Judex Okoro, Calabar

 Endorsement has become a new jargon among the political class. It is a brand name that politicians use now to re-jig the hitherto lull political space.

 Since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced dates for the commencement of political activities ahead of 2019, politicians have returned to the chessboard. There have been beehives of political activities from the presidency to the lowest rung of political ladder.

 In Cross River, the waves of endorsements have been moving round like whirling winds. From Calabar in the southern part to Ikom in Central and down to Ogoja in Northern senatorial districts, the sing-song is endorsement.

 Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that over 80 support groups have adopted Governor Ben Ayade for 2019 governorship race. The groups include “Team Ayade,” “Ayade Ambassadors,” “Cross River Decides,” “Pathfinder,” “Synergy,” “Code 888” and “Ayade 100% undiluted.”

 Others are “Ayade, Eye of Cross River State 2019,” “Think Tank for Governor Ben”, “Ayade Ethical Group,” “Central says yes to Ayade,” “Central Cross River is sure for Ayade 2019.”  

 It all started last year. But the Cross River South Elders Forum seems to be the provenance of endorsement in the state, as they adopted Governor Ayade for 2019 on January 2, 2019. This followed a motion moved by the chairman of Cross River University of Technology Governing Council, Dr. Emil Inyang, and seconded by the former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Rev Grace Ekanem.

 Elders at the meeting included former Health Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Nsan, former Niger Delta  Development Commission (NDDC) chairman, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong, Bassey Ndem, former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief John Okon, Ntufam Ekpo Okon and Professor Ndem Ayara.

 Others were: Muri-Munene of Calabar South, Prof. Itam Ogan,  Nella Rabbana SAN and Prof. Stella Atoe. 

 Moving the motion for the endorsement, Dr. Emil Inyang said: “Considering the situation of our state and taking cognisance of our finances, knowing that Cross River is the poorest state in Nigeria, with your performance on projects, that today you are not owing any salary, we make bold to tell you to go ahead. 

 “Those of us from Southern Senatorial District were the ones that ensured you became governor in 2015 and are patiently waiting for 2023. We hereby endorse you for a second tenure in 2019.”

 Speaking further on the matter, the former Health Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Nsan, said: “Today, hearing what Ayade has achieved within the limited resources available to us as a state, what he has tried to do to elevate the status of Cross River economically, socially and otherwise, even though, I am not a member of PDP, I will vote for him.”

 Following the elders’ decision, the Cross River South under the aegis of 7-Alive adopted Ayade for 2019 election at a rally held at Calabar Municipal Council.

Chairman of the socio-political pressure group, Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong, noted that Ayade is the man they trust to return power to the South by 2023, adding that his administration has been good to the area with the appointment of nine of their sons and daughters as members of the State Executive Council, where most of them hold key portfolios such as Finance, Health, Petroleum, Gas, Information and Transport.

 Ekpenyoung cited projects completed and ongoing which are located in the south to include the ongoing dualization of Calabar/Odukpani junction highway, the completion of the garment factory, pharmaceutical factory, agro-industrial park, rice seeds and seedlings factory as reasons behind their support for the governor.

 The train of endorsement moved on to Ikom in the Central zone on Friday, February 23. At Ikom Township Stadium, it was another carnival of sort as thousands of supporters from the six local government areas of Abi, Obubra, Yarkurr, Etung, Boki and Ikom trooped out en mass to register their unalloyed support for Ayade.

  In a motion moved by the House of Representatives member representing Obubra/Etung Federal constituency, Mike Etaba and seconded by another lawmaker representing Ikom 1state constituency, Fred Osim, the people resolved that no son or daughter from the senatorial district should vie for the office of the governor except the present occupier.

 Chairman of the occasion and former military administrator of Bayelsa State, Col Pam Ogar (rtd) said: “this exercise is initiated by a willing people to motivate you to come out by 2019. We give you our prayers, accept this endorsement willingly, we are following and watching you to go beyond and do brilliantly well all the penciled programmes and projects you have enumerated.”

For a former commissioner in the state, Ntufam Onor, the event was a sweet reunion, saying many high profile persons have returned to the party.

 In his remarks, Dr Pius Tawo described Ayade as one who not only understands development, but a strategic partner that would take Cross River State to prosperity, adding that, “the projects initiated by Ayade will recalibrate the state completely.”

 Ayade’s kinsmen were not left out in the frenzies of endorsements as they turned a grand reception in his honour to what an analyst described as “rally of all rallies.”

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 At old Ogoja Township Stadium, where the crowd had turned out to honour their son on Saturday, February 24, the stakeholders urged Ayade to seek re-election in 2019, citing job creations, prompt payment of salaries, ongoing construction of cocoa processing factory at Ikom and rice mill at Ogoja, Boki and other rural roads in the north as some of the achievements that endeared them to him.

 Chairman of the Central Planning Committee for stakeholders in the northern district, Mr. Idi Yakubu, urged Ayade to seek another term in office to enable him complete the various programmes and projects initiated by his administration.

Also chairman of the event, Brig.-Gen. Anthony Ukpo (retd), said that as the first governor from the northern senatorial district it was imperative for Ayade to do his two terms, adding that the governor’s goodwill had endeared the people to him.

Representative of stakeholders from Bekwarra, Mr. Emma Enamhe, said nobody could fault the achievements of Ayade since he came into power.

Compelling Ayade to run, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), early in February embarked on an-all streets rally in Calabar in total support for his second coming.

 In a carnival like manner, the workers chanted solidarity songs, displaying various placards with inscriptions such as “In Ayade we trust, workers salary is guaranteed,” “Ayade all the way to 2023,” “The workers-friendly governor deserves another term,”  and “Ayade is working, and Cross River State is changing.”

 Present at the rally were the NULGE National President, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel; National Publicity Secretary of the union, Comrade Emmanuel Faase, President, Cross River State NULGE, Godwin Ayendi, Kogi State NULGE president, Comrade Adeyemi, Adamawa State president as well as president of Rivers State wing, Franklin Ajunwa.

 The national president, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, said they were in the state to compel the governor to seek re-election given his pro-workers’ policy.

 According to him, “our visit today to Cross River State is the visit of love and peace and when you have these, God will surely stand with you. Trade union movement is a dogged movement aimed at telling you when you are wrong and right. For us to come here, fraternising with you and urging you to come back in 2019, you should know that we are genuine. If we were not happy, the visit would have been different.”

 Threatening Ayade with a lawsuit if he fails to seek a second term in office, a support group, Team Ayade, said although Governor Ayade was not desperate for a second term, the team would view it as a disservice to the state should he fail to seek another term in office.

 Addressing the supporters, associations, women and youth groups bearing banners with different inscriptions  at 137 Ndidem Usang Iso road, Calabar, venue for the unveiling of ‘Team Ayade’ office, the Director-General of the group, Mr.  Goddy Ettah, said: “Ayade is not desperate about coming back, so this platform is to remind him of so much things he has done.

 “We are here to beg you that you cannot stop, for it will be a disservice if you decide to change your mind considering that your dream in eight years would have succeeded in reducing Cross River’s dependence on federal allocation. We will go to court to get an order of mandamus restraining you from taking such decision.”

 In what appeared as a tacit support for the governor’s second term, the Cross River State Chapter Chairman of the Young Democratic Party (YDP), Mr. Castro Ezama, said the government under Senator Ben Ayade has tried its best to improve the lot of the people of Cross River.

Responding to the vociferous calls, Governor Ben Ayade said:”I promise to change the lives of the people for the better. Upon my honour, my character, exposure, wealth and fear of God, I will make a difference. I am going to bring prosperity and hope to these young faces.”

As a show of appreciation, he announced the creation of 9, 000 new jobs for unemployed youths across the three senatorial districts, urging the heads of local government administrations in the various local government areas to compile the lists of the unemployed youths, especially those that turned  to honour him.

 However, watchers of events in the state have expressed mix feelings over the spate of endorsements across the length and breadth of the state. While some analysts see this trend as outlandish and jejune, others see it as a new wave of politicking and political mobilisation.

An analyst, Fabian Agbor, kicks against open endorsement, saying “endorsing an aspirant openly before the commencement of the political campaigns is not in line with electoral processes.

“This ongoing endorsement from Aso Rock to other states is a bad omen for our politics. The consequence is that governance would definitely be affected as political actors would now concentrate on plotting how they would be returned to office in 2019. So, it should be discouraged.”

But Comrade Johnson Ekanem disagrees. According to him, “since APC came on board, the political activities have been at a low ebb. It was as if the nation was still mourning the exit of PDP coupled with the lopsided anti-corruption fight that chased politicians into their shells.

“But with INEC’s recent release of time table for 2019 general elections, the stage is now set, thus the endorsement game. So, you might not blame them as they now have a window to engage in politicking and subsequent endorsements by various groups and stakeholders. They are only mobilising their supporters and party members in readiness for the real game soon.”