Category: Press release

  • WPFD: ACROJ Commends Journalists Who Risk Their Lives Daily In The Course Of Their Duty

    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

    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”

  • Caterpillar Movement Debunks Rumors Of Sandy Onor Picking Senatorial Form, Called On Supporters To Remain Unperturbed

    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

  • Caterpillar Movement Describes A Non-existent Online Poll By Delegates Of The PDP In C’River For The Gubernatorial Primaries As Misleading And False Graphic Presentation

    Caterpillar Movement Describes A Non-existent Online Poll By Delegates Of The PDP In C’River For The Gubernatorial Primaries As Misleading And False Graphic Presentation

    THE CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT

    Press Release

    Our attention has been drawn to a spurious,
    misleading and false graphic presentation on social media detailing a non-existent online poll by delegates of the PDP in Cross River State for the Gubernatorial Primaries.

    As we all know, elections have never been won from social media postulations and ” online polls” but in the interest of full disclosure, we in the Caterpillar Movement wish to state categorically and emphatically that the circulated graphic is nothing but a figment of the imagination of a particular political interest group skewed heavily to favour their candidate while at the same time attempting to create a psychological mind game on the mind of delegates in the party to think that they have some phantom advantage when in truth, our Principal, Sen. Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor is , by every standard, the leading and preeminent candidate for the position of party flagbearer.

    We believe that this fantasy, packaged as an online poll is nothing but the last kick of an obviously dying horse hell-bent on not only destabilizing our well meaning party delegates but also on being bad losers since it has become obvious that their aspiration shall not see the light of day.

    Accordingly, we urge all our teeming supporters to remain calm and unperturbed by this false development while also urging them to continue to spread the gospel of our Principal and his intentions to liberate the state from this current chokehold.
    It is our belief that come May 21st, we shall emerge victorious at the only real and legitimate polls available to us; The PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election.

    God bless the PDP
    God bless Cross River State
    God bless the Caterpillar Movement.

    Joe Obi Bisong ( Hon. Chief)
    Director-General

  • Sandy Onor To Hold Easter Retreat With PDP Delegates And Coordinators Of Caterpillar Movement

    Sandy Onor To Hold Easter Retreat With PDP Delegates And Coordinators Of Caterpillar Movement

    By Elijah Ugani

    The senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Sen Sandy Onor has perfected plans to hold the 2022 Easter retreat with PDP delegates in the state.

    In release sighted by The Lumine News and signed by the Director General of the Caterpillar Movement, Chief Hon Joe Obi Bisong indicates that the retreat will be held at Gomara Hotels, Ogoja on the 11th April, 2022 for the Northern Senatorial District. That for Central Senatorial District is to hold at Heritage Hotels, Ikom on the 12th April, while the Southern Senatorial District is billed for 13th April, 2022 at Venatian Arena, M/M high way, Calabar.

  • Ayade’s Interview With Arise TV: The Paradox, Farce, And Fact – Ojisi

    Ayade’s Interview With Arise TV: The Paradox, Farce, And Fact – Ojisi

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    9th April 2022

    Press Statement:

    Ayade’s Interview With Arise TV: The Paradox, Farce, and Fact

    Governor Ben Ayade’s ignominious interview granted to Arise TV yesterday, has further underscore the position of the Peoples Democratic Party that the Ben Ayade’s led administration is purely a government whose foundation is built on deceit and lies. For a Governor who has perfected the art of grandiloquence and concussing unsuspecting individuals with litanies of fallacious claims, one wonders where he draws his inspiration and penchant for lying barefacedly.

    Here are some of the paradox from the interview.

    Governor Ben Ayade claimed to have built the Obudu German Hospital, which according to him is the most sophiscated Project built by any Governor in Nigeria. Nothing can be further from the truth as the said Obudu German Hospital is neither sophisticated nor near completion. Like other white elephant Projects of his, the Obudu German hospital is mainly a conduit pipe for the governor to retire public funds. Construction work at the site is quite epileptic and not a single medical equipment has been installed. So, where lies the sophistication?

    On the claim by the Governor that he created 5000 jobs for teachers, the Peoples Democratic Party challenge the Governor to publish the names of the beneficiary and their payroll since 2019. For the sake of emphasis and clarity, the Governor only carried out a kangaroo recruitment of less than 2,300 teachers, unfortunately a greater percent of those recruited are yet to collect their appointment letters not to talk of being on payroll.

    The Governor claimed also to have built the Teachers Continuous Training College in Biase and that the said college is fully functional. This is another mendacious claim as the Teachers Continuous Training College was neither completely funded by the State Government nor is the institution fully functional.

    Of all the lies dished out by the Governor, the most nauseating is his claim of building the biggest pharmaceutical factory in Nigeria called Calapharm. The reality is, we have nothing close to a pharmaceutical company in Cross River State. What we have is a makeshift facility at the Ayade’s industrial park that is neither completed nor operational. We challenge the Governor to mention just one product from the pharmaceutical company that is in the market.

    On the claim that he parades 18,000 Political appointees, the governor has succeeded in making a mockery of governance. What is a single Governor doing with 18,000 Political Appointees in a state that he has repeatedly complained that the economy is comatose? Isn’t it paradoxical that the governor parades such large number of Political appointees under the state payroll some of which are without defined portfolios and job designations yet complains of the economic situation of the state?. It is noteworthy to also stress that the army of food eaters paraded as appointees by Governor Ben Ayade are majorly cultists employed to carry out hatchet jobs during election.

    We call on Cross Riverians to rise and demand total accountability from Governor Ben Ayade. Our dear state cannot continue to be under the stranglehold of his deceits, digital lies and unconscionable approach to governance. We must rise to the occasion and salvage what is left of us as a state. As we approach 2023 Election, we urge Cross Riverians to come out and register in order to vote out this ill-fated government.

    Signed:
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • PDP Hails Court Judgement Sacking 20 Lawmakers In Cross River State, Describes Verdict As Victory For The Electorates

    PDP Hails Court Judgement Sacking 20 Lawmakers In Cross River State, Describes Verdict As Victory For The Electorates

    *PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE*

    22nd March 2022.

    Press Statement.

    *PDP hails Court Judgement Sacking 20 Lawmakers in Cross River State*
    …..describes verdict as victory for the electorates.

    The Peoples Democratic Party Cross River State has describe the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court Abuja, sacking 20 lawmakers from Cross River State who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress as a landmark judgement and victory for the electorates in Cross River State.

    The judgement which was delivered by Justice Taiwo in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 filed by the PDP, held that the defendants, having decamped from the Political party that sponsored their election before the expiration of the period for which they were elected have by virtue of the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) and Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) respectively, vacated their seats and are not entitled to continue to occupy the various seats or offices into which they were elected. The court also made an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to accept from the PDP, the list of its members for the purpose of filling the vacancy created by the exit of the lawmakers.

    In view of the judgement, the Peoples Democratic Party Cross River State congratulates the electorates for standing formidably with the PDP, assures them of more victories ahead.

    Reacting to the judgement, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Barr Venatius Ikem called on other members of the All Progressives Congress to take advantage of the “April Transfer” season and return to the Peoples Democratic Party. The State Chairman expressed optimism that the judgement of the court will be implemented and upheld by the appellate courts.

    The Peoples Democratic Party enjoins party faithfuls to remain steadfast and committed to the party in the quest to reclaiming the party’s mandate stolen by APC.

    God bless Cross River State.

    Signed:
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • Caterpillar Movement Congratulates Usibe, Expresses  Confident That Justice Will Be Done To This Grave Injustice Perpetuated By The Government Of The Day

    Caterpillar Movement Congratulates Usibe, Expresses Confident That Justice Will Be Done To This Grave Injustice Perpetuated By The Government Of The Day

    CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT
    28th Feb, 2022

    Dear, Hon. Michael Ede Usibe
    Member Elect,
    Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency,
    Cross River State

    CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EMERGENCE
    On behalf of our principal Sen Sandy Onor and the entire Caterpillar Movement political family we wish to Congratulate you on your resounding victory at the just concluded By-election in your Federal Constituency held on the 26th February, 2022.

    Despite the militarisation and violence that was unleashed to intimidate law abiding, harmless and armless voters, your people spoke with a loud voice through the ballots that, they have great confidence in your leadership and our great party, the PDP. We are confident that justice will be done to this grave injustice perpetuated by the government of the day. Not too long, you shall assume office as the elected representative of your people.

    We, the Caterpillar Movement family will continue to support you and your people to ensure that the dividends of democracy is enjoyed by all and sundry. Do accept the assurances of our warm regards as you proceed to rendering effective representation.

    Once again, Accept our congratulations.

    Joe Obi Bisong Hon Chief
    Director General

  • Ayade’s Plan To Use Military And Police To Disrupt By-election: An Act Of Political Banditry – PDP

    Ayade’s Plan To Use Military And Police To Disrupt By-election: An Act Of Political Banditry – PDP

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    24th February 2022

    Press Statement:

    Ayade’s Plan to Use Military and Police to Disrupt By-election: An Act of Political Banditry

    We have received intelligence information about the plan by the failure-ridden APC to collude with the military and some Units of the Police Force to disenfranchise voters and cause mayhem in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo Local Government Area. We have it on good authority that the Governor is currently mobilizing the military, Operation Akpawu and the Sting Unit attached to the Governor’s office to militarize the by-election and dissuade eligible Voters from coming out to vote.

    Aware of the imminent failure awaiting the APC, the Governor and his bloodthirsty party has resorted to Political banditry against the good people of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo. To this end, we call on the Security agencies, especially the Army and the Police to show high level of discipline and professionalism in the discharge of their duties and resist any attempt to be use by self-serving Political bandits to carry out anti-people and anti-democratic electoral malpractice. We call on the good people of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo Local Government to resist any attempt by the broom-wielding bandits in APC to disenfranchise them or rig the election.

    As a party, we are confident that power revolves around the people and we call on the people to come out and vote massively for the people-oriented PDP. Cross River State belongs to all of us and together we shall rescue, reclaim, rebuild and restore it.

    God bless Cross River State.

    Signed:
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations Of Defeat. – PDP

    Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations Of Defeat. – PDP

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    23rd February 2022.

    Press Statement:

    Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations of Defeat.

    Yesterday, 22nd February 2022, we watched with amusement the lamentation treatise sent out by the loquacious factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State, Alphonsus Eba, in which the cheap braggart inexplicably accused Governor Nyesom Wike of several baseless, tenuous, unsubstantiated imaginations of his not-so-fertile brain of conspiracies to destabilize Cross River State. The utter disrespect which underlines the press briefing granted by the factional Chairman of APC, Alphonsus Eba, establishes, beyond doubt, the pre-election trauma being faced by the failure-ridden APC ahead of the by-election on Saturday, 26th February, 2022.

    Aware that Governor Nyesom Wike’s visit to Cross River State on Saturday 19th February for the PDP by-election flag-off rally ruffled not a few feathers in APC, we understand the pain and agony in the camp of the APC, which has resulted to an expression of schizophrenia and defeatism.

    We challenge the APC chairman to organize a similar event and attract such a personality like Governor Nyesom Wike in his party to attend. We challenge them to invite their party leaders in South-South to Cross River State.

    It is incongruous that Alphonsus Eba in his howler and humdrum ridden press briefing had the temerity to accuse Governor Nyesom Wike of trying to import Political “cannibalism” into Cross River State. Pray someone should please interpret what exactly this means in English language. I thought cannibalism refers to species that feed on their type, in simple language.

    For a green-horn in Party administration that was imposed on the party by Governor Ayade without any experience whatsoever in political party administration, who is only pretending to be running the party because most of the prominent stakeholders have been sufficiently intimidated into submission to Governor/Emperor Ayade, how would such an uncouth fellow be elevated to such a position? That APC Leaders in the state have been reduced to grovelling sycophants is why a greenhorn monster like Alphonsus Eba so enthused in empty, boisterous talk and bitterness over his loss of the Party chairmanship position in PDP can prat around for lack of knowledge as to what to do to win an election and resort to unproductive press conferences.

    Alphonsus Eba should be reminded that at his so called reception in his ward there was bloodletting that remains unexplainable until date because of his alleged predilection to occultism and consequential bloodletting, which he could not even spare his kinsmen in his desperation for power and money.

    That a man who sleeps with, eats and breathes violence and cannibalism, can have the temerity to accuse his superiors of “cannibalism” is a display of his bad upbringing and unfitness for a public office that entails leading and persuading responsible citizens into believing in his party platform. We find such pedestrian remarks about Governor Nyesom Wike, highly condemnable and unnecessarily inciting and we hereby condemn such.

    We further condemn in strong terms the attempt by APC to stoke the embers of anarchy and violence in the State at every point during the campaigns towards the by election of February, 26, 2022. We call on all security agencies to note the consistent attempt by the APC in Cross River State to incite violence in the belief that they can use the machinery of Government and official security outfits to intimidate the PDP because they are conscious of the fact that they cannot win the by-election in a free and fair contest.

    It is further instructive to say that those who the gods have destined to destroy, they first make mad. For Okadigbo, whose life is characterized by thuggery and criminality to address Governor Nyesom Wike as a “motor park tout” shows the depth of his mental and intellectual ineptitude. We are bemused that a party like APC, with Governor Ben Ayade that superintended over the killing of Cross Riverians at Ogoja and Yala local Government Area during the Northern Cross River Senatorial by-election primaries could have the moral rectitude to talk about Political “cannibalism”. It is on record that a young Cross Riverian was shot and killed inside the house of a serving APC Commissioner in Yala Local Government Area, while Alphonsus Eba ordered the sporadic shooting of his own kinsmen at Echomofona. What else can be more cannibalistic than shooting your own kinsmen for Political relevance?

    As we approach the by-election day, we call on Cross Riverians, especially the good people of Ogoja/Yala to remember the many sins of APC in Cross River State and resist the occultic party by voting overwhelmingly for the people-oriented PDP.

    As a party, we refuse to be intimidated by the unwholesome shenanigans of the occultic cabals in APC, whose god is their belly.

    On the laughable attempt to label Governor Nyesom Wike— a sitting Governor with immunity— a Security threat in Cross River State, we call on the APC to stop embarrassing rational and reasonable Cross Riverians by their show of gross ignorance and pettiness. Who is Alphonsus Eba to declare a sitting Governor a security threat? Must Alphonsus Eba dance naked in the market square always just to ingratiate Governor Ben Ayade before he can qualify for crumbs off Governor Ben Ayade’s table?

    As a party, we sympathize and condole with the APC on the imminent loss awaiting them on Saturday, 26th February, our prayers and thoughts are with them in this trying moment of their political life.

    We call on our party faithfuls to remember our brothers and sisters beleaguered and beguiled in APC, in their prayers for God to open their eyes of understanding.

    We believe in the Cross River Project, and we are solely determined to rescue, restore, reclaim and rebuild Cross River State!!

    God bless Cross River State.

    Signed
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)