Politicians out to assassinate Ayade’s character over tribunal case ― NGO

A Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Organisation, the Joint Action for Good Governance in Cross River State, has raised the alarm over plots to assassinate the character of Governor Ben Ayade by some desperate politicians for challenging the outcome of the Cross River North Senatorial election.

The group, in a statement released in Calabar by its leader, Imbufe Jude, said allegations made against the governor by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking was part of the scheme to malign the governor, saying it was sheer blackmail.

It also raised the alarm of further plots to blackmail the governor in the days preceding May 29 handover date and even on the handover day.

It slammed the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking for “Its ridiculous, false and baseless allegations against Ayade”, insisting that rather than lend itself to executing the hatchet job for desperate politicians, the NGO should applaud the governor for his transparent and judicious management of the lean resources of the state.

“We dare say without fear of contradiction that Governor Ayade has been very transparent in the management of resources of the state and has been above board. Cross River State gets the second lowest revenue allocation in the country. What the so-called NGO said is the most incredulous falsehood of the century.”

The Joint Action for Good Governance described the activities of the faceless NGO as a poor imitation at fabrication, stressing that ‘all that these hirelings needed to have done was to have gone to the Federal Ministry of Finance, to get their fact right. But because they were on a mission to disparage and destroy, they would stop at nothing to concoct falsehood.”

The group noted that despite the lean resources of the state, the record of achievements of the Ayade-led administration was unmatchable in the area of industrialization and infrastructural development.

Describing the governor as a silent achiever, the group listed some of the achievements of the Ayade-led administration including; the world-class Teachers’Continuous Training Institute in Biase, the Obudu-Germany Hospital, the British Canadian University of Law and Medicine, Obudu, the floating of a state airline with two Boeing 737 aircraft, the ongoing Obudu Cargo and Passengers airport, the dualization of the Calabar-Odukpani highway with the spaghetti flyover, the dualization of the 148km Mfum-Okpoma-Bekwarra-Obudu-Obanliku highway and the 23km Boki East-West road.

Continuing, it also listed the numerous industries built by the Ayade-led administration, including the 24 000 birds per day chicken processing factory, the ultramodern rice mill in Ogoja, the 30000 tons cocoa processing factory in Ikom, the Cross River Garment Factory, Calabar, the Kissmie Noodles Factory Calabar and the Cross River Pharmaceutical Factory, amongst others.

It, therefore, advised hired-goons “NGO” to desist from acting the script of failed and desperate politicians who are bent on giving the governor a name that is not his.

The group threatened to expose the politicians behind the plot and vowed that henceforth, there would be a tit-for-tat for anyone who maligned the governor.

It also advised those planning to sponsor miscreants to cause a crisis during the inauguration of the new administration on May 29 to desist from the fiendish thought.