I am hugely disappointed with the inaugural speech of Governor Ben Ayade delivered at his swearing ceremony which was uncharacteristically held behind closed doors in the half completed so called International Conference Centre, Calabar .
The speech by Governor Ayade , apart from his bogus promise to construct a superhighway from Calabar to Obudu Cattle Ranch is nothing but a mere farrago of words; vague and uninspiring .
The Calabar – Obudu Ranch is Federal Government Highway which the former PDP controlled Federal Government abandoned throughout its sixteen years of absolute control of the affairs of the country despite the strong and overwhelming support of our hapless people for the Party . Is Governor Ayade going to use State meagre resources to construct a federal government trunk A highway?
The speech also was highly sycophant as Governor Ayade strove to heap superlatives praises on former Governor Imoke and his wife , maybe to drive home the point that he is totally beholden to the former Governor and his spouse .
In the first place the acknowledgement and praises poured on Mrs Obioma Imoke is misplaced and unnecessary . What legacy did Mrs Imoke behind to deserve all the accolades poured on her ? During Imoke eight years in power all the major contracts in the State were cornered by Mrs Imoke for her brother ‘s construction company ! So what exactly did Mrs Imoke do to merit Governor Ayade praising her?
Constitutionally and even administratively Mrs Imoke was not a functionary of the Cross River State Government . She was the First Lady of the State but and so what ! The position of First Lady of the State is unknown to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended ) so it is no deal . The speech did not say anything on the parlous and precarious state of the State economy . The speech was silent on the huge debt profile of the State . The speech woefully failed to give an insight on the policy thrust of the administration .
I can bet everything that we shall not see any fundamental clean break from the ugly legacy of Imoke failed government . Governor Ayade has proven that he will be a lackey of former Governor Imoke and his wife. Otherwise I challenge him to tell us how he is going to revamped the State economy ; clear the back log of unpaid salaries ; recover what has been stolen from the State beginning from 1999 to 29th May 2015 and resolve so many issues including the protracted Ebom-Ebijakara communal conflict and poor state of the Cross River State University if Technology .
I wanted to give Governor Ayade the benefit of the doubt on account of the fact so many of my friends say he is a self made man, intelligent , kind hearted and a goal getter but his speech at his inauguration does not him a glimmer if hope that he is ready to shake off Imoke ugly legacy.
By Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla.
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