Category: Press release
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Nko-Oyadama Crisis: Sandy Onor Regrets The Effect On Nko People, Calls On All Parties Involved In The Unfortunate Development To Cease Fire Immediately And Allow The Rule Of Law To Prevail
Press Statement
It is disheartening and highly regrettable that the persistent and unmitigated crisis between the Nko people of Yakurr Local Government Area and their Onyadama neighbours in Obubra Local Government Area has snowballed into the destruction of lives and property.
This ugly situation which has recently, so badly affected the people of Nko and their means of livelihood is to say the least, extremely sad. I call on all parties involved in the unfortunate development: the military, Nko and Onyadama people to cease fire immediately and allow the rule of law to prevail.
At this time when we are facing the most difficult economic situation in our nation’s history; when issues of development and improved livelihood are at the core of governance, people should not be seen engaging in this sort of inhumanity.
I strongly request that all legal processes that will lead to a resolution and reconciliation of the issues at stake should be put in place immediately, so that all involved would return to their normal lives and continue their businesses without any threat and harassment.
I also urge all relevant stakeholders to make themselves available to all processes geared toward bringing a lasting solution to the crisis, as we pledge to do all within our means to provide a secure and free society for our people.
Thank you.
Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor
Senator Rep. Central Senatorial District
Cross River State.
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Re: We Must Send Him On Early Retirement From Politics<< Senator Sandy Ojang Onor And His Supporters To Senator Gershom Bassey.
The attention of the Caterpillar Movement has been drawn to a malicious, perfidious and self-concocted opinion from one Citizen Ekanem Essien, in which he claimed that he was present when the trio of Sen Sandy Onor, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe and Mr Venatius Ikem listed notables like Gershom Bassey, His Excellency, Barr Efiok Cobham, Amb Nkoyo Toyo and Rt Hon Daniel Asuquo, for retirement from active politics.
Ordinarily, we would not have responded to this cheap spurious fabrication borne out of frustration resulting from the inability of its author to acquiesce defeat. But, ignoring him completely may send a wrong message to some quarters. While we acknowledge the role of propaganda in politics, as theorized by Machiavelli, it is important that sociopathic beguilers like Citizen Ekanem Essien should know that they cannot successfully play on the sensibilities of our people, definitely not when it involves a reputable personality like Senator Sandy Onor.
We understand how painful it is for Citizen Ekanem Essien that despite his countless defamatory claims about our Principal, including the lie of purchasing two Intent forms for different positions, he still won the primaries election with a comfortable lead. Ekanem Essien has left no one in doubt that Senator Sandy Onor’s emergence as PDP Gubernatorial Candidate for 2023 election and the calm that has since followed the victory is both shocking and traumatising to him. He is adviced to accept this reality so that he could live at peace with himself and his neighbours.
While we recognize his right to mobilize support for his preferred candidate, he has no right to interlope with falsehoods in the affairs of a colossus like Senator Sandy Onor.
Sen Sandy Onor all through his public service is known for building bridges across ethnic, religious and gender lines. He believes in the principle of collective individualism, anchored on interconnectivity.
We want to use this opportunity to invite all lovers of Cross River State to join us as we begin the journey to reclaim the state.
Cross River State is safe with Sen Sandy Onor!
Caterpillar Movement Media
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Chris Agara Reacts To Orok Otu Duke’s Threat, Says Governor’s Word Or Preferences Can Not Become Law Unto All
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHIEF (BAR) CHRIS AGARA BY OROK OTU DUKE
1. The attention of Chief (Bar) Chris Agara Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a comedy strip in which Honourable Orok Otu Duke is the stand up comedian. In the video Duke laboured to ridicule the disclaimer by our team in respect of the phantom consensus Governorship agreement in Abuja. While he succeeded in making his audience laugh he also made a very serious commitment to violence against those who refuse to accept the Consensus Option.
2. We recognise the obvious threat to the life of Chief Chris Agara and his followers advocated in the video to the loud applause of the men sitting in the room, including the state Governor, and will take very profound measures to protect our Principal and ourselves throughout the period of electioneering. While he humoured Governor Ben Ayade in the same video for making Chief Chris Agara rich during his Governorship, our Principal who God has already generously blessed long before 2015 will make an appropriate response to this matter himself at the right time.
3. One of the profound tenets of liberal democracy is the right to disagree with a decision that one feels differently about within the framework of the law. That is precisely what Chief ( Bar) Chris Agara has done. Governor Ben Ayade himself recently said openly in his interview with Channels Television that while he wishes that the Governorship returns to the South “I cannot play God and force everyone to agree with me”. We will like to remind the pseudo democrats in the room that Section 84 (9) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that consensus may be used after cleared aspirants have emerged. Also, the written consent of the aspirant must be extracted before any consensus would be said to have been arrived at. Cleared aspirants who must have bought the nomination form and gone through due clearance are the ones who can enter into consensus agreements not pretenders to the Crown at Peregrino Hall.
4. Democratic civil rule does not confer the status of a monarch or potentate on the Governor or President for that matter, and therefore the Governor’s word or preferences cannot become law unto all. We have chosen to disagree with the Consensus Option and are fully prepared for the Governorship race of Cross River State at this time, no matter the number of comedy strips, threats of violence and all types of intimidation that we may come against in the course of prosecuting our legitimate aspiration.
SIGNED
BAR. RICHARD OGBECHE
DIRECTOR GENERAL. -
Chris Agara Dissociates From The APC Consensus Candidature, Describes The Meeting As Merely A Talk Shop Amidst Good Food And Vintage Liquor
WE ARE NOT PART OF THE SO – CALLED ‘CONSENSUS’ APC CANDIDATURE
The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation wishes to state very clearly as follows:
1. That we are legitimate members of the All Progressives Party (APC), who have always respected and will continue to respect the lawful decisions of the Party and all is organs at all levels.
2. That we recognise the leadership of the Party in the state by His Excellency, the Governor, Professor Ben Ayade and have been and will continue to be loyal to his leadership.
3. We wish to state very clearly that such respect and loyalty should however be mutual since the leadership of the Party and the Governor are as important to the members as the members should be important to them.
4. That our Principal was invited to the meeting which took place on Monday, May 9th at the Transcorp Hotel, in Abuja to discuss the report of the Seven – Man Committee earlier set up by the Party and not to agree on any consensus.
5. That right there on the floor of the meeting when the matter came up, Chief (Bar) Chris Agara clearly expressed his reservations about the Consensus Option and declined to go along with it.
6. That Chief (Bar) Chris Agara went further to point out the grave disrespect to some Governorship aspirants that the obvious ambush meeting entailed, by inviting them to a meeting for a specific purpose and then turning around to do something else.
7. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation will like to point out to His Excellency the Governor and the leadership of our great Party that while the Electoral Act allows the option of Consensus, it also prescribes that such agreements shall be in writing and shall be endorsed by all relevant parties concerned.
8. To the best of our knowledge the meeting at Transcorp of the May 9th instant was merely a talk shop amidst good food and vintage liquor and should not be accorded any further importance beyond what it truly was.
9. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation assures its teeming supporters that Chief ( Bar) Chris Agara remains committed and competitive in the race and is prepared to pursue his Governorship aspiration to its logical conclusion.
SIGNED
BAR. RICHARD OGBECHE
DIRECTOR – GENERAL -
Gov Ayade Set To Reshuffle Cabinet, Directs Permanent Secretaries To Assess Political Appointtees
The Governor of Cross River State, Sen Ben Ayade is set to reshuffle his cabinet members.
This is contained in the release sighted by the TheLimineNews and signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita.
Find the release.
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WPFD: ACROJ Commends Journalists Who Risk Their Lives Daily In The Course Of Their Duty
Press Release
As journalists across the globe celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2022 with the Theme: Journalism under digital siege, the Association of Cross River Online Journalists (ACROJ) commends all journalists who have stake so much to keep the world informed and expose various ills in the society.
ACROJ also lauds the Federal Government of Nigeria and Cross River State Government for dropping all charges against journalists who have stood trial for various charges in the state.
The World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) is an annual celebration of Press Freedom, observed on 3 May every year.
The celebration organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of Press Freedom and professional ethics.
While this year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Journalism under digital siege,” spotlights the multiple ways in which journalism is endangered by surveillance and digitally-mediated attacks on journalists, and its consequences on public trust in digital communications, ACROJ seizes the opportunity the day affords to recall the dismissal of all charges against her Board of Trustees Chairman, Citizen Agba Jalingo by the Cross River State Government, on the 21st Day of March, 2022. We commend the state government for acknowledging that they made a grave error in arresting Mr. Jalingo and other members of ACROJ.
The association also lauds journalists who risk their lives daily in the course of executing their duty, urging them to keep up the courage and maintain professional ethics to ensure that the public is furnished with credible information on a consistent basis.
As the union continues to tow the path of truth, justice and fairness, we also call for continued synergy with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the fulfilment of a decent society.
Edem Darlington. Umo Akwang
Chairman General
ACROJ. ACROJ -
Independent National Electoral Commission Commences Distribution Of Permanent Voter’s Cards
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has Commenced the distribution of permanent voter’s cards to those who registered between June to December, 2021.
In a release made available to The Lumine News and signed by the Administrative Secretary, Mr Davis Obo Eldrea indicates that the voter’s cards for fresh registrants who registered between June and December 2021 in Cross River State are ready for collection at the 18 Local Government Area offices from Thursday 28th April 2022.
The release reads in parts “The management of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Cross River State wishes to notify the general public that the voter’s cards for fresh registrants who registered between June and December 2021 in Cross River State are ready for collection at the 18 Local Government Area offices from Thursday 28th April 2022.
“The time for collection is between 9.00am and 3.00pm from Monday to Friday except for public holidays”
The release stressed that “the cards must be collected in person and not proxy”
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Caterpillar Movement Debunks Rumors Of Sandy Onor Picking Senatorial Form, Called On Supporters To Remain Unperturbed
CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
We, in the Caterpillar Movement have come across a fictitious newstory by one Citizen Ekanem Essien purporting that our Principal, Sen. Sandy Ojang Onor has ” technically withdrawn ” from the Gubernatorial contest by picking dual forms for both the Gubernatorial and senatorial elections as a contingency in the event of failure.
We wish to outrightly debunk this malicious rumor by stating that Sen. Sandy Ojang Onor has never been one to shy away from a fight, especially one that is done with the public interest at heart.
Furthermore, Our principal, Sen. Onor would never venture into a course with double minds or cold feet to the extent of cowering by attempting to contest for two positions at once.
For the records, we wish to state clearly that only the Gubernatorial Nomination form was purchased by our Principal because he believes strongly in his credentials, competence and capacity to emerge victorious. The unwholesome act of buying two forms at a time is a practice set aside for losers to showcase their cowardice by being unsure about their political aspiration.
Our Principal is decisive, precise and Lucid enough about his intentions to rescue Cross River state from the shackles of maladministration currently experienced and is therefore reticent to subscribe to political gimmicks.
Let those who are cowards continue to be indecisive and at a quandary but we in the Caterpillar Movement are solely only interested in the Gubernatorial Position. We are confident that victory is sure.
Once more, we enjoin our supporters to continue to remain peaceful and unperturbed by this deliberate distraction by the true enemies of our dear State .
Again they have failed and will continue to fail.God bless us all.
Joe Obi Bisong (Hon. Chief)
Director General
