The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

  • Introducing Pastor Fred Abua Esq (AIAGP)

     

    Barrister Fred Abua, JP, is a highly skilled professional with a diverse range of experiences in writing, communication, coaching, social work, and law. His career journey took a new turn in 2015 when he was appointed by Senator Professor Ben Ayade as Special Assistant (Media). Over time, Fred’s responsibilities expanded, and he assumed various designations including Senior Special Assistant (Media), Press Secretary to the First Lady, and ultimately Special Adviser (Corporate Communications) in the Office of the First Lady. Throughout these positions, he also served as the Speechwriter to the First Lady, crafting impactful messages on her behalf and managing her social media accounts.

    Fred is an esteemed member of the Board of Trustees of the Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF), an NGO founded by Dr. Linda Ayade. Within this role, he demonstrates exemplary human resource management skills by overseeing a team of about 30 staff. He also serves as the Secretary of the Board and, utilizing his expertise as a Media Advisor, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Mediatrix Magazine, a periodic publication that highlights the foundation’s initiatives, and he was instrumental in developing engaging content for the MDF website.

    Fred wrote a column for the Nigerian Chronicle called ‘Open Mystery’ in 2012 and hosted a music and talk radio show ‘Touch the Power’ on Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) before then. Beyond his contributions in the realm of media and communications, Fred is also an accomplished author and ghostwriter. He has penned numerous published and yet-to-be-published Christian and secular books, including works such as “Omale’s Dream”, “How the Devil Whips Us”, “Straight Talk to Jacqueline”, “The Whole Truth”, and “Finishing Strong”, a biographical sketch of his father, Rev. J.A.O. Abua, published by Arbi Press, USA, in 2012. Fred’s passion for writing extends to his involvement on the editorial board of various publications. Notably, he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Mediatrix Magazine, an esteemed role he held during the tenure of former First Lady of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade.

    Prior to his government service, Fred made a significant impact in the realm of ministry. He served as a Teacher and Nigerian Coordinator of Bible Training for Church Leaders (BTCL), a program designed to provide comprehensive seminary-standard training to church leaders who lacked formal biblical education prior to entering ministry. Additionally, he held pastoral positions, serving as a Pastor-Teacher at Rockhouse Bible Church in Calabar and Grace Bible Church in Port Harcourt. He also did stints in short-term missions to Ghana and many remote locations within Nigeria.

    With his rich background in communications, content creation, theatre arts, image management, pastoral ministry, humanitarian service, and law, Fred will bring value to any team. Currently, he serves as the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey.

    Fred, an Associate of the International Academy for Gender and Peace (AIAGP), is happily married to Omaji, and they are blessed with four children – a girl and three boys.

  • Holy Communion: Body and Blood of Christ BY PETER OBELE ABUE

     

    Holy Communion is the spiritual food recommended for us by God especially in times of adversity to keep us in close union with him. Its Holy because its food for our souls and Communion because it unites us as we all come together as one body to receive. Our forefathers in faith received Holy Communion as they prepared to leave Egypt the land of their captivity into the promised land (read Exodus 12ff). They needed to be sustained in the journey ahead. Down in the desert, their difficulties were huge and they were physically hungry, thirsty and beset by poisonous snakes. Again God gave them Holy Communion; this time “Manna” from heaven that they had never seen before to refresh and even heal them. (Deut. 8: 3ff).

    Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour the day before he suffered, knowing fully well how much his disciples would need it, shared Holy Communion with his disciples and told them to always do this in his memory (Jn 6: 25ff, Matt. 26: 26ff). Later on in Corinth, the disciples of Jesus when they had a problem. When most of them were being converted from paganism, some still had relatives and friends who offered sacrifice to idols and this resulted to tensions. Paul used Holy Communion (also called the Eucharist) to convince them not only on how to respect others beliefs but also to unite themselves irrespective of their differences (1Cor 10: 16-17). “The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf” (v. 17).

    Jesus meant every word of it when he said he gives us his body and blood to eat and drink as Holy Communion. He meant this to keep us in close together in union with him, irrespective of our differences. He also meant it to prevent us from branching off our own wayward ways; feeling we can detach ourselves from him at will. Our questioning of this doctrine does not change the fact. (read Jn. 6: 52). Our decision to participate or not, does not change the fact either. Truly God means to come down to our level. The food of angels has become the bread of life and the saving grace for sinners. What a marvel in our eyes!

    What happens when we eat this bread? It is assimilated by our bodies and becomes part of us. Jesus says he is the bread of life and it His Body (Corpus Christi) we receive at Holy Communion. It is his person that we are eating and assimilating and it is his existence that must become ours. It’s all a matter of faith.

  • Who Will Tell Former Governor Ben Ayade To Park And Go? BY DOMINIC KIDZU

     

    At this point, all men of goodwill who still have the ear of former Governor Ben Ayade have a responsibility to whisper to him that his tenure is over, because the man himself doesn’t seem to realize the fact.

    After eight long years on the saddle, with the political calendar hanging everywhere like a signpost, the former Governor should have packed his personal belongings out of Perigrino House at least a week before the inauguration of the new Governor, to allow him redesign the place after his own taste.

    To still return to the official residence of the Governor of Cross River, to still hold unto the convoy of official cars and throw himself about as if he was still Governor belittles the office and offends the culture and tradition of that respected institution. It also unfortunately personalizes the office in a way that seems to suggest that Governor Ayade believes that he owns the place or does not understand the democratic transition of power.

    Only yesterday, there were unconfirmed rumours in Calabar that the former Governor and his Man Fridays were still haemoraging Cross River State bank accounts, still pillaging, still plundering the scanty bank balances that were still left there and the IGR instruments were still in the hands of the former Governor, three clear days after his tenure ended.

    It is shameful and pitifully disgraceful that we are talking about one of the most paper-learned governors Nigeria has ever had who should be counted among people like professor Ambrose Ali and professor Zulum who became governors from the apogee of the intellectual tree. To continue to act in the way that former Governor Ayade has done creates deep suspicions about the depth of his much vaunted intellect and sophistication.A word is enough for the wise.

  • Hilda’s Win Should Be A Source Of Motivation, Stop The Comparison, If You Should Compare, Then Compare The Women In Your Life And How You Can Help Them Get Better BY SANDRA MICHAEL

    Frankly, everyone needs a good support system and friend, this man right here emerged in almost all of Hilda’s pictures and videos, when she was tired, he held her and pat her back, he gave her strength each time by encouraging her and speaking to her.

    Hilda Bacci’s assistant is also a champ and just the type of friend everyone deserves. ✨😍🙇‍♂️

    You won’t even have someone this close to you if you are not good enough and kind, some of us can’t even keep friends closely for six months, or build a good relationship for three months, a little misunderstanding and we call it a quit!

    Again is this set of men who have started condemning women online comparing their cooking skills to our new champ 🙁😂.

    This is not the juncture for comparison oh, a woman has won and it is a win-win for all, it’s about time you build up your girl child and help nurture those hidden talents in the women in your life.

    some of our fathers won’t even train their girl child in school or allow them to get a skill, they pushed them into early marriage even before they wrote waec.

    Hilda’s win should be a source of motivation, stop the comparison, if you should compare, then compare the women in your life and how you can help them get better, there is more to being a woman.

    It’s not just about cooking, I see determination, strength, resilience, a praying mother, strong assistants, motivation, and opportunity, I see the African woman, and Nigerian women in particular being refined and redefined she has challenged everyone.

    I see how strong a woman is, she’s more than just a help mate and can do anything just to get to where she aims, she can’t do it alone, she needs backing and love.

    imagine if the crowd was not there and the online and offline love was not coming through?

    I can’t forget participating in a debate in my secondary school on the topic that women’s education ends in the kitchen😖🙇‍♂️, today someone is making so much wave and is been celebrated from the kitchen.

    I tell you, you can’t even define a woman’s worth enough!

    A woman is phenomenal

    And before I forget, cooking is a survival skill and not solely a woman’s duty, abi your girlfriend cooks for you in school? y’all talk a lot online, wait till you travel outside, and by the time you buy food in Africa stores out there twice, your brain will tell you to learn cooking, you will cook from youtube and end up cooking something only you will cook and not vomit 🤣.

    Sandra Micheal ✍️

  • Advocate, The Problem Is That We Sometimes Doubt These Words Of Jesus. We Ask Ourselves ‘What About Victims Of Mass Massacre, … BY FR PETER OBELE ABUE

    ADVOCATE

    Advocate means one who stands beside the accused or somebody who is in difficulty. In the time of Jesus, if one is accused of a crime and is under judgment, it might happen that a well-to-do person would come forward and without saying a word, stand beside the accused. If that happens the prosecution would dare not go on with the case. This kind of person was called “Paraclete” in old English and “Advocate” in common parlance. To get the full gist think of a hit man or bouncer or something like that. In John 14:15ff, this name is given to the Spirit, the third person of the trinity to remind us that as Christians, only God is our advocate or defender, our protector when in difficulty.

    At times, we Christians forget this and allow ourselves to be intimidated or feel defenseless, insecure and unprotected especially when in unpredictable conditions. Presently, most people in Nigeria feel that way because they do not trust even the Justice System to defend them and give them a fair hearing in tribunal cases. People who live under extreme conditions like enduring hurricanes, earthquakes or blizzards especially those who cannot do anything about it, feel that way too. People who suffer under the sledgehammer of authority or political power of their fellow human beings who make life difficult for them feel that way. Jesus says: Do not be afraid…rather wait and “I will ask the father and he will give you an Advocate or Paraclete, the spirit of truth to be with you always” (John 14: 15).

    The problem is that we sometimes doubt these words of Jesus. We ask ourselves ‘what about victims of mass massacre, terrorism, kidnappings that end in murder, police brutality etc? My answer is ‘what about Jesus who was God’s beloved son but still suffered persecution in the hands of evil people even when he was innocent? You see, sometimes God allows evil to happen, not because he is powerless but to remind us that although he created the world, he still gives freedom to human beings to have full control of it. In the midst of all these, we must keep our hope alive. Even in the face of persecution, Peter exhorts Christians in his days not to give up hope because of the persecution which just started and was to last for about 250 years (read 1 Peter 3; 15-18)

    In truth, as Jesus’ disciples we are sometimes threatened by persecutions or even our own sins or human frailty (Read Romans 8: 35-39). Those who believe in Jesus’ promise of the Paraclete know that they will not be defeated by any difficulty, however great it may be. Believe, wait and pray this week for the Paraclete, the promise of ages who comes to defend you, to teach you the truth even about that most unpredictable situation you are facing in your life right now. The Holy Spirit comes to fill your heart with courage, to enkindle in you the fire of his love. Stand ready! .

  • A Crown Of Thorns For The Next Governor Of Cross River State BY DOMINIC KIDZU

     

    “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes”,
    This is a Latin quote rendered by Aeneid in the epic poem of the same name written by Virgil which translated into English means “I fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts”, The phrase is spoken by Trojan priest Laocoön referring to the Trojan Horse used by the Greeks during the Trojan War in which the Trojans were defeated after the Greeks left behind a large wooden horse and pretended to sail for home. Unbeknown to the Trojans, the wooden horse was filled with Greek. warriors who spilled out and conquered the city of Troy.

    The next Governor of Cross River State will be sworn-in at an expectedly impressive ceremony by the Chief Justice of the state after which a crown of thorns shall be placed upon his head, while the people hoot, dance and make elaborate merriment to celebrate the dawn of a new era. The crown of thorns will no doubt be heavy, having been constructed with lead spikes upon wrought iron, strung together with barbed wires that prick the scalp all the time.

    In a symbolic sense he will be the Christ, who will be expected to take away the sins of the past and make the state a new dwelling place for all who live here and those who shall come to it. To make omelettes without breaking eggs and roll a bunch of palm fruits in cocoyam leaves without piercing them. He shall be the miracle maker expected to turn water into wine, an exalted king presiding over the ruins of an ancient empire brought to its knees by the rapacious reign of the king of locusts.

    By the whimsical rush-hour enactments of the departing potentate the civil service will have 5,000 new staff, 5,000 more will be promoted, 5,000 more will join the pensions pay cheque while an army of at least 5,000 former appointees will be waiting to return to government waving their polling unit results in his face as their banner of true faith and fidelity. The Trojan horse for His Excellency has fully arrived with stuffed turtles, a coterie of wasps and a thousand regents to the throne of entititlement embedded in it.

    Despite the elaborate afterthought appointment of a commissioner for government property, all the good cars will disappear while office furniture will suddenly develop legs. The posh automobiles in His Excellency’s fleet will also go with him in a blaze of glory. He loved convoys of cars before he became Governor, he should love them more now. The new Governor is sure to receive visits from bank officials bearing large files of loans, debts and overdrafts left unpaid and unpaid contractors who have already paid weired percentages of kickbacks upfront.

    Young people from his senatorial zone, who have hardly come out of the gates of the University of Calabar shall demand for good appointments and good offices, so that they too can build swank houses with swimming pools, drive posh cars and live the good life. After all, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Water Board lands and LEMNA estates where not created for people from one senatorial zone in the state alone. And the beat goes on and on and on. Welcome to Perigrino Lodge, His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State.

    Through all these, the heavy crown remains on the Governor’s head, heavy, pricky and excruciating. No one notices his pain and discomfort. In a few days they will find new catch-names for him, ala Digital et al. Facebook and WhatsApp groups will be awash with the new prefixes and appellations. Didn’t the departing Governor once tell his Advisers that psychophancy was a legitimate tool in politics? And now that it has come to stay, I too will join the race. I am even now looking for three or four people to collaborate with me to set up a music band to praise the Governor. So that once he steps out of his car, the orchestra and the chant will go up and we shall tell him what we are sure he is not in the hope that we too can build fine houses and drive beautiful cars.

    Yet there is one way out. Just like in the 1989 mercenary film starring Miles O’Keefe, ‘The Hard Way The Only Way’, will be the only way. The incoming Governor will have to put away recent precedence and do things his own way bearing in mind that he doesn’t need to be popular or loved in the first couple of years. What he needs immediately is respect, love can return later. He must reduce public expenditure, plug revenue leakages, keep family out of government and lead by example and not by laudatory declarations at the public gallery.

    There has been too much casual drama and comedy recently, too many caricatures and mediocres in public office. The proper laid down forms, culture, conventions and proprieties of officialdom must quickly replace the childlike razzmatazz that has been the regular fair in the once beautiful city of Calabar. The Sesame Street must urgently seize to define our general corpus, because we are a people of excellent education, high class and decent standards. Written with the most excellent intentions and best wishes to the next Governor of our dear state.

     

    DISCLAMER: The opinion reflected in this article does not reflect THELUMINENEWS or it agent, it credited to author, Dominic Kidzu 

  • May Prince Otu, Weather The Herculean Start… BY AGBA JALINGO

    May Prince Otu, Weather The Herculean Start…

    The spotlight has shifted to the Cross River State Governor-Elect already. Expectedly, Prince Otu’s residence is the new mill for those who earn a living only from government house. With only 50 days to go, the incumbent governor is spent and fizzled out and the newest hood is buzzing. That is nothing unusual afterall. It’s a political culture.

    First was the group of hawks I refer to as “entitlers.” They were quick to appear around him. Like the panting of a dehydrated Deer after water, these folks looked weary and desparate to have a dip in the incoming pot. They have spent their years in power or close to power but they can’t have enough and must always be around every government in power, so they can perpetually remain in power or near power.

    They feel entitled. They claim they have “suffered” so much for our State over the years, therefore, they must be allowed to continue to be the Praetorian Guards of power for us. They are still hanging around; not with ideas to move our State forward, but with pockets waiting to be filled and names pressing to get appointments.

    Then there is the very nauseous group of those who are lurking around for appointments and the only reason they say they deserve the appointment is that they won their polling units for Otu. Some say because they have “crowd” in their constituencies and can mobilize for Otu. Some say because they have “suffered” for their party for years and it’s their turn to enjoy. Some say because their community has never gotten any government appointment since 1700. Some say because Prince Otu has been their friend and man Friday since 1823. Some say because even when people didn’t believe in Prince Otu’s aspiration to be Governor, they were the ones who carried him and sold him like garri to the voters and some say because it’s their turn in the zoning formula etc.

    While all these considerations can rightly be aggregated for compensation, it is more necessary for Prince Otu, to look for a coterie of patriots who are going to assist him clean the mess he will meet on ground and grab a lot of quick wins, lest he loses the Herculean start. Not many of these sort of performers are keen about going to homes of those who win elections to genuflect. Yes, not many of them!

    Prince Otu, has to deliberately look beyond the throng of buzzards in his abode and search for them as a primary role to help him provide overall political direction and take the necessary decisions to ensure a coherent and coordinated take off. From day one, there should be a marked departure from where we are exiting; where appointment into government office has been reduced to a laughable spectacle and a nefarious conduit. That take off speed is very crucial to determine the outlook of the journey.

    Happy Easter Celebration.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • It’s HAPPY EASTER Because The Empty Tomb Has Become The Sign That Points To A New Direction; The Empty Tomb Has Become The Place Where Our Faith In The Resurrection Of The Lord Jesus Is Born BY FR PETER OBELE ABUE

    HAPPY EASTER!

    Easter is the festival and holiday celebrated by millions of Christians around the world in honour of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death three days after his crucifixion at Calvary. We say HAPPY EASTER because modern day Christians have attached HAPPY meaning to the Easter celebration, making it a commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the death and the rebirth of those born again with Him by the waters of baptism (cf. Romans 6:3-11). Today, Easter has become a movable feast, yearly fixed to correspond with the first Sunday following the full moon after the March equinox and occurs on different dates around the world since western churches use the Gregorian calendar.

    Whearas most biblical scholars agree that Easter was originally a pagan festival, the early Church successfully moved to change this practice through the Emperor Constantine, one of the early Christian leading converts whose main aim was to exterminate the pagan practice, thus making Easter a HAPPY celebration. Easter has become a HAPPY time for families to enjoy the coming of spring with most western civilizations celebrating with egg decorations and Easter bunnies; and still retaining the same spirit of rebirth and renewal, as it has been for thousands of years.

    On Easter night, we gather and sing triumphantly: “Oh HAPPY fault, Oh necessary sin of Adam,” HAPPY fault, because if Adam had not sinned, we would not have had this victory. HAPPY fault, because for the first time, we refer to sin as a victory, thanks to Christ who paid the price in full through his death and resurrection. “What good would life have been to us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?” He has transformed us, making us a new creation, giving us new life in the Holy Spirit and we celebrate with intense pride and great jubilation.

    Its HAPPY EASTER because the empty tomb has beco

    HAPPY EASTER!

    Easter is the festival and holiday celebrated by millions of Christians around the world in honour of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death three days after his crucifixion at Calvary. We say HAPPY EASTER because modern day Christians have attached HAPPY meaning to the Easter celebration, making it a commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the death and the rebirth of those born again with Him by the waters of baptism (cf. Romans 6:3-11). Today, Easter has become a movable feast, yearly fixed to correspond with the first Sunday following the full moon after the March equinox and occurs on different dates around the world since western churches use the Gregorian calendar.

    Whearas most biblical scholars agree that Easter was originally a pagan festival, the early Church successfully moved to change this practice through the Emperor Constantine, one of the early Christian leading converts whose main aim was to exterminate the pagan practice, thus making Easter a HAPPY celebration. Easter has become a HAPPY time for families to enjoy the coming of spring with most western civilizations celebrating with egg decorations and Easter bunnies; and still retaining the same spirit of rebirth and renewal, as it has been for thousands of years.

    On Easter night, we gather and sing triumphantly: “Oh HAPPY fault, Oh necessary sin of Adam,” HAPPY fault, because if Adam had not sinned, we would not have had this victory. HAPPY fault, because for the first time, we refer to sin as a victory, thanks to Christ who paid the price in full through his death and resurrection. “What good would life have been to us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?” He has transformed us, making us a new creation, giving us new life in the Holy Spirit and we celebrate with intense pride and great jubilation.

    Its HAPPY EASTER because the empty tomb has become the sign that points to a new direction; The empty tomb has become the place where our faith in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus is born, The empty tomb represents the fact that Christ is capable and has indeed taken our sorrows, our problems, and our worries away. As Christians on Easter day, we are reminded, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised!” (Lk. 24:5-6). With that resurrection came the death of all our fears. We no longer have cause to be moody or sad for Christ’s resurrection assures us that victory is ours forever. The Lord has teuly risen! HAPPY EASTER indeed!

    me the sign that points to a new direction; The empty tomb has become the place where our faith in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus is born, The empty tomb represents the fact that Christ is capable and has indeed taken our sorrows, our problems, and our worries away. As Christians on Easter day, we are reminded, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised!” (Lk. 24:5-6). With that resurrection came the death of all our fears. We no longer have cause to be moody or sad for Christ’s resurrection assures us that victory is ours forever. The Lord has teuly risen! HAPPY EASTER indeed!

  • If We Can Live Like Jesus Only For This Week Alone, He Will Exalt Us To A Position Of Promise As We Prepare To Celebrate His Resurrection BY PETER OBELE ABUE

    WELCOME TO HOLY WEEK
    JESUS IS OUR GREAT EXAMPLE

    Welcome to the week that challenges us to live up to the expectations of our faith. Welcome to the week where Jesus is the focus and the rest of us are called to follow and imitate. This is what Jesus did for us

    1. He was humble: Jesus already existed in his divine nature before he became man. Yet, he accepted to become the most despised of men, a slave whom the Romans put to shame and condemned to a humiliating death on a Cross (Phil 2:6-11). The apostle Paul was advising the Philippians. not to be empty boasters but to “do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those off others” (3-4). What is your attitude when people despise or insult you even when you don’t deserve it?

    2. He accepted suffering: Jesus was well aware that he would not be allowed to carry out his mission in peace; that he will meet with strong opposition, insults and even physical violence. They will spit on his face, beat him up, torture and scourge him. Yet, he still wanted to carry out his mission because it was not to man that he owed allegiance but to God Almighty. What is your attitude in the face of your sufferings or sickness or death of a loved one?

    3. He shunned violence: Matthew tells us what Jesus said to Peter when he tried to defend him with his sword. “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). Many people today experience violence by inciting others to mob action or by provoking them through acts of terrorism, kidnapping, murder, election voilence, etc. What is your attitude when you are provoked into such a fight or to start a quarrel with someone?

    If we can live like Jesus only for this week alone, He will exalt us to a position of promise as we prepare to celebrate his resurrection.

    Welcome to Holy Week!

  • Bakassi: The Fairy-tale Of A Homeless Tribe… BY AGBA JALINGO

    Bakassi: The Fairy-tale Of A Homeless Tribe…

    After Nigeria unjustly used a portion of our State, Bakassi to play father-christmas on the alter of international politics and nefariously ceded it to Cameroon over a cup of tea in foreign land, the human beings living in what is now called Bakassi LGA in Cross River State, are still treated like SHIT! Yes, that’s the word…SHIT! Even the Etinyin of Bakassi, His Royal Majesty Etiyin Etim Okon Edet, who doubles as the Chairman of the Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council, does not have a palace any longer; after his palace was ceded along with their lands to Cameroon. He lives in his personal house in Calabar Municipal.

    Bakassi has 10 political Wards on paper. The 10 Wards are currently delineated into 70 polling units PUs. The February 18, 2023 Presidential and NASS Elections, held in only 20 out of the 70 polling units in Bakassi LGA. Elections did not hold in 50 polling units due to insecurity, according to INEC.

    Let it be on record that voters that INEC registered, and made to queue under the Sun for weeks to collect their voters’ cards all came out in those 50 polling units eager to vote. These voters include former Presidential Aide, Senator Ita Giwa, and a former LG Chair of Bakassi, Hon. Bassey Ita Edet, They waited from morning till the election time was over only for INEC officials not to show up.

    INEC asked them to come back the next day, Sunday February 19 to vote. They still turned up as directed, very eager to vote. They waited until INEC informed them late in the evening that the BVAS machines were configured for only Saturday and that the Commission was unable to reconfigure them for Sunday, so the rescheduled election still did not hold. Even Ita Giwa, did not vote.

    But INEC still went ahead and announced winners. So let us see the numbers.

    The total number of registered voters in Bakassi is 15,642. INEC accredited a total of 1,165 voters on election day. Less 14,477 of those INEC registered.

    Out of 1,165 accredited voters on election day, a total of 1,147 cast their ballots in the Presidential election.

    Valid votes were..…1,076
    Rejected votes were… 71

    APC got……… 306

    LP got……… 487

    PDP got……… 266

    Others got:…..17

    The margin of victory from these numbers is not more than 200 votes. But the total number of voters that INEC disallowed from voting is over 14,000. How on God’s Earth can such an election be described as a valid election? Does the person laying claim to such dubious victory not feel like a criminal? Such insensitivity and widespread denial of the people of Bakassi from voting, should be tested against our electoral laws in court.

    The implication of this precarious precedence is also that in next Saturday’s State House of Assembly Election, INEC will declare someone with less than 500 votes, as winner to go and represent Bakassi in the Cross River State House of Assembly. That’s actually a fraud and disservice to a people who have been so badly pummeled by the vagaries of international conspiracy and internal greed.

    Let me also remind you that the Supreme Court in February 2018, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delineate wards in Bakassi LGA so as to give the people a sense of belonging. Delivering judgment on an appeal brought by the INEC against representatives of Bakassi Council, who were displaced from Cameroon, the apex court in a lead judgment delivered by His Lordship, Justice Inyang Okoro, held that the people of Bakassi have suffered enough and as such, there was the need for INEC to assuage their plight by delineating constituencies in the council. This order hasn’t been executed.

    It is annoying and frustrating how these very important issues are overlooked and allowed to pace away as if they are inconsequential. Just imagine that the children of these parents who are treated like garbage rise tomorrow and take up arms to begin another flank of insurgency against Nigeria? Is this total negligence and denial from participation in a country they think they belong to, not enough reason for rebellion? What actually did the people of Bakassi do to Nigeria to deserve this kind of treatment? Is it because they haven’t resorted to the language Nigeria understands? I am just thinking aloud.

    The other issue troubling me this morning is simple. It’s 74 days to go. It started from 2,922 days. 2,848 days have been spent. Will it truly be on record that, Governor Ayade came and spent 8 solid years in government and does not have a single FUNCTIONAL project in Cross River? With all the grammar laden trillion budgets?

    Even the 52, two bedroom flats Ayade built for the Bakassi returnees were destroyed and now occupied by miscreants.

    Tufiakwa!!!

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.