Cross River lawmaker condemns critics of Ayade visit to Wike
The Deputy Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency in Cross River State for the 2023 National Assembly elections, Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey aka “PAPA” has condemned those criticizing the visit of Governor Ben Ayade to his Rivers State counterpart Governor Nyesome Wike.
Bassey while fielding questions from a LENS Reporter on Sunday, October 30, 2022, in Calabar described the reactions as myopic and lacking in political vision since in politics there is no permanent friend. “No permanent Enemy, but permanent interest” hence in his reckoning nothing is wrong with Ayade visiting Wike.
It would be recalled that stakeholders had accused Sen. Ben Ayade, the Cross River State Governor of trying to seek favour from Wike despite his past utterances against the Rivers Governor over his purported support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Sen. (Prof.) Sandy Onor, the Cross River State Central Senatorial district representative at the National Assembly.
Onor is believed to oppose Governor Ayade’s back-to-south ideology for a power shift to the Southern Senatorial district as reflected in Senator Prince Bassey Otu nomination as APC governorship flagbearer in the State.
Reminiscing, the Director-General of the Senator Jarigbe Campaign Organization, Dr. Don Cklaimz Enamhe had said that Ayade’s visit to Wike was a calculated attempt to woo Wike over to his side ahead of the 2023 polls as Senatorial Candidate under the APC platform in the Northern Senatorial District where Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe is the incumbent and a major contender in 2023 general elections.
Describing the move as the “last kick of a dying horse” emphasized that Ayade discreetly went there to negotiate for a seat in the Senate without minding his public utterances against Wike saying “Going by past antecedents Governor Ayade had no right to visit Governor Wike because he Ayade has been making comments deriding Wike and PDP in the State.
Enamhe said it seems Ayade has eaten his vomit or as well trying to mortgage the State to Rivers as he had accused the party a couple of months back while soliciting support for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He assured that all the manoeuvrings and antics of Ayade will come to nought because they have declared total and unalloyed support for Senator Jarigbe’s re-election in the 2023 general elections.
Rt. Hon. Bassey is to face Rt. Hon Apostle Essien Ayi aka “ISANTIM” is the candidate of the PDP in the Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections. Another contender among others is Hon. Dominic Aqua Edem of the Labour Party.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
