By Chief (Barr). Utum Eteng The ovation that herald the birth of a child is an indication not only of the joy of...
By Chief (Barr). Utum Eteng
The ovation that herald the birth of a child is an indication not only of the joy of the moment, but the rapturous prospects that the child portends both for the family into which he/she is born and the larger community whose advancement the child is expected to foster. Thus, going by the speculations in Cross River State that the labor party has resolved to field the pair of Ntufam (Barr) Fidelis Ugbo with Mrs. Nella Andem Ewa (SAN) as governorship and deputy respectively in the February 28, 2015 Cross River State governorship election is not only apt but also a welcome development in the advancement of democracy in Cross River State. It is a pointer to the fact that, the contest for the governorship race this time around will no longer be business as usual. The Independent National Electoral Commission is therefore charged to create a transparent environment where the votes cast count.
Without equivocations, the Ugbo/Ewa pair if true as speculated shall be a big challenge in so far as the duo are tested and trusted technocrats who have served the cross river state creditably well in different capacities with cognate people oriented practical experiences. Whilst the PDP, fielded two academicians a junior professor, senator Ben Ayade to boss a very senior Prof and one time vice chancellor (Unical) Prof Ivara Esu, a cousin to the outgoing governor Imoke. The APC has for its going an oil magnate Mr. Ochicha as its governorship candidate. Their Excellencies to-be, by the grace of God, are eminent Cross-Riverians. Cross riverians for the first time are going to be faced with the difficult decision as to which pair and party to key into having regards to the glaring challenges facing the state, like the non payment of staff salaries as at when due, retiring civil servants cannot and have not been paid their expected benefits and pension as at when due. It is a common knowledge that under Imoke outside radio, Tv and sponsored medias propaganda cannot pay common imprest for some time now. It is similarly a known fact that the last bungled PDP primaries took a chunk of scarce resources, thus making life outside the pockets of political office holders unbearable. The Obudu ranch resort, and the one time centre of attraction, Tinapa, built by Donald Duke have been abandoned to reptiles, and inspite of the no funds cry, a multi-billion naira international centre to service the abandon Tinapa is on going. What a contradiction or irony. The only State University (CRUTECH) staff are on strike, due to lack of funds, internal and external debts on the increase with local contractors except in-laws and fronts excluded from major jobs. The problems confronting the state are numerous and challenging requiring a properly tested and trusted team in financial management with sufficient cognate experience in the general running of the state to be incharged in 2015 governor. The result of our children with WASC are helderp because the state govt is yet to honour their obligation to pay the owed registration fees of our children.
It is publically opined that come February 28 cross riverians will be charged to take their destiny into their hands by electing a governor who will rescue the state from it present decay and sucide or bankruptcy mission. It needs the choice of a liberal man who will not concentrate political appointments to his lackies or town men,, we need a man who will honestly settle the Bakassi people and make life comfortable for them. Cross River needs a governor whose words are his bonds. Perhaps it is in realization of these huge challenges and the discovery of these attributes in Ntufam Ugbo that the outgoing Gov. Imoke long before now prepared Ugbo then in the PDP to take over from him. The Ugbo idea was forced to be abandoned by Imoke when the game changer a turk, Prince Godwin Agba reared his head up into the political landscape with a bang, an act that panic and disarmed the outgoing Gov. Imoke. The panic and fear in Imoke perhaps led him to abandon a man he has at several instances tacitly proclaimed his successor. Today, the same Imoke who before now saw Gody Agba as an outsider, a non PDP member not good to succeed him but has now appointed him chairman of the state PDP campaign Organization Finance Committee. If Imoke in his new found love so trust Agba, why would he not influenced Agab’s appointment to the National presidential campaign where JD could meet his equals at the national level. A caveat needed to be sounded to prince Agba, that even if today Imoke hugs him or lifts his hand up to show friendship it is not his person that mattered to him and co, but the money he will bring out to the PDP campaign organization to fight those who before now worked for him Gody Agba to emerge but were frustrated by Imoke. Agba should be reminded that he was openly disowned as a non party member and as one who will never succeed Imoke. I repeat for emphasis that it is an indirect way to request Agba to provide funds to fight those who once cued up behind him to make him thick to prosecute his governorship ambition, Agba should be wiser than Imoke and co and should know that he his dealing with men whose words have never been their bond and would be disowned a second time.
It has been argued by political pundits that the Ugbo/Nella pair is a big plus to the people by reason of the following; outgoing governor Imoke has before now tacitly presented Ntufam Ugbo to his in house members as the right man with cognate administrative experience for the job, after about 16 years, a Cross River state women from Boki nation will be the state first lady, after more than 25 years, the cross river state women would have one of their own, Nella Andem Ewa (SAN) as deputy governor, the rich Efik nation shall have one of their very best a tested and trusted Nella as deputy governor. It is pertinent to remark that, apart from her appointment as the Attorney General and commissioner for Justice in Cross River State, Nella Ewa (SAN) is the first female lawyer in cross river state to be admitted into the prestigious senior advocate of Nigerian (SAN) club, an equivalent of the Queens Counsel (QC) in the UK. Though out of the fear of JD Agba political exploit, Imoke abandoned Ntufam Ugbo, credit could still be given to Imoke for his early recognition and foresightedness of Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo as the best man with track records which cannot be forgotten in a hurry, and qualified enough to succeed him in 2015.
It is on record also that, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo once un-hesitatingly stepped down for Imoke, and was later found to be an invaluable companion to the quest to actualize the advancement of the state before Imoke became governor. No wonder that as soon as Imoke was sworn-in as governor Ugbo was appointed secretary to the state Governor, a position he held until September, 2011 when president Goodluck appointed him secretary, national planning commission a position he doubled as secretary to council, national economic council. What cannot be gloss over is that, Ugbo brought his learning and wealth of experience as a technocrat to bear on his job. He is a man that can only be described as broad spectrum experience, especially given his membership of the following national and international professional and social organizations like, chartered institute of management of Nigeria, the African business school, the NBA, Association of Professional Mediators and Negotiators and the Nigeria Economic society to mention this few. Within the last three years, Ntufam Ugbo has facilitated the appointment of more than forty cross riverians into the federal service and is still doing more even when out of service. It is pertinent to remark that Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo worked and rose to the position of Assistant Director in the CBN before he became Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, a position he held for five years under three different military governors, Kefas, U.F. Armed and Agboneni. Arising from the above, it may not be out of place to say that the duo of Ugbo/Nella duo have acquired more practical experience in state govt. administration than all the others put together.
Thus, apart from the challenge to his Obanliku local government people to protect their own, a similar challenge is posed on the people of Boki nation who nature has blessed and entrusted with the honour of providucing the state first lady come may 29, 2015. It is known by all cross riverians that before the sudden summersault. Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo was governor Imoke’s preferred governorship candidates. This as argued was based on his antecedents, that inside his mind Ugbo still remain his preferred candidate. The choice of who becomes CRS governor is in the collective hands of the people not in the whims and caprices of an individual as was the case in the PDP. It will be recalled that Donal Duke, married Barr. Onarri Duke from Rivers State whilst Liyel Imoke married Barr. Obioma Imoke from Anambra state. Though, one has the right to marry from any part of the world, the argument here is that, for the first time since the start of our democratic journey in Cross River State (1999-2015) the spread between the Gov. his deputy and the state first lady is complete now and is a plus not only to Ugbo/Nella but also to any other governorship candidate so favoured. This is important because the influence of a woman in a man is natural potent and cannot be wished away. Promote Ugbo/Nella dream for Cross River State to be redeemed.
Chief (Barr). Utum Eteng, a Private Legal Practitioner and Public Affairs Analyst wrote from Calabar
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