The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

  • The Issue, The Threat, The Emptiness and The Call For Unification In Support of Agba Jalingo.

    By Richard F. Inoyo – Calabar

    “If there must be war, let it happen in my days, that my children may have peace”

    ~ undercover agent ~

    It has been said time without number that, those who live in glass house, shouldn’t throw stone. The recent revelation brought to the consciousness of Nigerians across the country by brilliant investigative Journalist_ Citizen Agba Jalingo over the use of a 80years woman for photo op masterminded by Florence Ita Giwa as seen in a picture where the governor of Cross River State Mr. Ben Ayade claimed to have allocated a furnished house to the said old woman that showed that there was never a time the governor did such a thing as the perpetrators would want us to think has hit national newsrooms across the country.

    With that revelation led by the CrossRiverWatch Team, we have seen an hysteric Florence Ita Giwa running to Bakassi at the dead of the night to do damage control, and at the same time dishing out needless insults and calling worldclass investigative Journalist Agba Jalingo all kinds of unprintable names while attacking the blessed memory of Agba Jalingo’s progenitors.

    And as if that level of erratic utterances and badly mismanaged image-laundering isn’t enough, instead of Ita Giwa to provide and hand the said 80 years old woman all relevant documents and papers of ownership of the furnished house and for us all to move on_ she has gone ahead, abandoning the substance of the issue which basically has to do with ensuring the correction of the evil done against the 80years old woman, who is yet to move into the so called house they claimed they gave to her in their duplicitous plot.

    Seeing that the facts stack against her, in her latest roll of flurry borne out of the fact that her inhumane deeds were exposed by Investigative Journalist Agba Jalingo; Florence Ita Giwa has decided to leave the real issue of providing ownership documents to the 80years old woman, to pursuing the irrelevant issue of making a case about what particular date was pinpointed as the date she flew into calabar with threat of taking legal action against Investigative Journalist Agba Jalingo for telling the whole world that contrary to her claim, she was flown in, a day before the charade and shameless showmanship that outrageously saw an 80years old woman used as Guinea pig in the worst possible deception in modern day history.

    Let it be on her mental slate that, the general public is against her in this situation, and the whole world stands with Citizen Agba Jalingo. Decency and patriotism dictate that, as a people we should have more of brilliant Investigative Journalist like Agba Jalingo across the country who reveals false-dealings of government officials at all levels and speak truth to power, and none of Florence Ita Giwa who have problem seeing people exposing reprehensible duplicity and demanding justice for poor grandmother like the 80years old woman who she used in that ungodly act.

    Without leaving room for ambiguity, let it be abundantly clear that Nigerians need 10million Agba Jalingos across the country to hold government accountable, and zero number of the likes of Florence Ita Giwa for doing very little for the poor people of Bakassi all this time but yet claim to represent and pretending to have done so much during all these long dark years in the history of Bakassi with very little to show for it.

    Florence Ita Giwa needs to come down from her fractured high hill and quickly realise that, we are all fed up with her antics and antecedence which none of us would wish any person to emulate.

    I call on all Cross Riverians in particular, and Nigerians in General, to unite and defend Agba Jalingo for exposing terrors in high places. The last thing we need is a society without Agba Jalingo.

    I can live with a society without Florence Ita Giwa, but definitely not one without dedicated and patriotic journalist like Agba Jalingo.

    Let history vindicate us all as we stand by Agba Jalingo in every court against all empty and frivolous charges brought forth by any person on earth.

    Mma has only one honourable path to take, which is to hand the 80years old woman her Certificate of Ownership and Occupancy, and scrap the crap of litigating over date-schedule which would only over extend the televisionalisation of her deed on social media screens for as long as such shrapnel litigation lasts. All we demand is justice for the 80years old woman, and not egotrip that has been tripped.

    Signed.

    Richard F. Inoyo
    Country Director, Citizens Solution Network.

    For Civilian and Population Council.

     

    NB: This is strictly the opinion of Richard F. Inoyo and does not in anyway represent that of THELUMINENEWS or its staff.

  • Bakassi Returnees: How Ayade Wept, Promised, Delivered On Housing Estate

    By Linus Obogo – Calabar

    He came as a leader whose fate was inextricably intertwined  with the displaced and dispossessed people of Bakassi.

    At every forum, Governor  Ben Ayade wrenched quite a volume of tears enough to form a lake or drown a community, while speaking about the level of crass insensitivity on the part of the federal authorities who orchestrated the destitution, despair and abandonment of the Bakassi people who were for 18 harrowing years rendered refugees in their own country.

    Mindlessly decoupled from their ancestral land by the overlord central government, the people of Bakassi were left to their fate, to live a life only akin to that of the pastoral nomads.

    With a fishing community rendered homeless for over 18 solid years, a future shortcircuted, and countless thousands of people including widows, the aged, children mowed down like a field of grain, by hungervirus, considered deadlier than Coronavirus and with abject compunction from those before him, Ayade could ill-afford any numbness to the horrors and miseries of the Bakassi people.

    Ayade cried when they cried and oftentimes much more than the “bereaved”. He railed at the atrociousness of the conspirators, tugged at their heartstrings and hurled stinging reprimand at the manner in  which an entire commune was ceded, culminating in children being sundered from their parents as well as wives being severed from their breadwinners.

    He wore their shoes, felt their pains and shared amply from their cries.

    In 2017, as a mark of solidarity with the displaced Bakassi people, Ayade, while marking his 49 birthday, had to relocate to Ikpa Nkanya village, Ikot Eyo ward, where the returnees were camped.

    He feted, dined and celebrated with them.

    The governor had told a vast concourse of the gathering then that “The Bakassi people have been dislocated from their ancestral homes, denied the pleasure of worship and decent accommodation, reduced in want and in spirit just because they are not strong enough to fight back. I come as a child from that humble beginning to say that we must all come together to make a difference and that difference must start now.”

    Ayade’s cries and such other palpable emotions would no sooner form the soundtrack on which an upscale 52 unit 2-bedroom housing estate was delivered on Friday, May 29, as he clocked five years in office as governor.

    Delivered devoid of the traditional fanfare and banality which usually characterize such grandiose events, the project which began barely a year ago is no doubt a bold statement of what representative leadership is all about. It loudly demonstrated what a servant leader is. That it must be people-centered.

    When Governor Ayade made the solemn pledge early in the life of his administration to build the Bakassi returnees shelter, many thought it was impossible, or at best one of the hollow political promises that hardly see the light of day, given the state’s parlous economy. But Ayade as he is wont to assure, “I will give my left eye to keep my words”, indeed walked his talk.

    For a leader who had severaly voiced such epithets as “giving my right eye to keep my words”, “I give, not because I have so much but because I care so much”, “The true African anthropology is the one that says that you must provide a shoulder for your weaker brother to lean on”, Governor Ayade would no sooner set sail with this handful of epithets as a guide and steer a steady course, like an emigrant to the islands of the blest.

    Situated at Ifiang Ayong area of Bakassi Local Government Area, the fully furnished estate has come as a long awaited welcome intervention in the harrowing experience of homelessness by the refugees who have been living in squalor, having converted a primary school in Akpabuyo Council Area of the state to their home.

    For once, a leader with a milk of human kindness emerged on the scene and remembered that there indeed existed victims of societal cruelty who must be clawed back from sub human existence and from a life of slum.

    The gift of a decent housing estate for the hitherto forgotten people of Bakassi is therefore obviously an enduring lesson that a true leader is one who understands that leadership is not about oneself but about those you serve. It is not about exalting oneself but about lifting others up.

    And for once, the returnees will long remember that there was a leader in the person of Ayade who showed them love, care and concern.

    The first of its kind anywhere around, the governor was aware that giving the Bakassi people shelter, was not going  to be enough, he gave them a home, promising to expand it.

    It is indeed a home by any standard. It has amenities like power- public power, standby generator, solar lighting, water system and such other utilities that guarantee decent living and comfort.

    Located in nature’s pampering hands, the estate could pass for an upscale home, well appointed and comes with tastefully interior design and quality furnishings.

    Indeed, if that was the reward for being a refugee, the sheer elegance of the estate is more than enough to compel anyone to want to assume the status of a refugee, just to own one.

    In fact, what makes the estate spectacularly unique is that it is a social housing which ownership is held in perpetuity, where the property is the owners’ to keep forever.

    As part of ensuring that the returnees do not luxuriate in the wonderful comfort of their new home, and forget their mainstay, which is fishing, Governor Ayade went a notch higher by acquiring a fishing boat to enable them sustain themselves while in the estate.

    What’s  more, with the governor’s announcement of a N50 million donation as well as other economic stimulus package, life couldn’t be any more promising as the returnees now begin what could be described as a refreshing start to life from what was once a slum existence characterised  by gloom and doom.

    But on this day, May 29, Ayade did not only put a new song in their mouth with the provision  of a exotic roofs over their heads, but he also put a future in their hands as they can now own their lives and begin to control their destinies.

    For a people who had always made crying a soothing balm to their pain and anguish since they were severed from their ancestral home and left in the cold, their cry on this day they were taking custody of their houses was one of joy and fulfillment, and fulfillment that their long years of misery and wondering in wilderness has come to a screeching end, as a redeemer in Governor Ayade finally showed up and made a telling difference in their once abject lives.

    Linus Obogo is Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ayade

  • Kidnapping And Executive Demolitions: Citizens Solution Network’s Perspective

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    By Richard F. Inoyo

    Exactly two weeks ago, as the Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, I put up an article in respect to the disturbing trend of kidnapping and called on citizens, state and federal governments as well as the Nigerian Police Force across the country to do their own part in the fight against kidnapping. That article was largely borne out of my dedication to the course of ensuring that as a society we nib in the bud negative gales destabilizing the sanctity of a rational and safe society.

    That said, the recent demolition of the property of a citizen accused of kidnapping by the Cross River State Government has created a new kind of concern.

    While it is on record that as a people we are all unhappy with the negative trend of kidnapping, and the fact that we all are genuinely opposed to the unlawful adoption and inhumane incarceration of another man by a group of miscreants in quest of ransome which kidnapping is all about.

    Yet, even as extremely important as it is for us all to reinvent ourselves to confront and defeat the scourge of kidnapping in our society through intelligence gathering and counter-kipnapping response. It also of equal importance to ensure that this fight against this terrible crime is carried out in such a way that no innocent person is allowed to suffer, and no perpetrator escapes the sword and wrath of justice.

    At this juncture, in order to ensure that we achieve such outcome, it would be vitally necessary to find and engage the best possible crime-tackling protocol that prevent possible executive abuse and misuse of power especially in today’s world where any person can accuse you over anything without evidence.

    And in building this error-minimization protocol of justice administration, it is important we start by taking into cognisance and asking the following question:

    “What if today someone accuses some of you of kipnapping and have your house demolished without court hearing or zero body of compelling proof? How would you feel and what would be your fate?

    Though the recent demolition of the houses of some persons accused of kidnapping by the Cross River State is backed by laws adopted by various states in 2015, but it is still questionable and create room for possible miscarriage in administration of criminal justice under the caprices of executive order.

    As a rule, the idea of separation of power should be central to all law enforcement protocol, lest bunch of executive fellows with questionable agenda may hunt down critics or dissidents in future by simply accusing them of kidnapping and have their properties confiscated or demolished without pronouncement from the Judiciary_ which happens to be the most acceptable arm of government saddled with all extant powers to entertain, try and pronounce binding judgement on accused, arrested and prosecuted persons in the light of evidence beyond reasonable doubt and bias.

    Going forward, I wish to seize this medium to ask us all to call for and demand overwhelming evidence at all times that will apprehended and overseen by an exhaustive trial of all accused persons in assigned court of competent jurisdiction before bringing down the properties of any accused person in furtherance of equity, avoidance of doubt, high-level of proof and justification of every state action.

    This I believe is the best way to safeguard a society of more powerless men, and avert error in executive decisions led by few men who a sad part of our collective history has shown that some executives had never truly cared about the poorest and most powerless demographics of our fragile society.

    Signed

    Richard F. Inoyo
    Country Director,
    Citizens Solutions Network.

    For: Civilian Population and Council.

  • C’River State Local Government Election And My Dilemma – YPP Chairman

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Chairman of the Young Progressive Party YPP, Cross River State chapter, Comr. Anthony Bisong has stated that he is in a state of dilemma in view of the Cross River State local government election slated for 30th May, 2020.

    In a release made available to THE LUMINE NEWS, and signed by himself indicates that he desire has been to have a functional local government system to boost grass root representation.

    Full text of the release “In the past 48 hours, I’ve been inundated with calls from different quarters to state my position on the newly published time table for the long awaited Local Government Election. I’ve maintained a studied silence until now due to the complex nature of the issues on ground.

    “Recall that my party, the Young Progressives Party, YPP has had the most rancorous and turbulent outings against the CROSIEC Chairman, Dr. Mike Ushie as a result of what we considered as inconsistencies in the process of filing candidates. Our reservation in that case has not changed. Moreover, we also express our reservation about the cacophony that has followed the new date for the election.

    “It is also important to recall that on the 18th of July last year, I led a protest under the aegis of Coalition of CRS Civil Society Organizations to demand for the conduct of Local Government Election in the State. My desire has been to have a functional Local Government system to boost grassroots representation. I didn’t protest because I wanted to contest the election myself, neither did I protest because I felt my party must win election at all cost. My agitation for grassroots representation has been very altruistic.

    “For the first time in a long time I’ve found myself in a serious dilemma. I’m clearly standing between the devil and the deep blue sea. However, as an advocate of grassroots administration, it’s contradictory to boycott an election that will usher in legitimate functionaries for the Local Government. This is even more important given the preponderance of condemnation that greeted the approval of about #5.4 billion naira by the CRS House of Assembly, a responsibility that is exclusively meant for the Local Government Executives.

    “General speaking, I hold a firm opinion that it would be easier to demand for accountability from elected Representatives. Every political party seeks to win elections but we also have the duty of demanding for accountability from those in power. Therefore, whoever wins in the forthcoming election will definitely come under our scrutiny as we’ll monitor the day to day running of our Local Government Councils.

    “On the strength of the aforesaid, I here state categorically that Young Progressives Party, YPP, Cross River State Chapter support the conduct of Local Government Election in Cross River State come 30th May, 2020. Let it also be on record that we are not in coalition with any party contesting the coming election. Our decision is solely in the interest of Cross River State. Having waited for elections for over four years, we feel compelled to support the new date so that our State can join the league of States with functional grassroots Representatives which we believe would help alleviate our local economy as well as support the fight against COVID 19 at the grassroots.

    “The major concern of our great party is the forthcoming Bye election in Cross River Northern Senatorial District. We are hopeful that the good people of CR North having learnt their lessons in the past will support us to elect a Senator they can call their own. All our energies and resources are therefore going to be channeled towards winning CR Northern Senatorial District Bye-Election”

    Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah

    State Chairman (Chief Servant)
    Young Progressives Party, YPP, CRS

  • Ben Akak Foundation: Touching Lives With Sympathy And Relief

    By Ogar Emmanuel Oko

    The Cross River State government under the guide of His Excellency, Sir Benedict Ayade has been lauded by Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) for its emulative and forehanded preventive measures put in place to curtail the spread of covid-19 pandemic. Accolades have been trailing this achievement and the governor likes it. We all like it too because, it has placed our beloved state on global map for positive reason and the world sees us with their prism as beacon of hope regarding any eventuality of combating pestilential disease. This is the fruit of proactiveness.

    Albeit, as an individual, I would wish to suggest that the feat be considered a collective achievement and the ultimate glory be ascribed to the Maker of the universe. While this is being considered, we must not bat an eyelid or rest on our oars as the war being waged against the virus is yet over. I so say because it is my deliberate effort to avow that this celebrated feat was achieved with less dissipation of energy as the state government stood on the shoulders of not a few giants in attaining such height. Amongst them, is the Ben Akak Foundation. Though, there are corporate organizations like Skyrun International, United Bank of Africa (UBA) and the rest.

    On the tapis for discussing first is the mentioned foundation. I don’t know when the foundation was established and I don’t care to know because it’s immaterial. All I care to know is its mission and perhaps vision too! The mission is the apparent reflection what they’ve been doing— to better the lives of people and making the world a better place to inhabit!

    When the latent heat of the pandemic started having it impacts being felt, the government having realized that the dependency on each other was necessary mostly at that early turn of the outbreak, and having knew they couldn’t have been self-sufficient in the battle of covid-19; the Health Commissioner in her many advocacies and sensitization exercises called for the assistance of all and sundry to conjoin forces with the state government. Not minding the existing strain on the Foundation’s budget, due to the number of times it has been called upon for help, Ben Akak Foundation took up the gauntlet by answering the noblest and humanistic call by making yet another round of donation.

    Moved by the spirit of gratitude over the solidarity of the Foundation, Dr. Betta Edu said the foundation has gone beyond bound to show enormous support to the state as this is a fight for humanity. Items donated was 300 sanitizers; 400 surgical gloves, thermometers, 200 face masks, bags of rice and N1 million.

    Awareness on this virus and many others appears an uphill task. Laborious! In plain language, information on covid-19 pandemic is still not sufficient for those living in the hinterlands as most of these places aren’t accessible and as such, most of them know little or nothing about the virus. It’s sequel to the aforesaid that the Ben Akak Foundation has embarked on rigorous sensitization campaign in conjunction with the 18 paramount rulers in the state and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to bring the awareness to the dwellers. The effects of covid-19 in such places would be fatal with ripple effects due to the communal lifestyle of poor hygiene practices. Therefore, the foundation deserves gift of flowers for its door-to-door campaign.
    No doubt they’re many foundations in the state. But the foundation under consideration stands out as the only one with far reaching tentacles across the three senatorial districts.
    To the administrative team of the foundation, humanity will remain grateful to you all even beyond the vicissitudes of this moment.
    To the founder, Engr. Ben Akak, your deeds shall always speak for you far better than anything in private and in public.

     

  • Three Years Is Enough To Create Impact And Reengineer Governance To Meet The Yearnings And Aspirations Of The People – Imbua

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    A seasoned academician, technocrat and administrator per excellent, Associate Prof. Dave Imbua of the department of History and International Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, has stated that three years is enough time to create impact and reengineer governance to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    Imbua who took to his Facebook wall @Dave Mbua to express his opinion being the only avenue available for him to contribute to the development of the state in response to the emotions that led to Gov Ben Ayade sharing tears while he inaugurated the Anti-Tax Agency on Wednesday, May 20th, 2020 at the Exco Chambers of the Governor’s office, Calabar.

    “We now return from emotions to reason and truth. A man who channels the commonwealth of a people into a jamboree of ago massaging projects at the expense of amenities that address the pressing needs of the overwhelming masses will definitely cry at each point that conscience suppresses sycophancy.

    “Now that we are all on the same page as it concerns our gains and losses in the last five years, it is important to re-engineer governance to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    “Three years is enough time to create impact. But if the think tank and advisers insist that the path taken is not only the best but also irreversible, then three years is a very short time. I wish the current rehearsals for the post-2023 wailings can be nipped in the bud”

  • Ayade, The Cry Cry Baby In Peregrino House

    By Agba Jalingo – Lagos

    Yesterday, my governor, Senator Ben Ayade cried AGAIN while launching the anti-taxation agency in Calabar. The agency is meant to ensure low income earners do not pay taxes in Cross River state. His tears actually touched a soft chord in the minds of many people across the country and several of them have circulated the video back to me. One person who is not even in Cross River state said, their earlier scheduled meeting started with the video where governor Ayade was crying and most people in the meeting also started crying along with the governor whom they concluded is a lover of the poor and this is very impressive.

    But if tears were a true measure of our pain, even Hitler’s drops would be preserved in the alabaster bottle. That is the irony and the double edged nature of that readily available liquid. Once emotions are evoked, in no direction essentially, tears can start flowing and oftentimes, the person whose tears flow down the cheeks, doesn’t even know why they flow until composure is regained.

    So tears are not necessarily an expression of concern, rather, tears can fittingly be described as the defecation of pent up emotions which could also be spontaneous. Tears could also be a pontilitous attempt at hood winking the unsuspecting public into collective amnesia, particularly for politicians.

    The later is where I will categorize the incessant tears of our governor, Senator Ben Ayade and I will tell you why.

    Apart from the poorly substantiated tales of his crying for the poor before his coming into politics, yesterday was the fourth time governor Ayade will be crying in public. But guess what, each time he cried, nothing followed!

    Before you get hoodwinked by yesterday’s tears, let me take you down memory lane.

    17 January 2017, Governor Ayade announced the abolition of all forms of taxation for low-income earners in Cross River state. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Senior Special Assistant Media, Mr. Christian Ita, in a press statement said those affected by the tax exemption are people earning below N50, 000 monthly, taxi, tricycle, wheel barrows, and motor cycle operators as well as petty traders and hoteliers.

    He said Governor Ben Ayade, who gave the order after signing the 2017 appropriation bill of N707 billion, had reiterated the need to provide some economic reliefs to low income earners in the state with regards to taxes.

    Ayade, after signing the budget had warned that: “I am sounding the last warning that henceforth I don’t want to hear anyone who earns less than N50, 000 a month being taxed in any form in the state….In the same vein, I don’t want to see a hotel that is struggling to survive with challenges of diesels being chased by government officials over taxes. I have warned anybody, who is still collecting money from these people to stop forthwith…I have seen poverty in my personal life and I know what that small N2, 000 means to them.

    “It is clear to emphasise here that at this point, no nation, no state and no administrative authority can tax her people to prosperity…God has given us an elevated platform of authority to use our intellects and support them and not to suppress them. Why would government put a burden on people earning less than a N1, 000 a day with wife and children, shopping in the same market with the rich, who earn over N300, 000 monthly? I would rather tax my intellect to prosperity than taxing my people because we have sufficient education, exposure and experience, which we need to bring to bear for the prosperity of our people, which is why they elected us.”

    That was in 2017. YES 2017!!!. Very characteristic of Ayade. He cried after that. Three years after, more than 70 percent of businesses operating in Calabar have left because of multiple taxation.

    Yesterday, he repeated almost the same words he spewed in 2017 verbatim and cried again and the gullible are already crying along with him.

    That is not all!

    In August 2016, Governor Ayade visited Bakassi and cried after seeing the conditions that some returnees lived in. He made an instant donation of N3million. He was accompanied by a representative of the Mayor of Dortmund, Fuss Friedrich whom he said will build free houses for the returnees. He had introduced the man who followed him as the Mayor but it turned out he was “lying.”

    Again in March 2017, during the courtesy visit of the National Commissioner of the National Commission for Migrants, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajia Sadiya Farouk in the government house, Governor Ayade cried over the status of the Bakassi returnees. He wept and vowed to do everything he can to resettle the people of Bakassi and called on government not to neglect them. I don’t know whether the people of Bakassi have been resettled after that crying.

    April 10, 2018, Governor Ayade also broke down in tears at the conference room of the government house when he asked his aide on Religious Affairs, Rev. Fr. Bob Etta to pray while signing the NGN1.3 trillion budget of Kinetic Crystallization into law. He cried also because he said the budget was going to de-couple the State from federal allocation and lift the poor out of poverty.

    But shortly after that, CrossRiverWatch news editor, Jonathan Ugbal and three others were arrested for allegedly photographing two commissioners including the immediate past Attorney General of the State, that were sleeping during that exercise. Till date, even the hard copy of the budget is not available to the public not to talk of the promises inside.

    My ten kobo advise to my governor is that the poor can never be freed from poverty by exempting them from taking responsibility. Taxation is not a burden. It is a civic duty for the collective good of the society. Taxes should be reduced, rebates given and made convenient for even the poorest of the citizens to pay with intermittent holidays. Taxes should not be a burden but they should also not be taken away. They are our right and civic duty. Taxes are Biblical. Taxes are a way of ensuring that every citizen of age and ability takes responsibility for the collective upkeep of the society and also ensure government is accountable. Every government that wants to abolish taxes is tilting towards a lack of accountability.

    In a state where the total monthly IGR is less than N1billion and federal allocation is one of the lowest amidst crashing oil prices, abolition of taxes is not magnanimity. It is naivety. Don’t come here and tell me about those thrash called I-Money and G-Money and OPM.

    Finally, I agree wholely that crying is not a sign of weakness. We all cry. I cry too. Even our Lord Jesus cried. But what the governor needed to do yesterday was not another round of crying or a regurgitation of same things he has been saying since 2017 as if he was saying something new, he rather needs to ensure that his aides take him more seriously and respect his orders and commands and directives. If they had done that, poor people would have long had some respite from the tax masters over 3 years ago and our cry cry baby in Peregrino House would have rested his face towel, at least…

    Yours sincerely
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    #1103DaysToGo
    #CryCryGovernor
    #StopCryingDoTheWork
    #HoldLeadersAccountable

     

    NB. The Opinions Expressed Are Of Agba Jalingo In His Personal Capacity And Does Not Representing THE LUMINE NEWS.

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  • Remembering Okang Peter And Governor Ayade’s Endless Tears

    By Anthony Bisong Attah

    On the 23rd of March, 2020, I got a call from Okan Peter to speak on CRBC TV. I declined the invitation because it was on a national issue I didn’t consider too interesting. We both laughed when I assured him that I was going to be available to discuss on critical issues affecting the State. Hitherto, I have been his guest on Sparkling FM and we’ve met at different occasions at FAD FM, Calabar.

    The news of his demise on the 31st of March, 2020 rented the State media space for a long time. This was due largely because of his visibility as a rising media guru. I knew Okan first on the 16th of September, 2017 when he covered the launching of my party, the Young Progressives Party YPP in the State at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar. He demonstrated unaccustomed passion and dedication to his job as he straddled the Pearl Ball hall with his camera to ensure every detail of the MISS YPP COMPETITION was properly captured.

    I’m not good at writing or even commenting on the dead because of the emotions it evokes especially to the family and their loved ones. However, each time I recall events before the demise of my friend, two things readily strikes my mind; one, he spent many years as a volunteer staff of CRBC and just when he was absorbed into the system as a full staff he became a victim of the 2500 Civil Servants who’s names were delisted from the State payroll since September last year. He was set to attend the screening interview that was postponed on the 24th of March before he died one week later. Secondly, he was still being owed by the State Government for the role he played during last year Carnival Festival themed ‘Humanity’.

    I was shock as I watched our Governor, His Excellency, Sir Benedict Ayade weeping profusely in the now viral video during the inauguration of the State Anti Tax Committee. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of reference given to the committee chaired by Bishop Emmah Isong are not new to Cross Riverians at all. We are already used to the empty rhetorics and the theatrical distraction of weeping by the Governor. Maybe he would have been a better ‘undertaker’ than an Executive Governor, knowing that weeping alone without action has never solved any problem. A Governor that cannot weep for owing Civil Servants a whopping nine months salary arrears and 5 months unpaid stipends and Honorarium to those who toiled day and night including personal Financial commitment to see to the success of the State sponsored Carnival should not weep at all. A Governor that withholds over five years gratuity of retired Civil Servants in the State should not think that shedding ‘Iguana tears’ is a safety valve to negotiate public sympathy and gain citizen’s confidence.

    We are tired of seeing our Governor admit his failures openly with tears as smokescreen to cover for his negligence and incompetence. We prefer to see our Governor braze up to the challenge of governance by minimising cost and deploying lean state resources to areas that directly affect the citizens.

    Like my late friend, Okan Peter, several other Cross Riverians have died without being paid for several months and others have gone without enjoying their Honorarium after several months of labouring to make the 2019 Carnival a success story. A lot of retirees have died and others consigned to inhuman conditions after giving 35 years of meritorious Service to the State. These are the things that should make a good Governor to weep.

    My friend Okan is gone already but he left a family behind. I pray the Governor pays his Honorarium to his family and get a member of his family to replace him in his place of employment or elsewhere. That’s the best way to immortalize a young man who died on an empty stomach while serving the State.

    Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah
    State Chairman (Chief Servant)
    Young Progressives Party, YPP, CRS

     

     

    NB. Opinions Expressed Here Are Strictly That Of Anthony And Does Not Represent The Lumine News.

  • State Congresses Ignite Fresh Crisis In PDP

    Jonh Alechenu of Punch Newspaper examines the recent Peoples Democratic Party ward and Local Government congresses held nationwide and posits that a lot of work is still required to return the party to winning ways.

    Since its defeat at the presidential election in 2015, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has struggled to find its feet and return to winning ways.

    The battle for the control of party structure at the ward, Local Government and State levels among chieftains of the PDP, has resumed with a renewed intensity that has left some wondering if there is a general election by the corner.

    A public affairs commentator, who identified with the party in its formative years, Chief Cosmas Ekpunobi, explained the reason behind what appeared to be a renewed interest in the party’s congresses.

    He said, “For any politician worth his salt, the ward, Local Government and State congresses are not only important but also crucial. There is a reason why party members are expected to first register at the ward level. It is expected that a person who intends to seek to serve people using the party’s platform should be a person with a grass roots appeal. So, the importance of having a voice at these levels cannot be overemphasised.”

    The PDP National Working Committee had issued guidelines for the conduct of its congresses at all levels across States of the federation starting from March 7, 2020.

    Twenty three out of 26 States, including but not limited to Abia, the Federal Capital Territory, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Ogun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Cross River, and Yobe, carried out the exercise.

    However, three States namely: Jigawa, Ogun, and Yobe had yet to hold their congresses when the coronavirus-induced lockdown led to the suspension of the exercises.

    As is often the case with congresses in multi-party democracies like Nigeria, divergent views have trailed the conduct of the exercise.

    While some hailed the process, others took issue with either the conduct or outcome of the process. In Ekiti State, for example, a former Governor, Ayodele Fayose, is locked in a battle of political wits with the Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Biodun Olujimi.

    Party stakeholders in the State have been embroiled in leadership crisis as far back as 2017 when Fayose was in office as Governor.

    He ensured that his preferred candidate, Prof. Kolapo Eleka, emerged as the party’s standard bearer in the 2018 governorship election which the party lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kayode Fayemi.

    A fresh battle for the control of the party structure presented itself with the conduct of ward congresses expected to usher in Executive Committee members for the 177 wards of the State.

    The Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Haruna Manu, was delegated by the PDP National Working Committee to lead a Committee to supervise the exercise.

    A party source who pleaded for anonymity in order not to jeopardise the efforts of the newly inaugurated Caretaker Committee said, “The congress was largely peaceful, it was supervised by the relevant bodies including the Independent National Electoral Commission and security forces. There were indications that candidates loyal to the combined forces of Senator Olujimi, Senator Duro Faseyi, and other party elders created upsets which loyalists of the former Governor found hard to accept. The two groups went ahead to inaugurate parallel Executive Committees which the party has refused to recognise and in its place appointed a Caretaker Committee.”

    Stating her position in the dispute, Olujimi blamed the latest round of crisis on the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Manu.

    She told reporters in Abuja that the crisis in the State was far from over because the right things were not done.

    Olujimi said, “There is no calm within the Ekiti PDP. What we have is the lull before the war. We are already in the battle mode.”

    A former spokesperson for Fayose, Mr. Lere Olayinka, in an interview with Sunday Punch, described what is happening as a battle for the control of the party.

    He said, “It is a battle for control. Olujimi wants to control the party, which is what she is doing. The truth is that a more knowledgeable person, grounded and loved by the people has taken control of the party.”

    Even though the party has appointed a seven-member Caretaker Committee headed by a former Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Hosea Agboola, to oversee the party affairs in the interim, Olujimi and her supporters have gone to Court to seek judicial intervention.

    A slightly different scenario played out in Ogun State as a party Executive Committee loyal to a PDP chieftain, Senator Buruji Kashamu, was inaugurated to hold the forth as the State party leadership for the next four years.

    This situation drew the ire of the PDP NWC.

    The National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus and the party’s National Secretary, Senator Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri, in a joint statement barely 24 hours after the Abeokuta inauguration, dissociated the party from the exercise describing it as “illegal, null and void.”

    The statement partly read, “The attention of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to some media publication, especially, the online media concerning a purported inauguration of certain unknown persons as State officers of the party in Ogun State on Friday, May 8, 2020.

    “We want to advise members of the public, especially the teeming members of our great party in Nigeria and Ogun State in particular, that the Peoples Democratic Party has not conducted any congress for the election of the party officers at any level of the party: ward, LGs chapter and or State, in Ogun State.”

    In response, the “newly inaugurated” State Party Chairman, Samson Bamgbose, said the inauguration was legal because it was in line with all the relevant laws of the land as well as the party guidelines.

    Bambgose, who noted that the position of the NWC with regards to the inauguration was not unexpected, in a statement, said, “It is disturbing that our leaders in this great party still do not understand (or just don’t care) that all politics is local.”

    While responding to some of these issues, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, said, “The position of the party with regards to the issue in Ogun State is clear. The matter is in Court and as a law-abiding party, we will await a judicial pronouncement before taking the next step.

    “Our congresses which were held across 26 States of this country were largely peaceful and you can see from the outcome, the party is being repositioned to liberate Nigeria and Nigerians from the shackles of this rudderless regime of professional propagandists called the All Progressives Congress.”

    He further explained that the fact that there were disputes in three or four out of the 26 States where congresses were conducted did not take away the fact that the exercise went on smoothly.

    But a political affairs analyst, Emmanuel Acheme, recalled that the PDP was founded in August 1998 by members of several groups and political associations, some of which included the G-18 and G-34 that held sway as the party to beat for 16 unbroken years.

    He said the party enjoyed a broad political base attracting old and new breed politicians, retired/retiring high-ranking military officers, and academics with an interest in political office as well as businessmen who wanted a piece of the action.

    Acheme further explained that the founding fathers of the PDP most of who have either died or have left the party, were initially driven by a common goal of getting rid of the military and building a nation based on constitutional democratic ideals but that somewhere along the line, “greed and the disrespect for laid down rules took over.”

    He said, “Like it or leave it, yes, the PDP brand has suffered a lot of bashing over the years but you honestly cannot write it off yet in the light of recent events.”

    Speaking in a similar vein, a Kano-based political activist, Aminu Abubakar said, “This is to be expected because it is clear to everyone with eyes that the current All Progressives Congress regime has failed and we are confident that a window of opportunity will soon present itself for us to participate in the process to replace it, three years is not too long in the life of a nation.”

    However, the Chairman of the Buhari Media Organisation, Niyi Akinsiju, disagreed.

    He said, “The PDP brand is damaged beyond repairs. If you remember, they toyed with the idea of changing their name and rebranding but Nigerians are wiser today than they were 16 years ago when they allowed the PDP to run this country down. This administration is rebuilding our economy and our infrastructure from the scratch and all Nigerians of goodwill recognise and appreciate this.”

    Political pundits express the hope that as the PDP attempts to rebuild its brand, it will carry along lessons learnt from previous experiences.

  • Save Our Society Today While Contending Covid 19

    By Ediomo Isung-Harmony

    Since the COVID-19 outbreak, humanity has been threatened to its core. The world is on pause and the global economy has nosedived.

    The Government at various levels have been putting in various measures to contend the invisible enemy. Health workers, Corporate bodies, Religious organizations, Security personnel, Individuals etc are not left out.

    One of the measures adopted by the Government was the total lockdown which was declared across the States.

    The pandemic which took everyone by surprise was followed by the declaration of total lockdown without adequate measures put in place to tackle its effects on the indigent.

    The lockdown has brought so much hunger and hardship to people mostly in the informal sector of the economy.
    These people include the petty traders, street vendors, loaders, e.t.c.

    Most of our young men and women who make their livelihood through daily struggle have become stranded and cannot plan for their survival.
    Even the palliatives given by the Government and those donated by Individuals still end up in the hands of the well to do, the politicians and their cronies.

    Would you blame the daily income earners obeying the devil’s call as the only means to survive?
    An idle man they say is the devil’s workshop and more or less now that survival is involved, everyone wants to live and deserve to live.

    Some of these persons have already turned to street robbers, house breakers, scammers etc as a means to survive, therefore increasing the rate of crime and making our society unsafe.

    Most of our communities which never experience criminal activities are now experiencing them.
    Some of our ladies including married women have also yielded to the satanic call by seeing sex as a lucrative source of surviving during this lockdown.

    Although COVID-19 is an invisible enemy which we must defeat, we should also know that putting all efforts in fighting this enemy will only make us the losers in the battle if our society is unsafe.

    More action plans to feed the common Nigerian most especially in the rural areas should be put in place with a very high level of transparency.

    If you were eating three times daily, there’s nothing wrong if you eat twice and save the other for your neighbor who has no food.

    By doing this, our society will be saved and the battle against COVID-19 would be won.

    Let’s save humanity.
    Let’s save Nigeria
    Let’s save our States
    Let’s save our society.
    Together we will defeat COVID-19.
    Cheers to Victory.