Impeach Ayade Now, CSO Charges Cross River Assembly

Gov Ben Ayade during one of his trips 

A Civil Society Organization, (CSO) Cross River Transparency Network International, (CRTNI) has called on the Cross River State House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment proceedings on Governor Ben Ayade over alleged illegal foreign trips.

The group stated this while briefing newsmen in Calabar.

CRTNI alleged that since assumption of office, Ayade has traveled to overseas more than any governor in the history of the country under the pretence of looking for investors for the State.

Coordinator of the group, Comrade Jonathan Agbor, maintained that it has become imperative for the State House of Assembly to impeach Ayade for violating constitutional provisions of frequently traveling abroad without handing over to his deputy just as he squanders state funds on such trip.

Agbor said, “Since Ayade came on board, he has spent more days in Abuja and abroad than he had spent in the state. Out of 365 days in a year he spends less than 100 days in office.”

He accused the Governor of abandoning his constructional duties of administering the state to the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu as well as leaving major issues that needs his attention unattended to.

While reiterating the group's commitment to ensure transparency of governance in the state, he added that in the cause of the traveling, Ayade has spent millions of naira of tax-payers money on foreign trips with nothing to show for it.

Agbor who maintained that such travels have crippled socio-economic activities of the state noted that Ayade has signed over one hundred (100) MoUs abroad and with little or no benefit to the common man.

"It is unconstitutional for the governor to have traveled abroad since July 23, 2017 in the name of sourcing for investors that never came. We call on stakeholders to rise against the rule-from-abroad style of Ayade", he said.

Continuing the ground averred that "Ayade has committed impeachable offences including abandoning the state for over one month now and travelled abroad. His long absence has crippled administration at all levels. He has not been implementing the budget since even when he swore an oath to protect and uphold the principles of the constitution which includes working within the framework of the constitution. But we can make bold to say that 90 per cent of the projects implemented by Ayade’s administration is not in the budget.

Ayade has also made it difficult for his aides, commissioners and civil service to function due to non-payment of impress to agencies, commissions and ministries even when some of them generate revenues, but he spends millions of naira globe-trotting. Ayade runs a close system whereby only him and his close families led by Frank Ayade can have access to contracts. We can tell you authoritatively that most commissioners don’t even know how contracts are awarded as they are discreetly reverted to Frank who does internal bidding and selection processes while the paper advert is a smokescreen.

In view of all these, we call on the House of Assembly and the critical stakeholders to please intervene and invoke relevant provisions to impeach Ayade. Failure to do that the group might be forced to organise a one-million man march to protest against mal-administration and illegal traveling".