Senator Jarigbe condemns Ayade’s uncomplimentary statement

The member representing Cross River North in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has condemned what he calls “Political degradation” by Governor Ben Ayade for calling him his political protege.

Senator Jarigbe issued the statement to newsmen in Calabar on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, against the backdrop of Ayade’s uncomplimentary statement during his meeting with APC stakeholders in Calabar.

Jarigbe warned that further attempt by Governor Ayade in his desperation to return to the Senate in 2023 after he served a term with nothing to show is a disservice to the people of the northern senatorial district.

He queried why Ayade should at this time prioritise drilling boreholes in communities across the Northern Senatorial zone excluding South and Central Senatorial Districts if not for the purpose of harvesting votes to win the Senatorial slot. According to him, he has impacted the lives of the people by providing water and will soon provide street lights having already completed some road projects in the catchment area.

Jarigbe seized the moment to challenge him to complete the only road he started in 2016 from Mfom to Obudu after 6 years of his administration and mocked him for going to beg the Rivers Governor Wike to allow him to win the Senate slot in the 2023 general elections. He accused him of denying Wike access to Calabar during his visit to the state to give support to Senator (Prof.) Sandy Onor, the PDP governorship candidate in the State said Ayade has been basking in the euphoria of an ‘optical illusion’ with some folks he has made to build castles in the air with his food on the table policy.

In a subsequent development, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State has declared support for the PDP Governorship candidate for the 2023 elections.

Mr. Sam Bassey and some community Leaders in Biase Local Government Area of the State made the declaration at a Stakeholders meeting on Sunday, November 6, 2022, in Biase saying his followers decided to work for Senator Onor but will still remain in APC and said their action does not in way amount to anti-party activity but that it is rather meant to correct the injustice meted out to Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency which has been marginalised by the Efiks and kicked against the zoning or rotation arrangement which in their estimation is designed to exclude other minority segments of the State and lashed out at the proponents of back-to-south zoning arrangement arguing that the agitators of such want to continually dominate the other sections that make up the zone.

He used the occasion to drum support for Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo “DANSUKI”, the Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for Cross River South in the 2023 general elections from the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency. His candidacy according to them is expected to correct the imbalance as both the APC governorship candidate Senator Prince Bassey Otu and Senatorial Candidate for the South Senatorial district Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr are both Efiks from Odukpani Local Government Area.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
Snr. Reporter)