PDP Inaugurates 7 man Revalidation Committee
Caretaker committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Cross River Barrister Efiok Cobham has inaugurated a seven man revalidation committee at the state secretariat headed by Godwin Ettah, a former member of the State Executive Council with mandate to liaise with PDP Youth vanguard. The move is to reposition PDP in the state to emerge from the vaccum caused by the defection of the state chief executive, Ayade and some party members to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Also, sutable replacements will take place in the 196 wards of the state to fill vacant positions in line with the party’s constitution. The terms of reference amongst others of the committee is to examine all wards and chapter executives in the state as presently constituted and identify vacancies that have arisen from resignation or decamping of persons holding such offices.
Barrister Cobham who is the immediate past deputy Governor of Cross River State charged them as tested and capable men and women in public and political life to see their appointments as sacred responsibility on them bearing in mind that PDP is now in opposition while urging them to reposition the party by giving it the required energy and strength so that they would get back the state in 2021.
Responding, chairman of the revalidation committee Mr. Godwin Ettah said the assignment is technical and promised not to disappoint the Party since they are familiar with the terrain and would submit at the end of the day a credible report.
Members of the revalidation committee are Godwin Ettah, Chairman, Dr. Rose Atsu-Arop, Hon. Emmanuel Etene former chairman of Bakassi L.G.A, Mrs. Ekondua Amanke, Anthony Effiong and Ignatius Agabi as members while Hon. Donatus Etim former Mayor of Calabar who resigned as member of the state Executive Council is secretary.
Barrister Cobham used the occasion to describe the defection of Governor Ayade from PDP to the APC as a good omen but a bad omen for the APC as they have inherited a man who could not be trusted due to his failure to address the issues of some legal officers he engaged since 2019 which has led to protest in the state by the aggrieved persons. According to him, Ayade rather choose to donate N20 Million at his investiture ceremony as a knight in the Catholic Church and promised to pay 1000 APC women at a rally N10,000 per month hence robbing Peter to pay Paul by his actions.
Cobham urged Cross Riverians to close ranks and come together to restore good governance by embracing PDP to return power to the people and not enrich a few individuals in 2023 elections.
In a related development, the former PDP National publicity secretary, Mr. Vena Ikem has said no matter the shenanigans going on in our political system, the people power will ensure that the APC vacate government in 2023. He decried the spate of defections in our body politics and advocates strong legislation to bring in sanity in our democracy. According to him the defection of Governor Ben Ayade and his retinue of appointee would not affect the fortunes of PDP in Cross River State as the soul of the party is still intact.
While fielding questions from newsmen, he said the Governor himself knows that majority of those sycophants who decamped under duress with him did so because of the fear of losing their appointments in line with his food-on-table policy which is peripheral and used the occasion to join voice with an Abuja based legal practitioner and Cross Riverian Barrister F. Baba Isa, Esq to appeal to Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minster of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Senate president Ahmed Lawan to compel the clerk of the National Assembly to swear in Senator-elect Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe inorder to stop the lingering debate about the legality or otherwise of the supreme, Appeal and High Court judgments as pertaineth to Cross River North Senatorial by-elections.
He upheld that the court judgement is the final decision on this issue and should be obeyed paraphrasing the legendry Justice Oputa submission that “the final decision of final courts are final and must be complied with not because it is perfect but because the court is the final hope of the masses” hence to do otherwise is to invite chaos which could lead to self-help by the aggrieved party in the litigation.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Senior reporter)
