OPINION: Day Ayade surrendered to ambush By Chidi Onyemaizu
https://www.fearlessreports.com/2018/12/day-ayade-surrendered-to-ambush-by.html
Gov. Ben Ayade |
Yes, Biase is not a "lifeless" town but on this particular evening, there was a tinge of difference.There was some kind of festive mood enveloping the arena.
For example, from a distance, one could notice a sea of heads on each sides of the road leaving one lost in a maze of thoughts. Several possibilities raced through the mind: Could it be that there is a particular festival in which every one in Biase- young, adult, the aged and children-pour onto the road every December 1st?
A little drive down the road, the picture became clearer: Biase was indeed in a festive mood because the people had succesfully ambushed Governor Ayade!
They wanted to inform him he was their choice for governor come 2019.
Saturday, December 1st 2018 will indeed ever be green in the mind of the people.
They laid ambush for Governor Ayade as he returned from Iko Ekperem in Akamkpa local goverment area where he had attended the burial of His Royal Highness, Ophot James Akpor Ibuni, father of the State Vice Chairman of the PDP(South), Princess Hon. Tity Ndifon.
Evidently the governor had no say in the matter; he had no option than to surrender to Biase people as his convoy made a quick detour to the Biase Local Government Secretariate where he later addressed them.
As Professor Ayade approached the council headquarters, the mammoth crowd surged forward, each armed with insignias of support for Professor (Senator) Ben Ayade- banners, T shirts, fliers etc! Nobody, they choroused, but Ayade. Ayade and only Ayade, Biase will follow.
It was carnival-like.The crowd was escatitic; they were enthusiastic and orderly as they sang Ayade's praises and danced.
If a soul-lifting rendention of a song could make the lame walk, many in Biase would have done so effortlessly as "APC commot for road ooo, i carry Ayade, i no get break ooo if i jam you, you go die", beautifully rendered by sonorous voices sent everyone into frenzy.
Heads nodded in agreement, feet shuffled and waists wriggled in a sensational response to the song.
They were insistent that the only gubernatorial ticket acceptable to the people of council for next February's governorship election was that of Ayade/ Ivara Esu, saying Biase will remain a PDP stronghold, impregnable to the opposition.
Speaking to the escatitic crowd, the Governor who beamed with smiles, obviously taken aback by the impromptu show of love and support he was receiving from Biase people, assured them that many more developmental projects will come the way of the council in his second term.
The most electrifying moment came when he ordered that names of every youth in Biase be compiled for the purpose of an empowerment programme which he has packaged for them.