Jarigbe Orchestrated My Suspension Because of Dep. Gov, Akpanke - Vena

The "suspended" Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State,  Barr. Venatius Ikem has accused the senator representing Cross River North, Senator Jarigbe Agom for being behind his suspension from office. 

Recall that yesterday, news broke out that the State Working Committee members of the party had signed a resolution to suspend the Chairman from office over sundry issues.  The position of the SWC was later affirmed by seventeen of the eighteen chapter Chairmen in a press briefing yesterday.

In his first reaction to the development,  Ikem who's a former presidential aide shared two text messages from the Senator where he accused him of seeing the Deputy Governor,  Rt. Hon. Peter Odey too frequently as well as supporting the member representing Obudu/Bekwerra/Obanliku federal constituency,  Hon. Peter Akpanke against him.

Ikem who said he had lost the zest for the office even before his suspension said that the development didn't come as a surprise to him, adding that his ordeal was for no other reason than politics. 

The veteran politician in a statement titled "my purported suspension as Chairman of PDP", explained that "Yesterday was not a surprise but  I have already lost the zest for the office. I want to say that I was not ""suspended " for any  reason other than political. I will publish hereunder only two of my chats with Senator Jarigbe to buttress the point and leave you to judge.

He stated my crimes clearly to include: support for Hon .Peter Akpanke, rushing to Calabar to upturn the suspension of Hon. Adida Agabi and dozens of others suspended in Bekwarra on his orders and seeing His Excellency Hon. Peter Odey too often". 

"Emana was Sen Sandy’s project. You supported it but today, Sen Sandy and I have gone past that and moved on. Why will I be having issues with you because of Emana. Where is the Emana today? "

"Even life is not forever. You thought you were fooling me. You rushed to Calabar to reverse Adida’s suspension. You have been fighting me but I chose to ignore. I also found out that I was the only one with you in the Leadership. May God judge both of us. I will suffer the repercussions if I am at fault and vice versa. You stopped talking to everyone that stood by Obule because Peter lost out in his machinations to embarrass me. I will definitely not wait to be decimated.

My issue with you is simple- You listen to Peter’s lies. His romance with APC is legendary. There are clear signals that he would eventually move but you see nothing wrong with that. You knew of his bargains with APC and you only mentioned it in passing to me, after the election. You even called people to work with Peter against me in Bekwarra. You descended in to the arena, even as State Chairman. Peter thinks he can backstab. I won’t keep my back. There is an obvious fight and I have to face it. Peter and I can’t work together. We have to face each other and you are on his side. You also meet with Peter Odey very frequently. That’s not good for our Party and there were complaints from chairman everywhere. 

You have held many more positions than me. You started before me and I must defer to you on that. You were not there forever and I won’t be Senator forever. There’s time for everything", the two text messages from Sen. Jarigbe allegedly reads.

Ikem further maintained that "I plead guilty to all of them. As State Party chairman I cannot choose which of my members and executive especially elected officials to be friends with. I have had cause to ask Senator Jarigbe who I'm working against him for but he has had no response so far. As state Party chairman I have an obligation to resolve crisis amicably wherever it arises.

As state Party chairman I have a duty to interact beyond my party. Especially as a citizen of this country and leader of my Party I cannot play politics of hatred, especially inherited hatred to please anyone. If the deputy governor of my state chooses to visit me I consider it an honour and will never turn him away because he is not a member of my political Party".

He added that "Hon. Peter Odey and I come a long way. If not for politics he is some one we should see daily. I discuss the best interest of my Party with him whenever we see. And the best interest of our State because I always remind him that at my age, I am an elder now and must think beyond partisan politics for which his new jocular nickname for me has become simply "elder" . If Senator Jarigbe expects me to hate the Deputy Gov because he hates him I will disappoint him several times over. I have passed that age. And I do not encourage our people to Play that kind of " politics ".