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  • Sandy Onor And The Imperative Of Confronting The Absurd In CRS BY GABRIEL NCHA

    Sandy Onor And The Imperative Of Confronting The Absurd In CRS BY GABRIEL NCHA

    SANDY ONOR AND THE IMPERATIVE OF CONFRONTING THE ABSURD IN CRS

    By Dr Gabriel Ncha

    It is common knowledge that what is seen as good governance, is understood in terms of good and efficient service delivery. This in Commonwealth political parlance is known as dividends of democracy, meaning that the basic needs of the people in terms of food, clothes and shelter, a healthy environment for actualization of one’s potentials, health, and security, and above all the provision of job opportunities are made available to the citizenry. On the contrary, the feeling of alienation and exclusion from mainstream political participation by the people hinders the success of these objectives, which ultimately ensure the peace and stability of any government.

    This is the situation we found ourselves in Cross River, which makes it imperative to have an absurd thought, an existential device for navigating through difficult human existential situation.This is the position that the PDP gubernatorial candidate Prof Sandy Onor has taken to ensure the deliverance of Cross Rive from the clutches of ineptitude and non performance. Please follow me carefully..Basically, the “absurd” is a term associated with Albert Camus an existentialist and famous novelist and Poet.The attempt to analyze problems, ask basic questions and try to find out the meaning of life and if there can be any meaningful existence reflects a feeling of existentialism. So,the hard facts of life captured by anguish, death, pain, suffering, crime, killings, disasters, injustice, economic/political evils, and a host of other vices, constitute the paraphernalia of existentialism.

    Camus,in his existential philosophy, uses such terms as absurd, revolt, and passion, these are basic tools for understanding and solving human existential problems. “Absurd ”is a feeling which arises from the confrontation of the world, which is irrational, with the hopeless but profound human desire to make sense of our condition. The appropriate response to this situation is to live in full consciousness of it.

    By ” revolt” Camus means the defiance in the face of the bleak truth about the human condition, hopeless but not resigned, lending to life a certain grandeur. By *passion” Camus means the resolve to live as intensely as possible, not so as to escape the sense of absurdity, but so as to face it with absolute lucidity. The experiences of Prof Sandy Onor, over the years places him in a comfortable position with these tools mentioned above, to change the narrative in Cross River State governance, and return the good people of our dear state to the paradise that God gave them. Prof Sandy has gathered experiences in various positions as executive chairman Etung LGA,Deputy National President of the Association of Local Govt of Nigeria, Acting National President of the same Association, Cross Rider State Coordinator of Obadanjo/Atiku Presidential Campaign Director ,Directorial General of PDP Campaign Organizations in Cross River State,represented Cross River State in the Political Reform Conference, Commissioner of Agriculture and Environment,Chairman Cross River State local government Service Commission, among others and now Senator of the federal republic of Nigeria. Thousands of Cross Riverians have benefited from Prof Sandy’s humanitarian activities as testified by many. Most importantly, in all these, Prof Sandy, has acquired what is called Positional Consciousness in existential parlance. Positional Consciousness puts Consciousness into relation with one’s surroundings. This gives one an explicit awareness of being conscious of one’s surroundings. Identity is constructed by this explicit awareness of Consciousness. How ever, this is distinguished from Non-Positional Consciousness which is being merely conscious of one’s surroundings, without affecting it positively. It is instructive today that the current regime in Cross River is guilty of Non-Positional Consciousness, as it’s activities are not existentialized, meaning that the condition of the human person is not taken into cognizance.This has resulted in people being constantly haunted by hunger, unemployment, hostile environment and a political climate that smacks of deceit, betrayal, unfaithful ness,and hard hearted ness that have left virtually and literarily everyone to groan underneath with no one to rescue them. In this circumstance therefore, the saviour is no other person than Sandy Onor, with the acquired Positional Consciousness, has arrived to provide the needed succour to Cross Riverians. With the Sisyphean spirit of defiance in the face of the absurd. Sandy is armed sufficiently to tackle the menace of absurd. More technically, and less metaphorically, it is the spirit of opposition against any perceived unfairness, opposition or indignity in the human condition.

    Cross River State, the people’s Paradise has not experienced any paradized atmosphere for many years, rather a shadow of itself, now has the opportunity to regain its past glory by making a rational and fundamental choice by voting Sandy Onor with the strength of character akin to that of Caterpillar and Bulldozer, to clean the mess deposited on them. It is a fact that if any government is existentialized, the people would rejoice. So, as a philosopher of History, Sandy, with an existentialized spirit, passionate about the human condition, is poised to change the lives of Cross Riverians positively. It is germane therefore, to state unequivocally, that in a setting where personal accountability for decisions and actions made, seems to be fading in public opinion, and excuses seem to be replacing responsibility, Prof Sandy,is coming to liberate the oppressed people of the state who do not rely on fate or chance to guide them on the way of life, but on the Consciousness of in dividual existential situation. So,a vote for Sandy, is a vote to re-orientate, reposition, re-conscientize, sensitise, reawake, and re-energize Cross Riverians. These ingredients galvanize the individual Cross Riverians for a positive, worthwhile, and useful life for development, growth and progress of the state. In fact, Sandy Onor is a paradigm for an honest life of commitment to duty and human progress. Let us rise up as one body to ensure his victory on the election day, keep a date.

  • Can The APC And Our Party Governorship Candidate Call Obla To order? His Constant Vituperation On Social Media Platforms Is Doing Us More Harm Than Good BY RICHIE ROMANUS

    Can The APC And Our Party Governorship Candidate Call Obla To order? His Constant Vituperation On Social Media Platforms Is Doing Us More Harm Than Good BY RICHIE ROMANUS

     

    Can the APC and our party governorship candidate call Obla to order? His constant vituperation on social media platforms is doing us more harm than good. 2023 elections is not your regular election circle. The voters know who they want no matter what you offer them. They careless about PDP, APC or LP. What they rather care about are the personalities in these parties. The result of the Southern Senatorial District election is a pointer to this fact. LP didn’t just present a candidate, they presented a politically rooted politician yet the voters knew who they wanted and they displayed it at the ballot.

    Listen, I know OBIdients who are staunch Prince Otu’s supporters. I know Senator Jarigbe supporters even in the North who are amenable to the governorship candidacy of Prince Otu inspite of their love for Jari. The more the erstwhile President aide turned blogger continue to abuse Obi and Jarigbe, the more harm he does to us. Now is not the time to talk tough on Social media platforms. It is time to appeal to the consciences of people considering the outcome of last Saturday elections. It is time for all of us to fall back to our various wards and Local Government and solidify our hold especially for us in the Central who the party is now looking up to.

    Instead of righting off the rumored alliance between the PDP and Hon Daniel Asuquo’s LP, why can’t Chief Obla rather look at the issues dispassionately and see how best he can advise the party leadership and infact the governorship candidate? Do the people of Akamkpa/Biase have the right to be angry? YES, is it right for the two biggest position that are in the South to remain in one Local Government? NO. However, Dansuki has never hidden his position about the southern governorship. It now behoves on us to appeal to him and many others like him who are not talking but waiting for March 11 to register their displeasure to have a rethink.

    Prince Bassey Otu is one of the best selling product in current election season. His antecedents speaks loudly for him. As supporters, we must also adopt his very calm disposition in handling issues.

    Chief Obla must leave Social media and relocate to Ekori where I understand our Party loss in the 3 Council wards in the last elections. With the continuous detention of Obol Goddy Etta, attention must now be shifted to his ikpakapit council ward. Thank God for our choice of Assembly candidate but then again, does a tree make a forest?

    Enough of Social media pls.

    RR.

  • The Unwarranted And Barbaric Attack I Suffered In The Hands Of Armed Political Thugs And Hoodlums At Kakum, The Hometown Of Governor Ben Ayade, Inadvertently Kept Me Away BY DAVE IMBUA

    The Unwarranted And Barbaric Attack I Suffered In The Hands Of Armed Political Thugs And Hoodlums At Kakum, The Hometown Of Governor Ben Ayade, Inadvertently Kept Me Away BY DAVE IMBUA

     

    Good morning, dear friends and fellow citizens. The unwarranted and barbaric attack I suffered in the hands of armed political thugs and hoodlums at Kakum, the hometown of Governor Ben Ayade, inadvertently kept me away from this and other social media platforms at a most crucial and critical moment in our political history.

    As many of you are already aware, our only offence that provoked the physical and psychological brutalization on that Wednesday, February 22, 2023, was that we drove through Kakum enroute from Calabar to Bendi despite the fact that we belong to a political camp that was not supporting the senatorial ambition of HE, Ben Ayade.

    I appreciate the concern, anxiety and difficulty with which relatives and friends tried to reach out to me when I was criminally dispossessed of all my gadgets during the attack. I am happy to be back here. I thank God who saved the life of my nephew – John Atiang – who was inhumanly manhandled by our attackers. For sure, it is too late for anyone to intimidate me into submission to an idea that is at variance with my personal conviction.

    We will continue to ask the right questions and to demand the fair treatment of our people. Like my respected elder brother, Prof. Joe Ushie, will always tell us, we cannot plant our corn in the bedroom for fear of the baboon. Let’s keep believing in ourselves and nation, for a new Nigeria is possible! Thank you, once again, and happy weekend.

  • 19 Years Old Boy Commits Suicide After Obi Lost A Rigged Election

    19 Years Old Boy Commits Suicide After Obi Lost A Rigged Election

    A nineteen year boy has committed suicide just after Peter Obi lost the rigged presidential election.

    The boy wrote “I will tell God INEC killed me”

    The 19 years old boy left a short note behind which reads “no hope for Nigeria for the next 20 years after Obi lost the election, I rather end it now than to live in a hell called Nigeria”

    The teenage boy was part of the people that protested in the sun and rain to market Obi, but got disappointed by INEC that rigged the Election in the favor of Tinubu.

     

  • If APC Loss The Governorship Election Of 11th March, 2023 The Entire Blame Should Go To Governor Ben Ayade And The Party Leadership BY MFAM MBIA ASU

    If APC Loss The Governorship Election Of 11th March, 2023 The Entire Blame Should Go To Governor Ben Ayade And The Party Leadership BY MFAM MBIA ASU

    AT THE MOMENT, THOSE OF US WHO WERE CALLED ALL SORTS OF NAMES BECAUSE OF OUR LOYALTY TO THE APC HAVE BEEN VINDICATED:
    ~By Comrade Mfam Mbia Asu(CIFIAN).

    If APC loss the Governorship election of 11th March,2023 the entire blame should go to Governor Ben Ayade and the Party Leadership in Cross River State.

    After the impunity and imposition by APC in Cross River State called “Consensus” that produced Sen Prince Bassey Otu as the APC Governorship Candidate, the choice of Deputy Governor ought to be based on capacity and other factors that can give APC victory in Cross River State.

    Unfortunately, the impunity took the worst dimension as Old Ikom (the most marginalized Political bloc) in Cross River State was denied the opportunity to produce the APC Deputy Governorship Candidate. If the APC has given Old Ikom the Deputy Governorship slot,it would have helped to cushion the effect of the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate who hails from Old Ikom.

    To the chagrin of Party faithfuls, the Party and Governor Ben Ayade zoned the Deputy Governorship Position to Cross River North that has the incumbent Governor, incumbent Chief of Staff to the Governor, incumbent Minister, incumbent Chairman of Forestry Commission, incumbent State Chairman of APC, etc.

    To be Candid, the APC made a terrible blunder to zone the Deputy Governorship Position to Ogoja LGA that is the strongest hold of PDP in the entire Cross River State.

    I can still recall that I wrote an article last year stating that even if the law permit Political Parties to nominate three Deputy Governorship Candidate and even if APC decides to nominate all the three Deputy Governorship Candidates from Ogoja LGA, that APC would not be able to win Ogoja LGA.

    Due to my loyalty to the APC,I embarked on an independent survey in Cross River North, and I discovered that the most popular person from Cross River North at the moment is Distinguish Senator Stephen Odey and I made an appeal that Senator Stephen Odey should be given the APC Deputy Governorship ticket in order to our ease our job.

    My appeal for Senator Stephen Odey to be given the APC Deputy Governorship Position was resisted with the Wicked excuse that a House of Representative Member and a Deputy Governor can not come from the same Local Government Area. Whereas the APC Governorship Candidate and the APC Senatorial Candidate for Southern Senatorial District both hail from Odukpani LGA. Presently, Odukpani LGA has already produced the House of Representative Member-elect for Odukpani/Calabar Municipal Federal Constituency and Senator-elect for Southern Senatorial District. And we are still waiting to vote for Odukpani LGA to produce the Governor of Cross River State on March 11,2023. Indeed, God is an Odukpani man.

    Today, the reality is dawning on the Cross River State Chapter of Our Great Party and Our Leader, Sir Ben Ayade that winning an election should be based on the credibility and acceptability of the Candidates. It will be a herculean task for APC to win the 2023 Governorship in Cross River State.

    May God help the APC.

    I wish the APC well.

    ~Comrade Mfam Mbia Asu(CIFIAN),
    A Chieftain and Founding Member of the APC.
    02/03/2023.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, MFAM Mbia Asu, and does not represent TheLumineNews or its staff 

  • Now Is The Time To Focus On The Future Of Cross River State BY DOMINIC KIDZU

    Now Is The Time To Focus On The Future Of Cross River State BY DOMINIC KIDZU

    NOW IS THE TIME TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF CROSS RIVER STATE

    Now that we have gotten over the emotional part of elections and have arguably lost some and won some, the time is ripe for us all to focus more objectively on the future of our state and less on our party, our brother, our friend. For any man who sets up a big company and decides to hand it over to his brother or club mate rather than to an experienced and capable manager will surely find his company in ruination and distress in the end.

    Luckily for us, we are only about to wake up from about eight years of agnatic kinship style of governance and the tyranny of cousins, with the elite deck magically restacked in less than a decade through exclusive patronage by the sovereign and the stuffed turtles hidden beneath the vinear of loyalty. The people have suffered greatly under the Egyptian captivity and the time has now come for their inexorable liberation.

    And now that it looks like Grigori Rasputin is set to leave the Winter Palace in Leningrad, the search for the new occupant must be deliberate and dispassionate, to find the right man for the job of clearing out the closet
    and cleaning up the Augean stable. These are truly uncertain days during which the citizens will hold their breath for two weeks, afrighted by the ghost of Banquo and the squamish feeling of de javu, uncertain still about the certainty of their own redemption or a darker, impending season ahead. As Achebe puts it so succinctly, ‘it is morning yet on creation day’.

    Unfortunately, politics is too divisive and self interest propelled to allow for clear-headed thinking and decision making even on a consequential subject matter such as this one. Having handed over our collective destiny and patrimony to different manner of leaders over the past twenty-three years, it should be concerning to us as a people and as a state who becomes Governor from May 29, 2023. The sheer weight of this period invites us to think deeply and make a dispassionate decision for our dear state and for ourselves.

    We don’t need a continuation of the nightmare of the last eight years in any guise or form. We don’t need a sectional leader whose allegiance will be to his tribe because it is their turn. Their turn to do what? Their turn to chop? That is not what we need as a state at this time. We don’t need the reign of Obudu mafia to be replaced by the reign of the Efik mafia. We need a Governor for all the people whose claim to the exalted office is based on his own self conviction that he is capable and ready to offer the best of himself in service for the good of all the people.

    Cross River State and it’s people have suffered enough, endured enough and sacrificed enough. We cannot afford to make another mistake. Right now we have gone down so deep that we need an elevator to bring us up to the ground floor. We can no longer allow sentiments, rather than our heads to determine our choices because eight years from May 2023 can be a long walk in the scorching sand of the Kalahari desert, when we could so easily have chosen the short road to the brook and the glory of our land.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Dominic Kidzu, and does not represent TheLumineNews or its staff

  • Back To South Or Back To Odukpani: Sandy Onor To The Rescue BY ELIJAH UGANI

    Back To South Or Back To Odukpani: Sandy Onor To The Rescue BY ELIJAH UGANI

    BACK TO SOUTH OR BACK TO ODUKPANI?

    As the quest for redemption of Cross River State from the shackles of maladministration continue to gain momentum with just a few days to the governorship election, where a few persons including Gov Ben Ayade, are gunning for the BACK TO SOUTH agenda, it is imperative to note that, ab initio, while adopting Sen Bassey Otu as governorship candidate and handing the Senate ticket to Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr, was ill- conceived.

    While majority of those from southern senatorial district, continue to query the rationale behind handing over both the governorship and senatorial tickets of the All Progressive Congress APC, to same local government council, Odukpani, it is more worrisome to note that with the outcome of the national assembly election last week, where the house of representatives for Calabar/Municipality federal constituency, and southern senatorial district seat were both won by two Odukpani sons, Akiba and Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr.

    Although those holding the view that the Member-Elect of the Calabar Municipal/Odukpani federal constituency is a member of Labour Party, it is important to note that it was a miscalculation to have foisted both the governorship and senatorial candidates on the APC from the same local government.

    The question that remains unanswered on the lips of the electorates is how will Odukpani local government area hold the House of representatives position, senate and governorship positions at the same time?

    Political pundits, supporters/members of the Obidient Movements, and some members of the APC, have recently expressed displeasure with the permutations of governor Ben Ayade, and called on the electorates to cast their votes wisely during the governorship election.

    To concentrate very sensitive positions in one local government area, seems to undermine the competencies of very seasoned and competent capacities to return the fortunes of the state to its lost glory.

    Sen Sandy Onor, has been around the state for many years, he understudied the administrations of both Gov Donald Duke and Sen Liyel Imoke, when Cross River State used to be positively discussed globally and will deploy the experience acquired over the years to reposition our state.

    Maybe it was the will of the Almighty, to cause voters to cast their votes in favor of Akiba and Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr, from same local government area, to expose and situate our thinking in this direction to enable us support the cause of Sen Sandy Onor to reclaim Cross River State.

    Sandy Onor is the man with the needed capacities, he understands how local government system functions, having served as Chairman of Etung Local Government Area, State Chairman of ALGON, National Vice President of ALGON and later Acting National President of ALGON. He also served as Chairman, Local Government Service Commission.

  • Ayu A Bad Manager, His Arrogance Caused PDP Loss, He Should Go BY LARE OLAYINKA 

    Ayu A Bad Manager, His Arrogance Caused PDP Loss, He Should Go BY LARE OLAYINKA 

    Ayu A Bad Manager, His Arrogance Caused PDP Loss, He Should Go

    March 1, 2023

    Today, I am pained, so pained. I am pained because once again, my party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has lost yet, another opportunity to return to power.

    I am most pained because the same people who wrecked the PDP in 2015, have finally decimated the party owing to their arrogance.

    Zone the presidency to the South in accordance with the principle power rotation as enshrined in the PDP constitution, they refused obviously because of their desire to satisfy the ambition of a single individual.

    Reach out to those who were aggrieved and bring everyone on board, they refused because they believed that they had assurance from certain quarters that electoral victory will be awarded to them even before the election.

    Rather than stooping to conquer by giving concessions, including sacrificing their positions so that everyone can be brought together to face the elections, almighty National Chairman, Senator Dr Chief Iyorchia Ayu and his cohorts were acting like they already had results of the presidential election in their pockets.

    They were telling everybody, including those who have stood solidly with the party to go to hell!

    Now that the reality of a bad and arrogant manager beckons on the PDP, who will join in the cry? Those they said meant nothing or those they already pencilled down to be dealt with by the Atiku presidency?

    Sad that some the people who went to APC in 2015 and caused PDP to lose power came back to the party and acted so arrogantly to cause it another defeat in an election it could have won so easily.

    With results of the election, now imagine Peter Obi and Musa Kwankanso in the PDP. Imagine Peter Obi as the Presidential Candidate and Kwankanso as his running mate.

    Imagine votes from Rivers, Oyo, Benue, Enugu and Abia States adding to the PDP votes.

    Now that arrogant Ayu and his cohorts in the National Working Committee (NWC) have wrecked the PDP, methinks that by now, they should be at the National Secretariat of the party, packing their personal belongings.

    They are bad managers and they must all go!

    It is only a bad manager of a political party that will embark on suspension and expulsion of party candidates few days to elections.

    It is only a bad and arrogant manager of a political party like Ayu that will call State Governors who made him chairman of the party children.

    Therefore, for us, we will not sit back and allow a rudderless NWC led by a man who sees himself as above every other person and run the affairs of the party like his family business to continue.

    We will not keep silent and allow a man who runs the affairs of the party like his family business, with even his children insulting critical stakeholders of the party to continue.

    Arrogant Ayu and his NWC must go!

     

    Lere Olayinka
    PDP House of Reps Candidate
    Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 2

  • Obidient Movements Set To Shut Down INEC Offices And Collation Centres Nationwide

    Obidient Movements Set To Shut Down INEC Offices And Collation Centres Nationwide

    Obidient Movements have called on its supporters nationwide to proceed on protest for the suspension of collation of results for the February 25th presidential election.

    In a release sighted by TheLumineNews and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Obidient Movements, Oluwasola Sunday,. indicates that members are to occupy all INEC offices and Collation Centres until INEC Chairman suspend the collation of results.

    The release reads in parts “All Obidient Movements are to occupy all INEC offices and Collation centres nationwide tomorrow at 9am, until INEC Chairman suspend the collation of results and step down.”

  • Police Arrests Cross River Number 1 Killer Kidnapper ‘Romance’ After A Gun Battle

    Police Arrests Cross River Number 1 Killer Kidnapper ‘Romance’ After A Gun Battle

    Culled From CrossRiverWatch 

    A notorious gangster cum kidnapper Kufre (other names yet to be verified) AKA Romance has been arrested by men of the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad of the Nigeria Police, Cross River State Command.

    Sources within the Police informed our newsroom that the arrest was made today’s evening (Tuesday) after a gun battle that lasted for minutes.

    He was arrested at the borrow pit behind the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS).

    The operation was led by the Commander of the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad, SP Ogini Chukwuma, and his men.

    He has so far confessed to several kidnappings involving lecturers, medical doctors, Abonima’s wife, a journalist’s wife, and many more.

    He also confessed to two killings – Dede and Papa both in 2020.

    He has been on the Police wanted list for years, he has lost many of his boys to the bullets of Policemen in the course of sniffing him out.