Owan Enoh Tribal Insult : Apologise To Efiks or Be Banished From Entering Southern C'River

Deputy Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly addressing the youths

Youths From Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State have threatened Senator John Owan to tender public apology to the Efiks or they will mobilize  youths to call  for  his banish by the Monarchs over his recent assault on the Efiks speaking tribe of Calabar.
 
The youth made their position  known during a solidarity visit  to the Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Joseph Bassey  in Calabar.

Senator Enoh who represents the Central  Senatorial District of the state  in the National Assembly was  reportedly  quoted as saying in a meeting in Abuja  that, "I don't need Efiks votes before becoming  Governor of Cross River State in 2019", a statement that has generated wide condemnations among the major ethnic lines in the state.

Speaking during the visit on Wednesday in Calabar, the Youths who are  predominantly Efiks said their purpose was to drum Support for the re-election of Governor Ben Ayade in 2019 .

Leader of the group, Mr Richard Ekpenyong expressed his displeasure over the statement credited to the Senator, stating that  Owan' s politics of desperation has made him to insult the Efiks who have always given him Support since 1999.

While expressing their disappointment on Owan , Ekpeyong  said the Efiks who  have given Support  to Senator Owan will not condone his  politics of ethnic sentiments which has  shown him as a politician with 'tendency of desperation' that has always been favoured by the people of Cross River State particularly the Efiks who are his landlord in Calabar.

Continuing, he maintained that,  "if there is any ethnic group that Enoh should accord respect in this state, it should be the Efiks because we have been a pillar to his successes and have supported every course of his political advancement, he should not pay us back with assault".

"By insulting the Efiks, Owan Enoh has insulted the entire people of Southern Senatorial District of the state which is why the youths have converged here in their numbers to condemn such abominable utterances from a Senator of the Federal Republic,and strongly demanding that he come out and apologize or face the consequences.

He  further caution that, "Enoh should not take our peaceful disposition and hospitable nature for granted because we are only displaying true Africanism of giving your weaker brother a shoulder to lean on.

On her part,The Women leader of the group, Mrs Bassey Oqua  stated that Owan's unpopular aspiration made him to reduce his declaration  to Local government, and wonders why the senator's Governorship declaration is taking place in Ikom instead of the state capital where all the stakeholders reside.

In response, the deputy Speaker thanked  the youths for conducting themselves in an orderly manner , and reminded the youths of the existing zoning policy of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Bassey said that Professor Ben Ayade in particular and the Northern Senatorial District in general should be allowed to complete the eight years tenure as enjoyed by both Southern and Central Cross River between 1999-2015, adding that Ayade's remaining four years is sacrosanct as far as the People of South is concerned.

While calling all the Efiks Youths to give their unflinching support to the re-election of Governor Ayade in 2019, the Deputy Speaker stated that Ayade has taken Cross River State from Civil service dependent to an industrialized State as one with feasible economic deliverables and urged them to remain focus in the task of returning the governor come 2019.

He further urged them not to allow desperate politicians to use them as thugs or be engaged in any act of violent capable of disrupting the peace of the state before and during the election but follow a man who has their  interest and wellbeing at heart.

Owan however in statement by his social media aide, Justin Obangha denied insulting the Efiks. He said the report was a sponsored propaganda against his principal as such should be disregarded.

"My attention has been drawn to an online propaganda that Distinguished Sen. John Owan Enoh said that he doesn't need the votes of the Efiks nation to become governor of Cross River State. The statement above isn't true as no politician with such ambition of becoming the Governor of Cross River State will undermine the strength of the Efik people", the statement reads in part.