Cross River 2015: PDP holds the aces

BY HENRY UMAHI kinghenrysun@yahoo.com

At the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Cross River was a two-party state. The two dominant political par­ties were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Peoples Party (APP), which later became the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and subsequent­ly merged with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). In fact, there was a balance of influ­ence or power between the two parties, in terms of the quest for the control of the soul of the state. At that time, while the ANPP produced 12 members of the House of Assembly and the speaker, the PDP had 13 members as well the gover­nor, Mr. Donald Duke.

However, over the years, the opposi­tion had fizzled out, making Cross River a one-party state, more or less. Offering perspectives on the development, former Secretary to the State Government, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbe, told the reporter: “The politics of Cross River State is what I regard as a family affair. It is a family affair, in the sense that when this political dispensation started in 1999, a number of Cross Riverians believed that the state was marginalised and there was need to come together as a family in order to have a strong foothold in Nigeria. That is what brought about the family issue because we believe that united we will stand and if we are divided we will fall. And if we do not want to allow Cross River State to be continuously margin­alised by the Nigerian state, then we must be together as a family and fight as a family.

“There were two dominant parties in the state – the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Peoples Democratic Par­ty (PDP). But because of the aspiration of everybody that we must be together and fight as one, the two parties gradually fused into one and the ANPP gradually phased out. In 1999, the two parties were almost equal in strength, in terms of even membership of the state House of Assem­bly. So, Cross River politics have been a family affair.”

However, Mr. Hilliard Eta, APC national vice chairman, South South, lamented that the politics of the state is defined by poverty, illiteracy and ethnic­ity. Said he: “Ordinarily, politics ought to be a tussle of ideas for the advancement of good governance and the pursuit of the people’s preference for a platform. But it hasn’t been so in Nigeria; so Cross River State is not an exception. What we have here is a potpourri or collection of certain variables that are not desirable as to what politics ought to be. In Cross River State, the combination of poverty, illiteracy and long marriage of our people to conser­vatism is what is at play, in the name of politics. But I think it is not peculiar to Cross River State; it is what we are hav­ing in Nigeria of today.

“The issues that define the politics of the state are poverty and ethnicity. The is­sues are not yet predicated on the pursuit of an egalitarian society. The issue in Cross River State now is about who has more money. If you look at the plethora of aspirants, none has come out to say he wants to launch his ideas and he wants the people to see what he desires to do in office. What you hear is about aspirants buying vehicles for their coordinators. The only thing we see happening around Calabar is the battle of flex banners which have not translated into ideas. For people like us, who think that politics ought to be predicated on ideas, it is a season of disappointment.”

The state chairman of Labour Party, Mr. Austin Ibok, added: “Issues that de­fine Cross River State politics are stupid and blind loyalty at the state detriment, imposition of candidates, godfather­ism, incompetent leaders in place of authorities, visionless and men with lack of mental capacity in political offices, poverty and awarding of contracts to only few cabals in other to enrich themselves and keep Cross Riverians in perpetual poverty.”

Making of governors

Since this dispensation was enthroned, all the governors of the state were elected on the platform of the PDP. So, it could be said the opposition is weak. Apart from the PDP, the APC and Labour Party are the other political parties that enjoy some form of popularity in the state.

Instructively, the PDP has rotated power among the senatorial zones in the state. Former Governor Duke came from Cross River South, incumbent Governor Liyel Imoke hails from Central Senato­rial District while the PDP has zoned the governorship position to the North in 2015.

Explaining the position of the PDP regarding zoning, the state chairman of the party, Ntufam John Okon said: “We believe that by zoning we ensure that every part of the state has a sense of belonging. It makes us work as a people towards developing our goals. So, we believe in zoning.

“To do justice, the governorship posi­tion has been zoned to the northern part of the state. Duke came from the South while Imoke is from the Central senato­rial District. So, naturally, it has to go to the north and that is what the party has done in the state. All the aspirants are from the north and that demonstrates our sense of justice and people-oriented activities. You cannot see anybody on the platform of the PDP vying, who is from the Central or the South. Even if you had the aspiration, you have to accept the party directive.”

The party also adopted the novel idea of subjecting all the aspirants to consult with party elders/caucuses across the 18 LGAs in the state. It was supposed to be a platform for the aspirants to engage the people and sell their manifestoes to them. As at the end of October last year, there were about 22 aspirants from the North prancing about the stage, but some of them shied away from the daunting gubernatorial interface.

It was not a straight fight between the aspirants, as there were contending in­terests or groups in the party determined to install the next occupant of Peregrino House in 2015. So, the party primaries provided an opportunity for the politi­cal entrepreneurs and heavyweights to test their strength and popularity. While Imoke and Gershom Bassey led one ‘fac­tion,’ Duke and Goddy Jeddy Agba called the shots in another. Interestingly, Imoke, Duke and Gershom had constituted the cabal that decided who got what in the state. The situation was such that Duke once boasted that “as the Catholics go into the conclave to elect their Pope, so shall we go into our conclave and elect our leaders at all levels of governance in the state.” He, Imoke and Gershom constituted the ‘conclave’ but things have since fallen apart between them. It was learnt that Imoke fell out with some of his political associates because they betrayed him while he was battling with sickness abroad.

An impeccable source disclosed: “When Imoke was sick and he traveled abroad for treatment, some of his most trusted friends and associates started meeting and ganging up against him. Some of them who visited him in hospi­tal were saying that the governor was not going to make it. They were even shop­ping for a successor even when the man was still alive. How can you pass a death judgment on a friend? It means that they didn’t wish him well. As a human being, he didn’t like what they did and heacted accordingly.”

While the Imoke–led group oscillated between four governorship aspirants, namely: Legor Idagbo, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, Sen, Ben Ayade and Larry Odey, to take over as the next governor in 2015, Duke’s group not only rooted vigorously for Goddy Jedy Agba, but deployed all intrigues and machinations to clinch the coveted PDP governorship ticket.

The contest reached a crescendo dur­ing the November 1, 2014 PDP wards delegates’ Congress in which the two factions produced two delegates’ lists, leading to clear divisions and high level of power-play between Imoke and Duke. The table turned in favour of Imoke group, when the national secretariat of the party cancelled the contentious November 1 congress and rescheduled it for November 24, giving the combatants an opportunity to re-strategise. Also, the court verdict throwing out the prayer by the other group for junction to sustain their own list was an added tonic.

Senator Ben Ayade eventually won the December 8 governorship primary. Sources maintained that while Ugbo was the people’s choice because of his per­formance during the last elders/caucuses interactive/consultative forum in which he came out tops as well as his fatherly disposition, Ayade was the party’s choice because it is believed that he has the war chest to prosecute the battle ahead.

A party source said: “We have gone be­yond sentiments; this is the time to play politics of reality because we are entering the next stage where money will play a big role. The party leadership settled for someone who can match opponents during general election. We understand that some rich guys from our party are moving to Labour Party and with their financial war chest, we need to be ready for them. So, Ayade became the most beautiful bride in this circumstance.”

Indeed, there are indications that Cross River PDP may be hit by mass exodus of members who were disenchanted with the just concluded primaries. While some of the party chieftains claimed that they were shut out in the delegates’ election, others alleged that they were schemed out in the National Assembly primaries. The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, who lost to Mr. John Owan-Enoh, report edly said: “I foresee a lot of people leav­ing the PDP because they were shut out. If those who contested for the govern­ment, House of Assembly and National Assembly primaries leave the PDP, it will affect the ruling party negatively.”

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the LP, Mr. Austin Ibok, has disclosed that his party has started reaping the fruits of the problem in PDP. “We have welcomed one of the aggrieved PDP aspirants and others are on their way to be received as well. We have told them that we are the  alternative platform to wrest power from the PDP in Cross River State,” he said.

The APC governorship candidate, Mr. Odey Ochicha, an oil magnet, could be said to be an unknown quantity. But whether the party can spring a surprise or not is a question whose answer rests in the womb of time.

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