The Lumine News

Category: 2023 General Election

  • Hon. Mike Etaba’s 3rd Term Ambition: Hope His Excellency Is Aware? – BY UMEZULIKE DESMOND-CRUZ

    Hon. Mike Etaba’s 3rd Term Ambition: Hope His Excellency Is Aware? – BY UMEZULIKE DESMOND-CRUZ

    I had elected not to start the new year discussing Politics, especially as it concern my immediate Constituency, Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, but I feel constrained as a matter of utmost importance and urgency to draw the attention of His Excellency, the Governor, to an imminent political kamikaze, should he decide to handle the issue of Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency with kid’s glove.

    Aware that -barring any last minute change and unforeseen circumstance- the Governor, reportedly, has settled in his heart to compensate Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba with a 3rd Term Ticket, as a way of repaying him for his loyalty and refusal to remain in PDP, despite all entreaties and alluring enticement made to him by PDP bigwigs. Knowing the Governor for who he is, I am obviously not surprise that the Governor is allegedly keen on reciprocating Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba’s loyalty to him, with a 3rd ticket, as the Governor has a nice penchant for rewarding not a few that have remain loyal to him. Some of the samplers to underscore my assertion includes, but not limited to, the Governor’ support for Chief Barr. Alphonsus Eba (Okadigbo) emergence as APC Chairman-elect, his unflinching Support to Dr. Steve Odey- who obviously holds the Guinness book of records as one of the most loyal ally of the Governor. Moreso, is his commitment to ensuring that Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbor returns to the green chambers for the 3rd time and his rumoured commitment to settle some of his A-list Commissioners and Chairmen with juicy House of Reps and House of Assembly tickets.

    Without equivocation, I honestly do admire the Governor’s sense of commitment to rewarding loyalty and I pray to have a friend like him who can readily reward loyalty and respect friendship. But while this gesture may appear applaudable, methinks that the Governor needs to be more circumspect in throwing his weight behind some persons, as such may amount to political suicide.

    Is the Governor aware that the Politics of 2023, belongs to the masses and as such, must support only aspirants with grassroot appeal? Performance-wise and realistically speaking, I honestly do think that Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba does not deserve a 3rd term. Unlike, his counterpart, Rt. Hon Legor Idagbor, who is also gunning for a 3rd term, Mike Etaba has performed abysmally and elusively in the House of Reps. He has no grassroot appeal and has lost touch with the people whose mandate he enjoys. As a way of saving face, he hurriedly coupled few abandoned cars and “dashed” them to selected APC Leaders in Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency as Empowerment Scheme. As at the time of writing this article, I can authoritatively confirm that some of the cars used for Empowerment are currently languishing in Mechanic workshops and the beneficiaries of the Empowerment Scheme are obviously not happy. Isn’t it insulting that after enjoying close to 7years in the National Assembly, all we can boast of as empowerment Scheme is the gifting of rickety, dangerous-looking, push and Start Buses and Motorcycles.

    I hope the Governor is also aware that in 2019, the people of Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency voted against Mike Etaba? To put it in better perspective, Mike Etaba lost the election apparently, but was smuggled back into the House through the instrumentality of the Governor. I hope His Excellency is aware that the people of Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency are determine to resist any attempt to foist Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba on the people again, as once beaten, twice shy.

    Lastly, I hope His Excellency Is aware that he will be having too many battles in his hands to win come 2023, and the best way to ease the job is to support a candidate that can garner massive support from the grassroot and then concretize it with the blessing and goodwill of the Governor, and Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba is obviously not that Candidate.

    While, I anticipate that His Excellency takes an introspective consideration of the concerns raised herein, I wish to suggest that the Governor go to war in 2023, with Generals and Veterans of Political Wars and not Politicians waiting to be spoon-feed as the Politics of 2023, will not be business as usual. Every Political Party is expected to field in her best and Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency shouldn’t be an exception.

    God bless Cross River State.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, UMEZULIKE DESMOND-CRUZ, and does not represent TheLumineNews or the organization the author works for.

  • Zoning Of Governorship Position Has Never Been Practiced In Cross River State – DG Caterpillar Movement

    Zoning Of Governorship Position Has Never Been Practiced In Cross River State – DG Caterpillar Movement

    The Director General of the Caterpillar Movement, Chief Joe Bisong has statedtstated zoning, as it concerns the Governorship, has never been practised in our dear state and is clearly not part of our political history.

    The DG made this assertion in Press Release and made available to TheLumineNews.

    The release reads in full:

    CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT

    PRESS RELEASE

    OUR POSITION ON THE 2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN CROSS RIVER STATE

    Over the past one year, the public space of both electronic and print media has been saturated with seemingly unending discussions, arguments and submissions on the topic of Zoning with regards to which senatorial district should produce the elected Governor of Cross River State, come 2023.
    The Caterpillar Movement has been consistent in its incontrovertibleassertion that zoning, as it concerns the Governorship, has never been practised in our dear state and is clearly not part of our political history  thus far. To that extent, let us for the umpteenth time state, that zoning as currently canvassed,is clearly a devious attempt to disenfranchise eligible aspirants from genuine and healthy competition for the highest office in the land. Even more, it is trite that the constitutional and inalienable right to contest or be voted for in any election, so long as such an aspirant is qualified within the templates of the Nigerian Constitution, is guaranteed. Accordingly, nobody can zone out the right of another person and in this particular regard of the cross River situation,it remains so, whether viewed from the prism of the law or from the perspective of our political history as a people. This explains why the zoning argument could not have been sustained and has indeed,for all practical purposes, died. Our conclusion therefore ,is that even the ghost of the issue of zoning of Governorship in cross river state has since been laid to rest.

    Accordingly, the Caterpillar Movement urges its supporters to forthwith, desist from any arguments relating to zoning of the governorship position, since such matters have crumbled into obsolescence. Conversely, we ask our supporters to instead, channel their intellectual resources in helping to profer solutions on how to redeem the state, moving forward.

    The position of our Principal is clear and emphatic. Competence must be emphasized over zoning,especially at this critical period in our political history and all three Senatorial zones have a fair share of competent men and women that Cross Riverians can choose from to lead them. Let the ultimate choice be that of the people and let all who are interested in leading the state, hit the ground and canvass the support of our people across the three senatorial zones.

    Our principal,
    Senator Sandy Onor has indeed just recently concluded a tour of the state with resounding success and huge acceptance across the three Senatorial zones and it is our belief that we shall not only clinch the party ticket but shall ultimately emerge victorious at the general elections, come 2023 through the overwhelming support of the people and the special grace of God.

    Let us at this juncture, state categorically,that the attempt to browbeat our Principal,Professor Sandy Onor from contesting the Governorship election, simply based on the concept of geo-ethnicity was untenable ab initio. For someone who spent the best part of his youth working for the unity of the state by supporting candidates from the south in the persons of Prof Eyo Etim Nyong and Mr Donald Duke,to the extent where the latter emerged Governor; this new and pernicious wave of geo-ethnicity is to say the least,deeply regrettable and worrisome.

    What our state requires now is a man of courage,
    confidence and humility who understands the history,culture and geography of our state; a man with the right intellect and experience; a man tested and proven enough to speak and act for all of cross river state without the odious emphasis on a single geo-political zone. Put differently, this is the time when our commonalities rather than our divisions ought to be emphasized. Our state,before our own eyes, is fast sliding into the abyss and this therefore, can not be the time to play to the gallery with provocative geo-ethnic sensibilities.

    We thank our teeming supporters across the state for their unflinching encouragement even as we beseech more well- meaning Cross Riverians to join us in this quest to restore our floundering State to its former heights of both Regional and National Pre-eminence. Infact,our dream is to take our state to higher levels of inclusiveness,productivity, peace,progress and development.

    Once again, Happy New Year and May God bless us all.

    Joe Obi Bisong ( Hon. Chief)
    Director General
    Caterpillar movement