The misrule of PDP under Ayade By Richard Mgbe

It was Jeremy Bentham, a utilitarian and welfarist economist who in 1789 stated that “government existed mostly to promote the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people, without which government has no right to call itself government”.

 In the last 18 years and counting, Cross River State is being governed by PDP; presently at the saddle is Prof. Benedict Ayade. The first two Governors performed credible well, and their legacies are there as a proof of their meritorious services to the state and its people. Since the ascension of Ben Ayade as Governor of Cross River State, things are no longer at ease.

 The state has become the joke and laughing stock of people from all walks of life, the citizens are in shock as to what hit them to vote for a man of Benedict Ayade’s Calibre as their governor, many others are crying openly begging Liyel Imoke and God Almighty to take this joker called Gov Ayade from them.

Gov Ben Ayade has proven himself to be an infantile Gov with ears but can’t hear and eyes that are permanently focus on superficial things.  With so much money that has entered the state, yet Ayade has not been able to cut the tape to commission even one road project despite so many roads begging for attention, this is a testimony that something is seriously wrong with Gov Ben Ayade. Pensioners are dying everyday because Gov Ben Ayade has refused bluntly to pay them their gratuities and pensions which is their God given entitlement. Records shows that about ₦199bn has entered the state with nothing to show for the huge amount.

Given the stated scenario acted by the incumbent Gov Ben Ayade who is a PDP Governor, can PDP be trusted to discard with their infant – terrible governor and polish their image with a refined candidate?, the answer is no. Because the incumbency factor will play out very strongly in the days to come.

Having reached this point of political desperation with hope diming, what do we do to get ourselves out of the woods? This is a very tough question, but it is questions that need urgent answer considering the times and seasons we are in especially as 2019 is approaching.

Many suggestions and opinions have been reeled out, starting with the mundane to the core reality. Some very pertinent  questions need clarification here; do we continue  in PDP as the ruling party in the state despite what is happening in the state come 2019?, or do we move to the ruling party at the centre – APC, and remove the opposition ‘toga’ we are being covered with presently?

Another vexing issue is that of the zone were Ben Ayade comes from – north. Do we retained the governorship ticket in the north? or do we  look elsewhere for a more credible and widely acceptable person no matter the area, given the fact that the governorship tickets has never been zoned in the political history of the state  to any senatorial district. These and many other questions troubled and disturbed the minds, souls and bodies of not only the political class, but every right minded and thinking Cross Riverians in and outside the state.

 The first step is to accept the fact that Gov. Ben Ayade can no longer be our Governor come 2019, and as a state, we can’t continue to play opposition by remaining in or insisting on PDP. We must move to the ruling APC at the centre given the fact that nearly all our very best have all moved and many are still moving to APC. For us to have a credible and widely acceptable person who will command the respect of all as governor of the state in 2019, we must align with the progressives at the centre.

In an attempt to answer the next question which is – do we retain the governorship tickets in the Northern senatorial district or take it to another area? Care must be taken not to hurt the feelings of our brothers in the north clamoring for a second term. Therefore, we must tread with caution. A stakeholders meeting of APC should handle this very sensitive and delicate matter.

 Looking at it from a more purist eyes, one is tempted to conclude that given abysmal performance of Gov. Ayade from the north, power should be left open for best to have it no matter were the person comes from .It is therefore left to the political gurus to meet and fashion out a pattern on how to go about the onerous task of picking one of their best for this job.

Yet another school of political thoughts have it that, without waste of time, power should and must move to the southern senatorial district given their unblemished track records under Governor Donald Duke, who as governor took the state from obscurity to limelight and made the state the priceless bride of many suitors.

 They argue further that governorship ticket belongs to all the three senatorial districts since the state has never zoned its governorship candidates to any district in the political life of the state. Rather, performance has and should be the yardstick