, advanced five reasons why Offiono, will not be voted to return.
Here are the reasons!
“He didn’t tour sufficently or meet the people for his own 2023 elections. He relied on the popularity of another person. Indeed, it was another aspirant who came and appealed to us to vote for him, not Gofio himself. Until the time we voted massively for him, I had never met him. Until today as I write this, I have never met him. A solid 3 years as a HOR representing me, this man is ignoring the majority of his constituents including its leaders!”
“Even after he won, I advised a Thank You Tour. He reneged on that. My argument was that since he didn’t see the people before he won, he should go back and appreciate them. He didn’t. Instead through his advisers, he came up with all manners of inane excuses. They said he was a new member, he had nothing to thank the people with! Imagine!!”
“In the course of his representation since 2023, his impact is close to zero. I can hardly find anyone who he has genuinely uplifted. Even the motley empowerment he has done is mostly social media talk with scanty pictures as if he does not see the empowerment done by House of Rep members in other states and constituencies.”
“We are of the view that return to elective office is not gained by entitlement, but by services to the people. Despite mot knowing him as a person, I would never have believed that his showing would be so poor.”
“I am a leader in my community, I am a stakeholder in our constituency, this man who claims to represent me and my people has never met us. He has never come to us to explain his stewardship, yet he wants another term.”
Morphy concludes by saying: “He can rig o, if he likes, but he won’t get our votes. WE CANNOT REWARD FAILURE with another term!”
Offiono’ aide, Daniel Riwo replies:
“It’s unfortunate that Elders who are supposed to speak truth are now soaked in social media drama”, he began.
“Chief, how can you boldly claim that Hon. Offiono has close to zero projects when few streets before your house, he has a road project?”
“Chief, how can you claim that he doesn’t have any projects when in your own ward which is Urban 1, he also has water projects and modern toilet facility at the Ishibori market?”
“Chief why will you lie that he hasn’t done anything when he has an ongoing major renovation and furnishing project of Army Day Secondary school?”
“You’re free to not like him but claiming he has not done a Thank you tour is a big lie as he was the first elected member to do a thank you tour and also held town hall meetings in Ogoja and Yala and gen before his Easter engagement just few days ago.”
“Talking about empowerment, you went through the stress of looking for pictures of his very first empowerment which he did through his foundation in other to paint him in bad light? The people in the pictures attached even got cash worth upto 3 million to support their farming businesses on same day.”
“He has empowerment constituents with tricycles, motorcycles, business grants etc, yet you claim ignorant.”
“Chief, you are free to not like or support him but what isn’t right is telling outright lies against him.”
“You are no where close to a god and you are not the only stakeholder from Ogoja, many more abound who are with him and happy about his leadership and service to the people”, he ended.
Sources in Ogoja/Federal Constituency who spoke with www.calitown.com, appear to think that “the lawmaker has recently employed a quick fire response to meeting constituents and their needs, just in time for the elections”, as one constituent who has elected to remain anonymous said. “I don’t know how he will do it because his reelection will be very difficult, except God intervenes – but you and I know that God will not vote in our area that day”, another constituent maintained to us.
But one of his supporters, simply told us over the phone that, “we should be patient and wait for that day.”
